我们在和平时期杀人
因为我们不能饶恕罪恶,
声称一些人已丧失了
生存的权力。
我们每次都用言词
为我们国家的战争辩护
证明我们根据道义杀人。
我们咒骂我们交战对手的名字—
称日本人为“日寇”,
叫德国纳粹或“野蛮人”,
还有“意大利佬”--当他们是敌人。
后来,他们成了我们的朋友,
但习惯仍在记忆中留存。
所以现在,当与他人意见不合
我们再次憎恨,并用我们的强权,
战争接着战争,名字冠以脏名,
证明我们公正。
With Words We learn to Hate
We take lives in times of peace
for crimes we won’t forgive,
claiming some have forfeited
the right to live.
We justify our nation’s wars
each time with words to prove we kill
in a moral cause.
We’ve cursed the names of those we fought—
the “Japs” instead of Japanese,
German Nazis or the “Huns”,
and “Wops”—when they were enemies.
Later, they became our friends,
but habits live in memories.
So now, when others disagree
we hate again, and with our might,
war by war, name by dirty name,
prove we’re right.
---Jimmy Carter
(美国第39届总统,诺贝尔和平奖得主。)