So it is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait. 因此，有人想我们原地休息，继续等待，这毫不奇怪。

But this city of Houston, this state of Texas, this country of the United States was not built 但是休斯顿这个城市，德克萨斯这个州，美国这个国家都是由那些原地等待，

by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. 止步不前，喜欢向后看的人建立的。

This country was conquered by those who moved forward--and so will space. 这个国家是由那些不断进取的人所征服的——航天事业也是这样。

William Bradford, speaking in 1630 of the founding of the Plymouth Bay Colony, 威廉·布拉福德在1630年的普里茅斯湾殖民地的建立仪式上说，

said that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, 所有伟大而可敬的行动都伴随着很大的困难，

and both must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courage. 而完成这些行动需具备冒险精神和负责任的勇气。

If this capsule¹ history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man, 如果我们密封舱历史上的进步教会了我们 什么，

in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined² and cannot be deterred³. 那就是人类在寻求知识，追求进步时，是坚持不懈，不屈不饶的。

The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not, and it is one of the great adventures of all time, 不论我们是否加入，空间探索都会继续。无论在什么时候，它都是一项重大的冒险，

and no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space. 没有任何一个期望成为世界领袖的国家希望在这场空间竞赛中落后。

Those who came before us made certain that this country rode the first waves of the industrial revolution, 我们的前辈让这个国家掀起了工业革命的第一波浪潮、

the first waves of modern invention, and the first wave of nuclear power, 现代发明的第一波浪潮、核动力的第一波浪潮、核动力的第一波浪潮，

and this generation does not intend to founder⁴ in the backwash of the coming age of space. 而我们这一代并不打算在即将到来的太空时代的浪潮中倒下。

We mean to be a part of it—we mean to lead it. 我们要参与其中——我们要主导潮流。