[영어 전문]

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.


[연설 전문]

나는 오늘 여러분이 보여준 신뢰에 대한 감사, 우리 선조들의 희생을 마음에 새기고 이 자리에 겸허히 섰습니다. 먼저 조지 W 부시 대통령이 그동안 우리의 국가를 위해 보여준 봉사와 또 정권 인수 과정에서 보여준 관대함, 협력 전반에 걸쳐 감사함을 전하고 싶습니다.

우리는 현재 잘 이해하고 있듯이 미국은 현재 위기의 한복판에 서 있습니다. 우리의 국가는 저 멀리 증오와 폭력의 폭넓은 네트워크에 대항하는 전쟁에 임한 상태입니다.

또 우리의 경제는 일부의 탐욕과 무책임으로 인해 약화됐으며, 이 같은 우리의 실패는 새로운 시대를 위한 준비와 결정을 더욱 어렵게 만들고 있습니다. 주택가격은 곤두박질 치고, 일자리들은 사라졌으며 기업들은 또 문을 닫았습니다. 우리의 의료보험은 너무 비싸고 교육은 많은 곳에서 실패했습니다.

나는 오늘 우리가 직면한 이 같은 도전들이 실제라고 말하고 싶습니다. 이 같은 도전들은 매우 심각하고 또 헤아릴 수 없이 많습니다. 이들은 쉽게 또는 단기간에 해결되지 않을 것입니다. 그러나 더욱 중요한 문제는 국가 전체가 자신감을 잃어가고 있다는 것입니다. 미국은 해낼 수 있다는 것을 알아야 합니다.

오늘 우리는 두려움보다는 희망, 분쟁과 알력보다는 목적의 일치를 선택했기에 이 자리에 모였습니다. 오늘 우리는 우리를 오랫동안 눌러왔던 사소한 불만과 거짓 약속, 비난과 낡은 교리에 대한 종식을 선언하기 위해 이 자리에 모였습니다.

이제 우리의 영구적인 정신과 더 나은 역사를 선택하고 다음 세대들에 물려주기 위한 훌륭한 재능과 고상한 사상을 고취하고, 모두가 평등하고 자유로우며, 또 행복을 추구할 기회를 부여받았다는 신이 주신 권리를 재확인하는 시기에 있습니다.

우리 국가의 위대함을 다시 한번 확인하기 위해 우리는 위대함은 결코 주어지지 않으며, 노력을 통해 얻는다는 것을 이해해야 합니다. 우리의 여정은 노동 보다는 여가, 부와 인기만을 탐하는 이들을 위한 나약한 길이 아니라 자신의 일을 묵묵히 해내면서 번영과 자유를 향해 길고 험한 길을 달려온 이들의 길입니다.

"우리는 여전히 지구상에서 가장 번영되고 강력한 국가로 남아있습니다. 우리의 노동자들은 이 같은 시작됐던 때보다 덜 생산적이지 않습니다. 또 우리의 정신은 여전히 창조적이며 우리의 물품과 서비스들은 지난 주, 지난 달, 또는 지난해보다 못하지 않습니다. 우리의 능력은 쇠퇴하지 않았습니다. 오늘부터 우리는 스스로를 되찾고 먼지를 떨어내 다시 미국을 재건하기 위한 일을 다시 시작해야 합니다.

우리는 고용창출 뿐만이 아닌 성장의 새로운 기초를 확립하기 위해 강력하고 신속한 조치를 취해야 합니다. 우리는 도로와 교량, 전산망 등을 구축해 통상과 통합을 강화해야 합니다. 우리는 보건복지의 질을 높이고 비용을 낮추기 위해 테크놀로지의 경이함을 사용해야 합니다. 우리는 태양력과 풍력, 토지를 자동차 연료와 공장 가동 등에 적극 이용해야 합니다. 또 학교와 대학들이 새로운 시대의 요구에 부응할 수 있도록 변모해야 합니다. 이 모든 것들은 우리는 할 수 있으며, 또 우리가 해야 할 일들입니다.

그러나 미국의 이 같은 야망에 대해 의구심을 보내는 시선도 있습니다. 우리의 계획이 너무나 많은 것들을 담고 있기 때문에 이를 실현하지 못할 것이라는 것입니다. 그러나 그들은 미국이 그간 이룩해 온 것들을 기억하고 있지 않은 이들입니다. 그들은 상상과 공공의 목적, 필요와 용기가 만날 때 자유로운 사람들이 해낼 수 있는 것을 잊어버리고 있습니다.

