标题：葛底斯堡演说
基本信息
历史背景林肯，姓氏，男子名。常指亚伯拉罕·林肯，美国第16任总统。他领导了美国南北战争，颁布了《解放黑人奴隶宣言》，维护了美联邦统一，为美国在19世纪跃居世界头号工业强国开辟了道路，使美国进入经济发展的黄金时代，被称为“伟大的解放者”。　
  联邦军阵亡者，提摩西·欧苏利文摄葛底斯堡之役（1863年7月1日至3日），彻底改变了葛底斯堡这个小镇。战场上，联邦波多马克军团与联盟国北维吉尼亚军团双方留下超过七千具的战士遗骸、数以千具战马尸骨，庄严有序地埋葬死者成为当地数千居民的首要之务。尸体腐烂的恶臭在战事结束后一周内，使许多小镇居民剧烈作呕。终于，在32岁富有检查官大卫·威尔斯（David Wills）的指示下，宾夕法尼亚州购下17英亩（69,000平方公尺）的土地作为墓园之用，以为这些葬送于烈日沙场的英灵善后。
威尔斯最初计划于1863年9月23日星期三题献这座墓园，并邀请时任国务卿的威廉·亨利·西华德、多名联邦参众议员、麻萨诸塞州州长、以及哈佛大学校长作为主讲人。艾佛瑞特时为全国最知名的演说家，声名远播。他回复威尔斯及治丧委员会，因时间仓促，无从备妥合适的演说，要求将日期延后。经委员会同意，揭幕式顺延至11月19日星期四。
威尔斯及治丧委员会几乎是事后才想起邀请林肯参与揭幕式。威尔斯的信中写道，‘敢请屈驾，于演说之后，以全国行政首长之尊，赐以适切之短评，使此土此地因蒙官式对待，得添神圣庄严。’林肯于演说顺序中排名第二，类似于现今邀请贵宾于开幕式剪彩的传统。
林肯搭乘火车于11月18日到达葛底斯堡，当夜作客于威尔斯位于葛底斯堡市镇广场的住宅中，并为其于华盛顿写就的演说稿作最后的润色。与市井传说不同的是，林肯既未在火车上准备讲词，也未写就于信封背面。11月19日早晨9:30，林肯于骑着一匹枣栗色马，加入排成一长列的达官显要、市井小民、与战士遗孀中出场，位置在国务卿威廉·亨利·西华德与财政部长萨蒙·波特兰·蔡斯之间。
据估计，约有一万五千至两万人参与仪式，入席者包括当时廿四个联邦州中的六位州长：宾夕法尼州的安德鲁·格雷格·柯廷（Andrew Gregg Curtin）、马里兰州的奥古斯都·布莱德福（Augustus Bradford）、印地安那州的奥利佛·摩顿（Oliver P. Morton）、纽约州的候霍拉肖·西摩（Horatio Seymour）、纽泽西州的乔·帕克（Joel Parker）、以及俄亥俄州的大卫·陶德（David Tod）。[6]确切之出场序仍有争议。[7]将掩埋在战场内各墓穴的尸体掘出重葬于墓园的工作，于战役结束后数月内即开始进行，至揭幕日仅完成不到一半。仪式与演说  爱德华·艾佛瑞于林肯的短评之前发表演说当日安排由威尔斯与治丧委员会所安排之仪式进行表如下：
·音乐 — 伯格菲尔德乐队（Birgfield's Band）
·祷告 — 牧师史塔克顿博士（T.H. Stockton, D.D）
·音乐 — 海军陆战队乐队（Marine Band）
·演说 — 爱德华·艾佛瑞特阁下（Hon. Edward Everett）
·音乐 — 由法兰西阁下作曲之赞美诗（Hymn composed by B.B. French, Esq）
·致词 — 美利坚合众国总统
·挽歌 — 由为此场合精选合唱团演唱
·祝福式 — 牧师鲍尔博士（H.L. Baugher, D.D.）
当日视之为“葛底斯堡演说”者并非林肯总统的简短致词，而是艾佛瑞特长达两小时的演讲。艾佛瑞特这场今已罕闻之13,609字演讲其开头为：
‘立此晴空下，眺及四野，静谧自已逝年代之劳苦，伟大之阿尔根尼山脉耸立，隐朝我等，以及脚下诸同志安息之处；以我卑微之声破上天动人之岑寂，实感踌躇。然则奉各位之召，其责无可辞卸—其以尔之悲悯，应我祈求。’ 
"Standing beneath this serene sky, overlooking these broad fields now reposing from the labors of the waning year, the mighty Alleghenies dimly towering before us, the graves of our brethren beneath our feet, it is with hesitation that I raise my poor voice to break the eloquent silence of God and Nature. But the duty to which you have called me must be performed; — grant me, I pray you, your indulgence and your sympathy." 
