布什姐妹致奥巴马姐妹的一封信

The daughters of George W Bush have written an open letter to Sasha and Malia Obama as they prepare to leave the White House.

　美国前总统小布什的两个女儿在奥巴马一家即将离开白宫之际给奥巴马的女儿萨莎和玛利亚写了一封公开信。

　　President Barack Obama’s time in office ends on 20 January.In the letter, Jenna Bush-Hager and Barbara Bush say they will be "rooting" for the Obama sisters in their "next chapter".They also lived in the White House for eight years, 2001 to 2009, and moved on to university and jobs.

　　奥巴马的总统任期将于1月20日结束。在这封信中，小布什的女儿珍娜和芭芭拉说她们要“力挺”奥巴马姐妹翻开人生的新篇章。2001年到2009年，她们也在白宫度过了八年时光，然后上大学，就业。

　　Here’s the letter in full, published in Time Magazine

　　这封信刊载在《时代周刊》上，以下是全文：

　　Malia and Sasha, eight years ago on a cold November day, we greeted you on the steps of the White House. We saw both the light and wariness in your eyes as you gazed at your new home.

　　“玛利亚、萨莎：8年前的11月份，寒冷的一天，我们站在白宫的台阶上迎接你们的到来，看到你们用闪亮而拘谨的眼神盯着自己的新家。

　　"We left our jobs in Baltimore and New York early and travelled to Washington to show you around. To show you the Lincoln bedroom, and the bedrooms that were once ours, to introduce you to all the people—the florists, the grounds-keepers and the butlers—who dedicate themselves to making this historic house a home.

　　“当时，我们从工作的巴尔的摩和纽约来到华盛顿，带你们参观白宫。带你们瞻仰林肯的卧室，看我们曾经的卧室，把你们介绍给大家——介绍给花艺师、外场看管员和管家——他们投入的工作让这座充满历史感的建筑成为舒适的家。

　　"The four of us wandered the majestic halls of the house you had no choice but to move in to. When you slid down the banister of the solarium, just as we had done as eight-year-olds and again as 20-year-olds chasing our youth, your joy and laughter were contagious.

　　“我们四个漫步在白宫宏伟的大厅里，搬到这里居住你们别无选择。当你们像我们八岁时来到白宫和二十多岁再次来到白宫一样，从日光室的楼梯扶手上滑下来的时候，你们欢乐的笑声感染了整个大厅。

　　"In eight years, you have done so much. Seen so much.

　　“八年来，你们经历颇丰、眼界大开。

　　"You stood at the gates of the Robben Island cell where South Africa’s Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for decades, your arms around your father.

　　“你们挽着父亲站在罗布恩岛牢房门口，南非前总统尼尔森·曼德拉曾被囚禁在这里几十年。

　　"You travelled to Liberia and Morocco with your mom to talk with girls about the importance of education - girls who saw themselves in you, saw themselves in your parents, saw who they could become if they continued to study and learn.

　　“你们和妈妈来到利比里亚和摩洛哥告诉这里的女孩子教育的重要。你们是她们的榜样，你的父母也是他们的榜样，她们知道了不断学习会有怎样的成就。

　　"You attended state dinners, hiked in national parks, met international leaders and managed to laugh at your dad’s jokes during the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon, all while being kids, attending school and making friends.

　　“你们参加过国宴，在国家公园里远足，和各国领导人见面，还得在一年一度的感恩节火鸡赦免仪式上听爸爸讲笑话，还得笑出来，与此同时你们还要上学，交朋友。

　　"We have watched you grow from girls to impressive young women with grace and ease.

　　“我们看着你们从小姑娘长成了漂亮、优雅、从容的淑女。

　　"And through it all you had each other. Just like we did.

　　“这一切经历，你们和我们一样，都有彼此陪伴。

　　Now you are about to join another rarified club, one of former First Children - a position you didn’t seek and one with no guidelines.

　　“如今，你们即将成为另外一个不常见的群体的一员，成为“前第一孩子”——一个自动加在你们身上且只能自行探索的职位。

　　But you have so much to look forward to. You will be writing the story of your lives, beyond the shadow of your famous parents, yet you will always carry with you the experiences of the past eight years.

