介绍:
小布什总统在老布什总统葬礼上的致辞：
I once heard it said of man that the idea is to die young as late as possible. At age 85, a favorite pastime of George H.W. Bush was firing up his boat, the Fidelity, and opening up the three 300 horsepower engines to fly, joyfully fly across the Atlantic with the Secret Service boats straining to keep up.
我曾经听说，人最好趁年轻的时候就去世，当然，要越晚越好。在我父亲85岁高龄的时候，他的一个娱乐就是开快船，他的船叫“忠心号”，他开足300马力，快得象飞一样，在大西洋上驰骋，留下保安船只在后面拼命追赶。
At age 90, George H.W. Bush parachuted out of an aircraft and landed on the grounds of St. Anne's by the Sea in Kennebunkport, Maine, the church where his mom was married and where he worshipped often. Mother liked to say he chose the location just in case the chute didn't open.
在90岁的时候，我父亲依然从飞机中跳伞而出，降落点是缅因Kennebunkport镇海边的圣安妮教堂，我的祖母就在这个地方举行的婚礼，这也是我父亲经常去礼拜的地方。母亲说，父亲特意选择了这个地方降落，就是为了应对伞包万一打不开的意外。
In his 90s, he took great delight when his closest pal, James A. Baker, smuggled a bottle of Grey Goose vodka into his hospital room. Apparently it paired well with the steak Baker had delivered from Morton's.
90岁了，有一天父亲正在住院，他的老朋友，前国务卿贝克，偷偷给他带进来一瓶灰鹅牌伏特加，他高兴坏了。这酒配上贝克从默顿牛排店买来的外卖，真是棒极了。
To his very last days, dad's life was instructive. As he aged he taught us how to grow with dignity, humor and kindness. When the good lord finally called, how to meet him with courage and with the joy of the promise of what lies ahead.
即便是在他最后的日子，父亲的生命也有启迪。他一边老去，一边教会我们如何带着尊严，幽默和善良而老去。当慈爱的上帝最终来叩门的时候，怎样带着勇气，带着对天国的期盼和喜乐，去迎接死亡的来临。
One reason dad knew how to die young is that he almost did it, twice. When he was a teenager, a staph infection nearly took his life. A few years later he was alone in the Pacific on a life raft, praying that his rescuers would find him before the enemy did. God answered those prayers. It turned out he had other plans for George H.W. Bush.
我父亲知道如何在“年轻”时死亡，因为他几乎曾经历过两次。十几岁的时候，一个葡萄球菌感染几乎要了他的命。几年后，他躺在一个救生筏里在太平洋上飘荡，一边祷告希望救生部队能先于敌人找到他。显然上帝听到了他的祷告，因为上帝给父亲的命运做了其他的安排。
For dad's part, I think those brushes with death made him cherish the gift of life, and he vowed to live every day to the fullest.
从我父亲的角度，这些濒死的经历让他更加珍惜生命的可贵，他发誓要把每一天活到极致。
Dad was always busy, a man in constant motion, but never too busy to share his love of life with those around him. He taught us to love the outdoors. He loved watching dogs flush a covey. He loved landing the illusive striper. And once confined to a wheelchair, he seemed happiest sitting in his favorite perch on the back porch at Walker's Point contemplating the majesty of the Atlantic.
父亲是个大忙人，永远处于无穷动态之中。但是，他就是再忙，也不会忘记和周围的人分享快乐。他教会我们热爱户外运动，他喜欢看爱犬追逐被惊飞的野鸟，他爱钓狡诈的鲈鱼。即便是受限于轮椅而行动不便，他就坐在沃克海角的码头，沉思大西洋的宏伟，这仿佛是他最快乐的时刻。
The horizons he saw were bright and hopeful. He was a genuinely optimistic man, and that optimism guided his children and made each of us believe that anything was possible. He continually broadened his horizons with daring decisions.
他所看到的天边明亮而充满了希望。父亲是个真正乐观的人。这种乐观主义，也影响了下一代，让我们每一个人都坚信，可能性无处不在。一直以来，他都用一个个果敢的决定来拓展他的空间。
He was a patriot. After high school he put college on hold and became a navy fighter pilot as World War II broke out. Like many of his generation, he never talked about his service until his time as a public figure forced his hand. We learned of the attack, the mission completed, the shootdown. We learned of the death of his crewmates whom he thought about throughout his entire life. And we learned of the rescue.
他是爱国者 。高中毕业后，二战爆发，他暂停大学计划而成为海军飞行员。父亲和很多同代人一样，本来不大喜欢宣扬自己报效国家的事迹。但是，作为公众人物，我们都知道了他的经历，他执行攻击，完成任务，被击落。 我们知道了他机组人员的牺牲，以及他对此穷其一生的思索。我们也知道他最终获救了。
And then another audacious decision; he moved his young family from the comforts of the East coast to Odessa, Texas. He and Mom adjusted to their arid surroundings quickly. he was a tolerant man. after all, he was kind and neighborly to the women with whom he, Mom and I shared a bathroom in our small duplex. Even after he learned their profession, ladies of the night.