在两小时后，以此作结：
‘然我坚信，其将同我等齐声传颂，共禀烈士之骸：遍探已开化之世间，凡传颂此役赫赫功勋之处，下及信史之尽头，于我等共享之国，煌煌之史中，再无他页较葛底斯堡一役更为灿烂。’
"But they, I am sure, will join us in saying, as we bid farewell to the dust of these martyr-heroes, that wheresoever throughout the civilized world the accounts of this great warfare are read, and down to the latest period of recorded time, in the glorious annals of our common country, there will be no brighter page than that which relates The Battles of Gettysburg."原始资料另一份当时讲稿的原始资料为联合新闻（Associated Press）的有线服务（wire service）广播，转誊自记者约瑟夫·吉尔伯特（Joseph L. Gilbert）的速计笔记；同样在一些小地方与草稿的本文有异。
对于林肯当时的表现，现场目击者的报导同样也是各色观点兼具。1931年，时年87岁的莎拉·库克·麦尔斯夫人（Mrs. Sarah A. Cooke Myers），曾在19岁时参与揭幕式，她表示林肯演说后现场庄重肃静：“  1863年11月20日纽约时报的文章我当时很靠近总统，听完全部演讲，但好像太短了。然后是一阵令人印象深刻的静默，类似于我们的Menallen教友团契。他讲完后并没有掌声。”[据历史学家谢尔白·富特（Shelby Foote）所言，在林肯发表完演说后，掌声迟疑、零乱、且“敷衍了事”。[相对之下，宾夕法尼亚州长柯丁直言：“他以全场清晰可闻的声音宣讲那场演说，在场群众因总统站在面前而陷入寂静…‘太令人钦佩了！’是各人一致的评论。好一场演讲，正如他们所说的一样！”
林肯后来收到艾佛瑞特于次日写出的信，颂扬总统简明扼要而具说服力的演讲，他写道：“若我能满意于自己在两小时内趋近盛典的主要构想，一如阁下于两分钟内道破者，我当十分庆幸。”林肯当时庆幸这场演讲并非“彻底失败”。
其他对这场演说的公众反应因党派之见而壁垒分明。芝加哥日报（Chicago Sun-Times）次日报导：“这位被有头脑的外国人指为美利坚合众国总统者，语调无聊、呆板、又蹩脚。各位美国人若以这种语调朗读，必感面红耳赤。”
林肯本人，随着时间推移，也修订了自己对“我这场小演说”的看法。[1]主题与内文林肯五次使用“国家”（"nation"）一字，但未用“联邦”（"union"）一字，此字于当时或单指北方—再者，恢复“国家”，而非各主权州的联邦共同体，为至高无上。林肯的文辞涉及1776年与美国独立战争，并包含“凡人生而平等”等美国独立宣言中广为人知的字句。
林肯并未间接提及1789年的美国宪法，宪法中的五分之三协议（three-fifths compromise，每位黑奴折抵五分之三个自由民，作为各州产生联邦众议员的居民人数基础）暗示承认奴隶制度。他也未提及内战之前时期（antebellum）的种种政治争议如拒行联邦法规（nullification，州政府撤废联邦法规，自行其是）或是州权（state's rights，即主张美利坚合众国为各主权州之集合，总统为各州委任之代理人，无权涉入奴隶制度等州内重大事务）。
在《林肯在葛底斯堡：再造美国的字句》一书中，盖瑞·威尔斯表示这场演说受美式希腊复兴（Greek Revival）及雅典的传统葬礼演说之影响，以及一位论（Unitarian，上帝只有一位，  在国会图书馆的壁画上刻有林肯的一句名言。而非三位一体）中的超越论（Transcendentalism，顿悟）与废奴主义者希欧多尔·帕克（Theodore Parker，‘全民共有，全民共治，全民共享’（"of all the people, by all the people, for all the people"）警句的原创者），还有丹尼尔·韦伯斯特（Daniel Webster）对宪法的主张。