　　“然而，你们也有很多美好的憧憬。你们会摆脱父母的光环，开始书写属于自己的人生故事，虽然过去八年烙印会永远与你们相伴。

　　Never forget the wonderful people who work at the White House. Our greeter as seven-year-olds at our grandfather’s inauguration was Nancy, the White House florist, who ushered us in from the cold.

　　“千万别忘记那些在白宫工作过的精兵强将们。我们七岁那年参加祖父的就职仪式，是白宫的迎宾员兼花艺师南希，把我们从寒冷中迎进白宫。

　　She helped us make colourful bouquets of winter flowers for our grandparents’ bedside. Twenty years later, Nancy did the flowers for Jenna’s wedding. Cherish your own Nancy.

　　“她帮我们制作了多彩的冬花花束放在祖父身边。二十年后，南希为珍娜的婚礼布置鲜花。珍惜你们的南希吧。

　　We stay in touch with our secret service. They were part of growing up for us: there for first dates, first days and even an engagement and a honeymoon.

　　“我们和特勤人员还保持着联系。他们是我们成长的一部分：第一次约会，热恋期甚至订婚和蜜月都有他们的身影。

　　We know it wasn’t always easy - the two of you and the two of us were teenagers trailed by men in backpacks—but they put their lives on hold for us.

　　“我们知道有时候这也挺难受的——我们和你们是被一群背着背包的男人尾随的孩子——但他们在用生命保护我们。

　　Enjoy college. As most of the world knows, we did. And you won’t have the weight of the world on your young shoulders anymore. Explore your passions. Learn who you are. Make mistakes - you are allowed to.

　　“享受大学时光吧。显然，我们就是这样做的。大学阶段，你们还不必用稚嫩的肩膀承担俗世之重。释放你们的激情吧，了解自己。可以犯错——这个可以有。

　　Continue to surround yourself with loyal friends who know you, adore you and will fiercely protect you. Those who judge you don’t love you, and their voices shouldn’t hold weight. Rather, it’s your own hearts that matter.

　　“继续和那些了解你们，喜欢你们，并且为你们挺身而出的死党们在一起吧。对你们评头论足的人并不爱你们，他们的话无足轻重，你们的心才重要。

　　Take all that you have seen, the people you have met, the lessons you have learned, and let that help guide you in making positive change. We have no doubt you will.

　　“带上你们所有的见识、人脉和教训吧，让这些指导你们前进。相信你们会这样做的。

　　Travelling with our parents taught us more than any class could. It opened our eyes to new people as well as new cultures and ideas.

　　“跟随父母游历的收获胜过任何课堂，它让你们开阔了眼界，看见别样的人群、别样的文化和别样的思想。

　　We met factory workers in Michigan, teachers in California, doctors healing people on the Burmese border, kids who lined the dusty streets of Kampala to see the American president, and kids with HIV waiting to get the antiretroviral drugs that would save their lives.

　　“我们见过密歇根的工人，加利福尼亚的教师还有缅甸边境治病救人的医生，坎帕拉满是灰尘街道上排着队等着看美国总统的孩子，携带艾滋病病毒等待抗逆转录病毒药物救命的孩子。

　　One tiny girl wearing her finest lavender dress looked young, which she was not.

　　“一个穿着她最好的淡紫色裙子的小女孩，看起来很小，实际上不是。

　　She was little because she was sick. Her mom admitted that she might not live to see these drugs work, but her brothers and sisters would. After meeting this girl, Barbara went back to school and changed her major, and her life’s path.

　　“她长得小是因为生病。她妈妈说她也许活不到这些药物起作用的时候了，但是她的弟弟妹妹会。见过这个女孩，芭芭拉回学校改了专业，从而改变了自己的人生轨迹。

　　You have lived through the unbelievable pressure of the White House. You have listened to harsh criticism of your parents by people who had never even met them.

　　“你们经历过白宫中高压的生活。你们也听过那些甚至没见过你们父母的人对他们的苛责。

　　You stood by as your precious parents were reduced to headlines. Your parents, who put you first and who not only showed you but gave you the world. As always, they will be rooting for you as you begin your next chapter. And so will we.

　　“当你们亲爱的父母成为占据新闻头条的大人物时你们在身旁支持他们。把你们摆在生命第一位的父母为你们展现了一个世界，也赋予了你们一个世界。他们会一如既往地“挺”你们，迎接人生新的篇章。我们也会。”