奥巴马2014国情咨文（双语对照）

The bottom line is, Michelle and I want every child to have the same chance this country gave us. But we know our opportunity agenda won't be complete - and too many young people entering the workforce today will see the American Dream as an empty promise - unless we do more to make sure our economy honors the dignity of work, and hard work pays off for every single American.

归根结底，米歇尔和我希望每个孩子都能享受国家给予的同等机会。但是我们都知道我们关于机会的这项议程尚不完善——现在许多已经具有劳动力的年轻人认为美国梦只是一张空头支票——除非我们采取更多措施来确保经济能够尊重劳动的价值而且让他们相信，努力工作能够使每一个美国人受益。

Today, women make up about half our workforce. But they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. That is wrong, and in 2014, it's an embarrassment. A woman deserves equal pay for equal work. She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job. A mother deserves a day off to care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship - and you know what, a father does, too. It's time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a "Mad Men" episode. This year, let's all come together - Congress, the White House and businesses from Wall Street to Main Street - to give every woman the opportunity she deserves. Because I firmly believe when women succeed, America succeeds.

如今，女士是劳动力的半边天。但是相同的工作，她们只能得到男士们薪酬的77%。这是不合理的，在2014年，这是一个让人尴尬的情况。女士们应该获得与她们工作等价的酬劳。她应该有个孩子但这不是以牺牲她的工作为代价。一位母亲理应有一天的休假去照顾她生病的孩子或者生病的父母而不是陷入工作家庭难兼顾的境地——而且，众所周知，父亲也应该是这样。是时候远离类似《广告狂人》某一集里的工作场所政策了。今年，让我们一起呼吁国会，白宫和来自华尔街或缅因街的企业——给予每位女士应有的权利。因为我坚信，当女士们的事业成功时，美国就成功了。

Now, women hold a majority of lower-wage jobs - but they're not the only ones stifled by stagnant wages. Americans understand that some people will earn more than others, and we don't resent those who, by virtue of their efforts, achieve incredible success. But Americans overwhelmingly agree that no one who works full time should ever have to raise a family in poverty.

现在，女士们占了低收入工作者的大半，她们也不是唯一的被停滞不前的工资困扰的。美国人理解那些高收入者，我们不会嫉妒那些用自己的工作成果创造了令人难以置信的成功的人。但是大多数美国人认为全职工作养家糊口的人不应该处在贫穷中。

In the year since I asked this Congress to raise the minimum wage, five states have passed laws to raise theirs. Many businesses have done it on their own. Nick Chute is here tonight with his boss, John Soranno. John's an owner of Punch Pizza in Minneapolis, and Nick helps make the dough. Only now he makes more of it: John just gave his employees a raise, to ten bucks an hour - a decision that eased their financial stress and boosted their morale.

从我请求国会提高最低工资的那年起，五个州已经出台了提高当地最低工资法律规定。许多企业也实行了这项规定。今晚尼克•邱特和他的的老板约翰•索拉诺都在这里。约翰是明尼阿波里斯市一家匹萨店的老板，尼克帮他做面团。最近他做了些改善：约翰把员工的工资涨到了每小时10美元，这项决定不仅改善了员工的经济压力也提高了员工的士气。

Tonight, I ask more of America's business leaders to follow John's lead and do what you can to raise your employees' wages. To every mayor, governor and state legislator in America, I say, you don't have to wait for Congress to act; Americans will support you if you take this on. And as a chief executive, I intend to lead by example. Profitable corporations like Costco see higher wages as the smart way to boost productivity and reduce turnover. We should too. In the coming weeks, I will issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to pay their federally-funded employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour - because if you cook our troops' meals or wash their dishes, you shouldn't have to live in poverty.

今晚，我希望能有更多的美国企业家能够效仿约翰，尽最大努力地提高员工的工资。对每一位市长、地方长官和州议员，我想说的是，你们不必等到国会的决策出台后再行动，如果你们能执行这项决定，全美国都会支持你们。作为美国总统，我希望能以身作则。像科斯科（美国连锁企业）以创造利润为目标的企业，都把提高员工工资看作是提高生产效率和降低员工离职率的方式。我们也应该采取这种办法。在接下来的几周，我将签发一项总统令，要求联邦承包商付给那些为联邦工作的雇员们的最低工资为10.10美元每小时——因为如果你在为我们的军队做饭或者是洗碗，你不该为维持生计发愁。

Of course, to reach millions more, Congress needs to get on board. Today, the federal minimum wage is worth about 20 percent less than it was when Ronald Reagan first stood here. Tom Harkin and George Miller have a bill to fix that by lifting the minimum wage to $10.10. This will help families. It will give businesses customers with more money to spend. It doesn't involve any new bureaucratic program. So join the rest of the country. Say yes. Give America a raise.

当然，要想达到几百万甚至更多公司提高最低工资，还得国会同意。现在的联邦最低工资比罗纳德•里根第一次站在这里时少20%。在最低工资提高到10.10美元后，汤姆•哈尔金和乔治•米勒将会有一笔账要算。这项总统令可以帮助很多家庭，让企业的客户们有更多的钱消费。而且它没有卷入任何具有官僚主义的政治项目里。所以希望国家的其它地方加入到这个计划进来，与美国一起进步。