Address at Gettysburg

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth¹ on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated² to the proposition that all  men  are  created  equal(2) Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated(3), can long endure. We are met(4) on  a  great  battlefield  of  that  war.  We  have  come  to  dedicate  a  portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live(5). It is altogether fitting and proper that we  should  do  this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate³ -- we cannot  hallow(6)  --  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  living  and  dead,  who struggled  here,  have  consecrated  it  far  above  our  poor  power  to  add  or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say  here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather, to  be  dedicated  here  to  the  unfinished  work  which  they  who  fought  here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us- that from these honoured dead  we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last  full measure  of  devotion;  that  we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under Cod⁴, shall have a new birth of  freedom;  and  that  government  of  tile  people,  by  the  people,  for  the people,  shall  not  perish  from  the  earth(7).

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

3 consecrate   

v.使圣化，奉…为神圣；尊崇；奉献

参考例句：

• Consecrate your life to the church.把你的生命奉献给教堂吧。
• The priest promised God he would consecrate his life to helping the poor.牧师对上帝允诺他将献身帮助穷人。

4 cod   

n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗

参考例句：

• They salt down cod for winter use.他们腌鳕鱼留着冬天吃。
• Cod are found in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.北大西洋和北海有鳕鱼。