But this ceremony… commencement… a commencement works every time. From this day forward… truly… in sickness and in health, through financial fiascos, through midlife crises and passably attractive sales reps at trade shows in Cincinnati, through diminishing tolerance for annoyingness, through every difference, irreconcilable and otherwise, you will stay forever graduated from high school, you and your diploma as one, ‘til death do you part。
但这个仪式-毕业典礼，总是能圆满结束。从今天开始-确实如此;无论你生病或健康;经历过财务困境、中年危机;在辛辛那提贸易展遇见还算迷人的销售代表-家长(微博)了解我的意思;对恼人之事的容忍度越来越低;历经过每次的改变、自我矛盾和其他种种;你从高中毕业这个事实永远不会改变，你的文凭一生都会与你相伴。
No, commencement is life’s great ceremonial beginning, with its own attendant and highly appropriate symbolism. Fitting, for example, for this auspicious rite of passage, is where we find ourselves this afternoon, the venue. Normally, I avoid clichés like the plague, wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole, but here we are on a literal level playing field. That matters. That says something. And your ceremonial costume… shapeless, uniform, one-size-fits-all. Whether male or female, tall or short, scholar or slacker, spray-tanned prom queen or intergalactic X-Box assassin, each of you is dressed, you’ll notice, exactly the same. And your diploma… but for your name, exactly the same。
不，毕业典礼代表生命中一个伟大仪式的开始，它有其本身的附加价值和高度的象征意义;例如象征让我们在这个下午找到自己定位的美妙仪式。通常我会像避瘟疫似地避免陈腔烂调，闪得远远的，但现在我们处于平等的竞技场上;这点很重要，它代表某些意义。你们的毕业礼服-毫无造型、外观统一、尺码相同;无论男女、高矮、会不会读书;无论是晒成一身古铜色的舞会皇后或Xbox的星际刺客;你会发现，每个人的穿著都一模一样。而你们的文凭…除了名字以外，其它完全一样。