作家，以及内战学者詹姆斯·麦佛森（James McPherson）对威尔斯著作之评述，拟之于修斯提底斯（Thucydides，古希腊史家）所述，佩里克利斯（Pericles，雅典政治家）于伯罗奔尼撒战争（Peloponnesian War）期间的葬礼演说，并列举若干特点与林肯的演说比较。佩 里克利斯的演说，一如林肯，以向可敬的先人致意为开端：‘我须始于我辈先祖：是正确而适当者，其若齿及今日如此盛典，应感与有荣焉。’（"I shall begin with our ancestors: it is both just and proper that they should have the honour of the first mention on an occasion like the present"）；再来是赞扬国家对民主的 承诺独一无二：‘观其律法，赋平等正义予全体人民’（"If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences"），尊崇亡者的犠牲：‘故宁力拒而亡，不受辱而生者，已远辱而犯险’（"Thus choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting, they fled only from dishonour, but met danger face to face"）；并敦促生者继续奋斗：‘尔等，其孓遗，须决心以不移之念以入沙场，庶可为适切之争而祷。’（"You, their survivors, must determine to have as unfaltering a resolution in the field, though you may pray that it may have a happier issue."）
葛瑞格·史密斯（Craig R. Smith）于《对政治修辞与修养的完善之批判》（"Criticism of Political Rhetoric and Disciplinary Integrity"）中，也表示韦伯斯特（Webster）的著名演讲影响林肯在葛底斯堡演说中对政府观点的阐释，尤其是韦伯斯特的《对黑涅的二次回 复》（"Second Reply to Hayne"）。他在其中陈述：‘此政府，可敬的先生，为公众志愿之产物，非州议会之创造，非也。尤有甚者，若须表述全部真理，则使其成真之人民、肇建、 并拥护迄今者，为此之图，连同他事，气魄宏大而明确地强烈限制对州之最高主权。’（"This government, Sir, is the independent offspring of the popular will. It is not the creature of State legislatures; nay, more, if the whole truth must be told, the people brought it into existence, established it, and have hitherto supported it, for the very purpose, amongst others, of imposing certain salutary restraints on State sovereignties."）
有人注意到林肯以诞生、存活、消亡的比喻性手法用于国家的‘肇建’（"brought forth"）、‘孕育’（"conceived"）、以及必不自地球上‘消亡’（"perish"）。另外，包含作家艾伦·归尔佐（Allen C. Guelzo）在内，曾表示林肯公式化的表述‘八十有七’（"four score and seven"）间接来自英王钦定版圣经（King James Version of the Bible）Psalm 90。圣经中对寿算之表述类于‘六十有十’（"threescore and ten"）
作家曼肯（H. L. Mencken）对他所认为的林肯中心思想大加挞伐。林肯认为葛底斯堡的战士们‘为自决之事业捐躯’。曼肯论断：‘很难想像还会有什么更虚假的。该战役中的联邦军将士们实际上是为了反对自决而战；是邦联军为其人民自治之权而战。’
林肯演说
简介在听众的好评后，林肯以他尖细的肯塔基腔发言二至三分钟。林肯的“适  亚伯拉罕·林肯发表演说切之短评”以十句话272个字简述这场内战，重提国家在这场艰苦战争中的作用，以及对此观念的影响：不分联邦军或邦联军，葛底斯堡阵亡将士的牺牲无一白费。演说以八十七年前发端，论及美国独立战争以及著名的独立宣言，指出国民殊死的战斗就是为了确保民有、民治、民享之政府当免于凋零，有意思的是尽管这场演说名垂青史，但是其确切的措辞一直颇受争议，已知的共有五份版本，历史学家为细微史实一直争论不已。[2]
尽管这场演说名垂青史，当今学者对其真正措词意见不一；当时据实誊录的新闻报导，甚至林肯本人的数份手抄副本中，其措词、标点、与结构皆互有歧异。 在众多版本中，“毕利斯本”（Bliss Copy）已成标准本。这是唯一一份林肯署名的版本，也是所知经其撰写的最终版本：（以下为此本之中英对照）译本一八十又七年前吾辈先祖于这大陆上，肇建一个新的国度，乃孕育于自由，且致力于凡人皆生而平等此信念。译本二在八十七年前，我们的国父们在这块土地上创建一个新的国家，乃基于对自由的坚信，并致力于所有人皆生而平等的信念。
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
当下吾等被卷入一场伟大的内战，以考验是否此国度，或任何肇基于和奉献于斯者，可永垂不朽。吾等现相逢于此战中一处浩大战场。而吾等将奉献此战场之部分，作为这群交付彼者生命让那国度勉能生存的人们最后安息之处。此乃全然妥切且适当而为吾人应行之举。