오늘날 우리에게 던져진 문제는 정부의 규모가 크거나 작은 것이 아니라 정부가 제대로 작동을 하느냐입니다. 만약 이에 대한 대답이 ‘예스’라면 우리는 앞으로 나아갈 수 있으며, ‘노’라면 이 모든 프로그램들은 중단될 것입니다. 또 정부의 예산을 현명하게 사용하고 나쁜 습관들을 개선하는 것도 중요한 문제입니다. 정부와 국민들 간 신뢰를 복구할 수 있는 방법이기 때문입니다.

또 우리가 고민해야 하는 문제는 시장의 좋고 나쁨에 대한 것이 아닙니다. 시장은 부를 창출해내고 자유를 확대하는데 막강한 힘을 지녔습니다. 그러나 현 위기는 감시의 눈 없이는 시장이 통제불능의 상태에 빠져들고 부유한 사람에게만 혜택을 주는 사회는 더 이상 번영할 수 없다는 것을 보여주고 있습니다.

우리의 경제 성공은 항상 국내총생산(GDP)의 규모에만 의존해 온 것이 아니라 번영의 도달성, 자선을 벗어나 모든 이들에게 기회를 확대하는 우리의 능력에 기반하고 있습니다. 그것이 바로 우리의 공동의 이익에 이르기 위한 가장 확신한 통로이기 때문입니다.

국방 문제에 있어서 우리는 안전과 이상 중 하나를 택하는 것을 잘못된 것으로 여기고 거부하고 있습니다. 우리의 선조들은 우리가 상상조차 할 수 없는 위험에 직면했으며, 법의 규칙과 인권을 보장하기 위한 헌장을 만들고, 헌장은 여러 세대들의 피로 확장돼 왔습니다. 이러한 이상은 여전히 세상을 비추고 있으며, 우리는 이를 포기하지 않을 것입니다.

미국은 평화와 고결함을 추구하는 모든 나라와 남녀노소의 친구이며, 다시 한번 이끌 준비가 돼 있습니다. 우리 선조들은 탱크와 미사일 뿐만이 아닌 견고한 동맹과 의지로 파시즘과 공산주의를 제압했습니다. 그들은 우리의 힘만으로 우리를 보호할 수 없다는 것을 알았습니다.

우리는 이 점을 유념해 더욱 커다란 노력과 협력, 국가간 이해를 요구하는 새로운 위협들에 대처하겠습니다. 우리는 책임감 있게 이라크인들에게 주권을 넘겨주고 아프가니스탄 내 어렵게 얻은 평화를 전진해 나가겠습니다. 또 핵위협과 지구온난화의 위협을 줄이기 위해 오래된 친구들과 과거의 적들과도 적극 협력하겠습니다.
이슬람 국가들과는 상호이익과 상호존중을 기반으로 새로운 관계를 구축해 나갈 것 입니다. 특히 문제를 서방국가의 탓으로 돌리며 부정부패와 사기 등의 부정한 방법으로 권력을 유지하고 있는 지도자들은, 당신들은 역사의 잘못된 측면에 서 있다는 것을 알아야 합니다. 그러나 여러분들이 꽉 쥔 주먹을 펴겠다면 미국은 손을 내밀 것입니다. 빈곤 국가들에게는 여러분의 농장이 번창하고 깨끗한 물이 흐를 수 있도록 항상 지원하겠다고 약속하겠습니다.

우리의 도전들은 새로울 수 있습니다. 이를 이루기 위한 수단들도 새로울 수 있습니다. 그러나 이들 가치들은 근면과 진실함, 용감함, 호기심, 정의와 관용, 애국심과 충성심 등 오래된 것들에 따라 달려있습니다. 우리에게 지금 필요한 것은 우리의 의무를 인식하고 이를 실천하기 위한 새 시대의 책임감입니다.

올 겨울 미국은 고난과 위험에 직면해 있습니다. 희망과 덕목과 함께 이 한파를 다시 한번 용감하게 헤쳐 나갑시다. 그 결과 우리의 후손들이 어려움에 직면했을 때, 우리는 그들에게 자유와 안전이라는 위대한 선물을 주기위해 좌절하지 않고 지평선과 신의 축복을 응시하면서 극복해 나갔다고 말해줍시다."