这段话有5个版本,下面这个版本是公认的,林肯的原话(网上可以听到这段话录音)是这样的:Itisforustheliving,rather,tobededicatedheretotheunfinishedworkwhichtheywhofoughtherehavethusfarsonoblyadvanced.Itisratherforustobeherededicatedtothegreattaskremainingbeforeus—thatfromthesehonoreddeadwetakeincreaseddevotiontothatcauseforwhichtheygavethelastfullmeasureofdevotion—thatweherehighlyresolvethatthesedeadshallnothavediedinvain—thatthisnation,underGod,shallhaveanewbirthoffreedom—andthatgovernmentofthepeople,bythepeople,forthepeople,shallnotperishfromtheearth.
两个句子主干是itisforustobededicatedto.这里的rather不用翻译,只是表示对比上文所说意思上的转折.然后第一句的iving修饰us,就是活着的我们;which从句修饰unifinishedwork,什么样的未完工作.应当是我们这些活着的人在这里为那些牺牲的人已取得巨大进展但仍未完成的崇高事业奋斗.
第二句Itisratherforustobeherededicatedtothegreattaskremainingbeforeus应当是我们在这里为面前依然存在的艰巨任务奋斗.然后后面跟了4个并列的that从句来说明这个任务是什么.第一个that从句fromthesehonoreddeadwetakeincreaseddevotiontothatcause(我们会继承先烈的目标更加努力),然后这个从句里还有个从句forwhichtheygavethelastfullmeasureofdevotion来修饰cause(为了这个目标他们竭尽全力奋斗都最后一刻).第二个that从句里thatweherehighlyresolve后面又跟了个状语从句thatthesedeadshallnothavediedinvain修饰前面的动词resolve(我们誓言牺牲的人不会白白牺牲).第三个that从句thatthisnation,underGod,shallhaveanewbirthoffreedom(在天主之下的这个国家将获得新生).第四个that从句andthatgovernmentofthepeople,bythepeople,forthepeople,shallnotperishfromtheearth(民有、民治、民享不会从地球消失).