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field 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 to that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
但，于更大意义之上，吾等无法致力、无法奉上、无法成就此土之圣。这群勇者，无论生死，曾于斯奋战到底，早已使其神圣，而远超过吾人卑微之力所能增 减。这世间不曾丝毫留意，也不长久记得吾等于斯所言，但永不忘怀彼人于此所为。吾等生者，理应当然，献身于此辈鞠躬尽瘁之未完大业。吾等在此责无旁贷献身 于眼前之伟大使命：自光荣的亡者之处吾人肩起其终极之奉献—吾等在此答应亡者之死当非徒然—此国度，于神佑之下，当享有自由之新生—民有、民治、民享之政府当免于凋零。
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—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 honored 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 God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
五份手稿
概述五份已知的葛底斯堡演说手抄本，各以自林肯之手承接之相关人士命名。林肯给他的私人秘书约翰·尼柯莱（John Nicolay）与约翰·黑伊（John Hay）每人各一份。两份皆在其11月19日演说日左右写就，而其他三份演说稿本，艾佛瑞特本(Everett)、班克劳福本（Bancroft）、与毕利斯本（Bliss），为林肯为慈善目的于11月19日后自撰。由于林肯对毕利斯本下标题并署名及记下日期，该本成为大多数林肯葛底斯堡演说的复写再制品之来源。
两份最早的草稿互有关连，然两者之存在与起源有若干的混淆与矛盾之处。尼柯莱与黑伊二人，由林肯之子罗伯特·陶德·林肯（Robert Todd Lincoln）于1874年指派为林肯文件的保管人。[3]尼 柯莱本于1894年出现在约翰·尼柯莱的文章之副本中；据猜测，其于尼柯莱在1901年去逝后，混杂在其女海伦转交给黑伊的文件当中。罗伯特·林肯于 1908年开始找寻原稿，海伦从而耗时数年追寻尼柯莱本未成。在给林肯的信中，海伦写道：“黑伊先生在文件转交后不久告诉我，令尊给了家父葛底斯堡演说的原 稿。”林肯追寻的结果是在约翰·黑伊装订成册的论文本中发现一份葛底斯堡演说手抄本—即今称‘黑伊稿本’（"Hay Draft"）者，其使用的纸张、每行字数、整篇的行数、以及林肯编校的手迹，皆不同于约翰·尼柯莱在1894年印行的版本。八年后，1916年3月，符合伦·尼柯莱记忆与其父文章之今称‘尼柯莱本’者，据报存于约翰·黑伊的孙女爱丽丝·黑伊·瓦德史渥丝（Alice Hay Wadsworth）的所有物中。（引据之注解今已绝版）尼柯莱本尼柯莱本据信为现存最早的副本，通称“首稿”（"first draft"）。学者们对于尼柯莱本是否即林肯于11月19日发表葛底斯堡演说时所诵读者意见不一。1894年，身为林肯文件保管者的尼柯莱，于一篇包含此本之摹写的文章中写道，林肯将以白宫文具写就之讲稿前半携至葛底斯堡，并于11月19日发表演说前以铅笔在横格纸写下讲稿之次页。两 张纸上仍明显可见的相称折痕，显示其或为目击者所称林肯自其外套口袋掏出并于典礼中诵读者。有些人认为其讲辞业已丢失，因尼柯莱本的若干词句与林肯当时演 讲的抄本不符。例如说，“凭借神佑”一句，不见于“此一国度，（凭借神佑），定享自由之新生”这一段。若说尼柯莱本就是当时所诵读者，那么不是当时的誊录 不确，便是林肯于讲稿中数处悖于其写定的文辞。这份葛底斯堡演说的副本据推测在约翰·尼柯莱于1901年去逝之前始终为其所有，后传交于其挚友兼同事约翰·黑伊；其后消失于众数年，复于1916年三月寻获。尼柯莱本现于华盛顿的国会图书馆中之美国珍品展（American Treasures exhibition）中永久陈列。黑伊本于1906年首次发布于众后，普立兹奖得主盖瑞·威尔斯（Garry Wills）称黑伊本为 “  黑伊本在林肯的五份副本中最令人难以索解。”当中有数处增减，显示其经仓促抄写；经检阅后，多处之删削为全句基本含义之关键，非仅林肯可用以强化或明晰其语义 之简单字词。此副本，时称“次稿”（"second draft"），若非于演讲日一早写就，即是林肯于回到华盛顿不久之后完成。相信演讲日写就者指出，当中有若干词句不见于首稿，但出现在对这场演说的新闻 报导与林肯其后撰写的各副本中。他们断定，依国会图书馆所收藏，随附于首稿与次稿两者原件的注解之声明，这份次稿有可能为林肯发表演讲时手中所持者。