另一个大胆的决定，他把自己的小家庭从舒适的东部搬到了陌生的德州奥德赛。他和母亲很快就习惯了周边荒凉的环境。为了节省家用，我家当年和另几位女士共享一栋独立房子，我家在一边，她们在另一边，但是两家需要共享一个卫生间。后来，我们知道了这些女士是从事“特殊”职业的，但我父亲依然以善良和蔼的态度对待她们，他是个非常宽容大度的人。
Dad could relate to people from all walks of life. He was an empathetic man. He valued character over pedigree, and he was no cynic. He looked for the good in each person and he usually found it.
父亲能够和来自生活不同轨道的人交往，他善于推己及人，感同身受。他重品格而不是背景，他决不愤世嫉俗，他善意地从每个人身上找优点，总是能找到。
Dad taught us that public service is noble and necessary, that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values like faith and family. He strongly believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in which one lived. He recognized that serving others enriched the giver's soul. To us, his was the brightest of a thousand points of light.
父亲教会我们，当“官”， 为公众服务是必须的，也是崇高的。当“政客”，也可以当得正直，并且对家庭信仰这样重要的价值观问心无愧。他坚信我们必须回报国家和社会。他知道，为别人服务，也能丰富自我的灵魂。对我们而言，父亲是“闪耀繁星”中最亮的那一颗（the brightest of a thousands points of light）。
When he lost, he shouldered the blame. He accepted that failure is a part of living a full life, but taught us never to be defined by failure. He showed us how setbacks can strengthen.
当他失败，他铁肩担责难。他承认，失败是完整人生的一部分。但他告诉我们，永远不要让失败来定义你的人生。他亲身实践，挫折怎样可以转化为强大。
None of his disappointments could compare with one of life's greatest tragedies, the loss of a young child.
在他所有的不幸中，没有什么能比得上他人生最大的悲剧，年幼爱女的过世。
Jeb and I were too young to remember the pain and agony he and Mom felt when our 3-year-old sister died. We only learned later that Dad, a man of quiet faith, prayed for her daily. He was sustained by the love of the Almighty and the real and enduring love of her Mom. Dad always believed that one day he would hug his precious Robin again.
我们有个姐姐，在三岁就去世了，这给我父母带来的痛苦和绝望，我和杰布那时太小了都记不住。我们后来知道，父亲这个把信仰深藏内心的人，天天为她祷告。只有依靠了神的爱，和他对母亲真正持久的爱，他才能坚持下去。父亲总是相信，有一天他能够再次拥抱他珍贵的女儿罗宾。
He loved to laugh, especially at himself. He could tease and needle but never out of malice. He placed great value on a good joke. That's why he chose Simpson to speak.
他喜欢大笑，特别是自嘲。他喜欢开玩笑，但绝非恶意。他特别热衷于精彩的笑话。 这也是他选择辛普森参议员致悼词的原因。
On e-mail he had a circle of friends with whom he shared or received the latest jokes. His grading system for the quality of the joke was classic George Bush. The rare 7s and 8s were considered huge winners, most of them off-color.
他有一个电子邮件群，专门用于朋友之间分享最新的笑话。他对笑话有一个很典型的乔治·布什笑话质量评分系统：能得到十分罕见的7分和8分的笑话，大多数都不带色的。
George Bush knew how to be a true and loyal friend. He nurtured and honored his many friendships with a generous and giving soul. There exists thousands of handwritten notes encouraging or sympathizing or thanking his friends and acquaintances.
乔治·布什知道如何成为一个真正忠诚的朋友。慷慨大度和愿意付出，让他和各界友人成为至交。他曾经给朋友和熟人写了成千上万的亲笔信，用于鼓励、同情或者感谢。
He had an enormous capacity to give of himself. Many a person would tell you that Dad became a mentor and a father figure in their life. He listened and he consoled. He was their friend. I think of Don Rhodes, Taylor Blanton, Jim Nantz, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and perhaps the unlikeliest of all, the man who defeated him, Bill Clinton. My siblings and I refer to the guys in this group as brothers from other mothers.
他能量惊人。 很多人会告诉你，爸爸是他们生活中的导师和父亲。他乐于倾听，善于安慰，愿意和人交流。 他的好朋友，除了唐·罗德斯，泰勒·布兰顿，吉姆·南茨，阿诺德·施瓦辛格，最不可思议的，还有后来在总统竞选中打败他的比尔·克林顿。对我和我的兄弟姐妹们来说，父亲的这些朋友亲如自己同父异母的兄弟。
He taught us that a day was not meant to be wasted. He played golf at a legendary pace. I always wonder why he insisted on speed golf; he's a good golfer. Here's my conclusion. He played fast so he could move on to the next event, to enjoy the rest of the day, to expend his enormous energy, to live it all. He was born with just two settings, full throttle, then sleep.
他告诉我们要珍惜毎一天。 他在高尔夫球场上是一个传奇。 他是一名优秀的高尔夫球手，我总是想知道他高尔夫为什么打那么快。我的结论是，打快点，才有时间参加下一个活动，用一天中剩下的时间，来消耗他旺盛的精力，不让一日虚度。看来他出生时只有两种设置：全力以赴，倒头大睡。
He taught us what it means to be a wonderful father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was firm in his principles and supportive as we began to seek our own ways. He encouraged and comforted but never steered. We tested his patience. I know I did. But he always responded with the great gift of unconditional love.
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