林肯最后把这份副本给了他另一位个人秘书，约翰·黑伊；其后裔于1916年将这份次稿连同尼柯莱本捐赠给国会图书管。艾佛瑞特本艾佛瑞特本，又称艾佛瑞特—奇易斯本，于1864年初由林肯总统应爱德华·艾佛瑞特之请而致赠。艾佛瑞特收集各人在葛底斯堡的演说稿，装订成册，于纽约的美国卫生部展览场中为伤兵义卖。林肯所致赠的手稿后成为第三份署名的副本，现为位于伊利诺州春田市的伊利诺州立历史文物馆馆藏。目前陈列于亚伯拉罕林肯总统图书博物馆（Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum）的珍品艺廊（Treasures Gallery）中。班克劳福本葛底斯堡演说的班克劳福本由林肯总统于1864年四月应乔治·班克劳福之请写就。身为当时最知名的历史学家，班克劳福计划将这份副本纳入《我国之肇建者身后真迹》（Autograph Leaves of Our Country's Authors），并于巴尔地摩的海陆军卫生展览场中拍卖。由于这第四个副本写于纸张的两面，故不适合于此目的。班克劳福先生获允保留下来。这是唯一一份随附林肯寄送手稿所用之原有信封，并有林肯手书地址及免费邮递字样者。这份副本留在班克劳福家族手中数年，后捐赠予康乃尔大学中的卡尔克劳区图书馆（Carl A. Kroch Library）。这是五份副本中唯一私有收藏者。毕利斯本在发现其第四份手迹成为乔治·班克劳福收纳的《身后真迹》后，林肯总统写下第五稿。毕利斯本为林肯唯一署名之副本，曾一度为亚历山大·毕利斯上校家族所有；他是班克劳福的继子与《身后真迹》发行人。这是林肯所写的最后一份手稿，由于其外观经小心保存，也由于林肯于此副本下标题并署名及记下日期，它成为这场演讲的标准版本。毕利斯本成为大多数林肯葛底斯堡演说的复写再制品之源头。原稿今藏于白宫的林肯室，为前古巴驻美大使奥斯卡·辛塔斯（Oscar B. Cintas）致赠的礼物。辛塔斯为富有的文物艺品收藏家，他于1949年在一场拍卖会中以五万四千美元买下毕利斯本，就公开拍卖的文件而言，其为史上最高价位。
盖瑞·威尔斯（Garry Wills）在1993年的 普立兹得奖作品《林肯在葛底斯堡：再造美国的字句》中论断，毕利斯本“文体在一个极重要的方面上，较他本可取：林肯自‘其为之尽献（于此）’中删除了于此 ”，也就是此本之第七个“于此”。”威尔斯评论道，林肯“持续的改进，显示他注重内文之完美甚于保存‘原稿’（当然这是可理解的）。”
英文原文
Memorial versionTHE
GETTYSBURG
ADDRESS
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met 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 this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate…we cannot consecrate…we cannot hallow…this ground. The brave men,living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The worldwill 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 honored 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 God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people,for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
November 19, 1863The five manuscriptsNicolay Draft
Copy of Nicolay's draft of the Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that "all men are created equal"
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it, as a final resting place for those who died here, that the nation might live. This we may, in all propriety do. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow, this ground—The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here; while it can never forget what they did here.
It is rather for us, the living, to stand here, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth.Hay DraftFour score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battle field of that war. We are now have come to dedicate a portion of it as the a final resting place of for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But in a larger sense we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow 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 can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished ^work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before ^us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to the that cause for which they here gave gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.Everrett CopyFour score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field 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. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—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 honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here 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 God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that, government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.Bancroft CopyFour score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field 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. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—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 honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here 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 God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
其他相关
市井传说一个广为流传的传言称，林肯于演说结束后，转向其随扈瓦德·希尔·拉蒙（Ward Hill Lamon），评述自己的演说犹如败犁，‘不可扒梳’。据盖瑞·威尔斯所言，这种说法毫无事实根据，大部分是来自拉蒙不可靠的记忆。依威尔斯的观点，‘（林肯）已达其欲成（于葛底斯堡）者’。
另一个始终不息的市井传言为，林肯于自华盛顿至葛底斯堡的火车旅程上完成讲稿，且写就于信封背面。这是基于先前多份手稿流通，以及林肯于大卫·威尔斯宅中作客期间定稿的报导而外加的故事。
另外，有传言说葛底斯堡的治丧委员会原本预期林肯会讲得比这场葛底斯堡演说要长一些。其实当地所有人都知道（或应该知道）总统当日的角色实属次要。唯一一帧已知林肯摄于葛底斯堡的相片，由摄影大师大卫·巴克拉区（David Bachrach）所摄，于1952年在美国国家档案及文件总署（National Archives and Records Administration, NARA）里，马修·布雷迪（Mathew Brady）收集的照相底片中，为人认出。因林肯的演说为时短暂且或须防止于演说中途被拍多帧照片，总统与其他诸位要人于进行余下仪式时枯坐数小时。
国会图书馆中的各讲稿副本封装于特殊设计、恒温控制、充填氩气密封的容器中。以保护该文件不受氧化及继续变性。关于中译文1919年，孙文在《文言本三民主义》中译：“林肯氏曰：“为民而有，为民而治，为民而享”者，斯乃人民之政府也。有如此之政府，而民者始真为一国 之主也。”1921年6月，孙文演说《三民主义之具体办法》时说，“这句话的中文意思，没有适当的译文，兄弟就把它译作：民有、民治、民享。of the people就是民有，by the people就是民治，for the people就是民享。林肯所主张的这民有、民治和民享主义，就是兄弟所主张底民族、民权和民生主义！”
徐道邻在 中译这篇演说时，将"of the people, by the people, for the people"译成“民有、民治、民享”，应是根据孙文的中译而来的。他又加以题解：“其论民主政治之真谛，以三介词阐发无剩义，尤为神来之笔。他人千言 万语徒为词费矣。”，不过钱歌川在《英文疑难详解》一书中曾对这样的中译方式提出质疑。大众文化的演说---大众文化中的葛底斯堡演说  林肯纪念堂刻有葛底斯堡全文
美国大众文化中不断出现葛底斯堡演说，其于美国历史上的重要性一再受强调。其卓越的地位不但表现在被镂刻于华盛顿特区的林肯纪念堂中，石建内殿的南壁；葛底斯堡演说更经常出现于大众文化产品中，明示当代的观众对这些词句相当熟悉。
其范例包括马瑞迪斯·威尔逊（Meredith Willson）1957年的音乐剧《欢乐音乐妙无穷》（The Music Man），其河边镇镇长一贯地以‘八十…’（Four score…）起头，然后便被打断，直到下一次又轮到他以同样的台词起头。1967年的音乐剧〈毛发〉（Hair）有首歌叫做‘艾比宝贝/八十’（Abie Baby/Fourscore），涉及林肯遇刺，并将葛底斯堡演说以讽刺性的方式表现出来。在1989年电影《阿比阿弟的冒险》（Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure）中，亚伯拉罕·林肯被从事时光旅行的主角自过去劫走，并对圣迪玛斯高中的学生发表这般的演说：‘八十有七分钟前。’1999年电影《白宫也疯狂》（Dick）中，饰演贝西与爱琳的角色说道：‘八十又七年前我们祖先（our forefather）干了些我不知道的事。’这是一个林肯的实际用语‘吾辈先祖’（our fathers）常遭误用的例子。