美国副总统乔·拜登（Joe Biden）获得了美国总统自由勋章，这是美国最高的平民荣誉。
U.S. President Barack Obama surprised Biden with the award Thursday during an emotional ceremony at the White House.
奥巴马总统周四在白宫举行的一场动人的授勋仪式上给了拜登一次惊喜。
Obama announced the award after praising Biden for his years of service, calling him "the finest vice president we have ever seen."
奥巴马赞扬了拜登多年的公共服务生涯，然后宣布了颁发这一勋章，并称他是“我们所见过的最好的副总统。”
Biden appeared shocked at the announcement, which he said Obama and others inside the White House had kept secret. After hearing the award was about to be presented, Biden briefly turned away from the cameras to clear some tears.
拜登似乎对此深感震惊，他说奥巴马和白宫工作人员在这件事上都对他保密。在听到即将授勋后，拜登短暂地背身躲开摄像机擦去了泪水。
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is America's highest award for civilians. Obama has awarded the medal to others during his presidency. But he explained that Biden's award carried an additional level of distinction that he has never given out before.
总统自由勋章是美国最高的平民荣誉。奥巴马在担任总统期间给其他人也颁发了这一勋章。但是他解释说，拜登获得的是他此前从未颁发过的杰出总统自由勋章。
Obama said this highest-level award was only given to three individuals by the three presidents that served before him. Those individuals were Pope John Paul II, former President Ronald Reagan and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
奥巴马表示，在他任前只有三位总统给三个人颁发了这种最高级别的勋章。这三人是教皇约翰·保罗二世、前总统里根和前国务卿鲍威尔。
In his tribute to Biden, Obama said that from the very start, he never regretted choosing him as his right-hand man.
奥巴马在向拜登致敬时表示，从一开始，他就从未后悔选择拜登作为他的左膀右臂。
"He was the best possible choice, not just for me, but for the American people."
奥巴马说，“他不仅是我，也是美国人民最好的选择"。
Obama said Biden's advice on many issues had made him a better president. He called the vice president "a lion of American history."
奥巴马称拜登在很多问题上的建议使他成为了更好的总统。他称拜登是“美国历史上的雄狮”。
"To know Joe Biden is to know love without pretense, service without self-regard and to live life fully."
“拜登的爱不伪装，为公众服务毫不利己，生活充分投入。”
Both men said that during Obama's eight-year term, the two had developed a relationship that went far beyond their work. Many extended members of the Obama and Biden families also became close personal friends.
这两人都说，在奥巴马八年总统任期期间，他们建立了一种远超工作界限的人际关系。奥巴马和拜登家族的很多成员也都成为了亲密朋友。
After Obama placed the medal around his neck, Biden thanked him and then reflected on his term as vice president.
在奥巴马给他授勋后，拜登对他表示了感谢，然后回顾了他的副总统任职生涯。
He said he greatly valued being trusted by Obama in "every single thing you've asked me to do." He said he always found it easy working for and with Obama, for whom he said he had the highest level of respect.
他说，他极度看重被奥巴马在每件让他做的事情上的信任。他说，他一直觉得跟奥巴马一起工作非常轻松，他也非常尊重奥巴马。
"I've never known a president - and few people I've ever met - who have had the integrity and the decency and the sense of other people's needs like you do."
“我从未见过有总统，也很少遇到有人像你一样诚信、正直、能感受到别人的需求。”
Biden said he hopes to always be able to look back and say, "I was part of the journey of a remarkable man who did remarkable things for this country."
拜登表示，他希望回首过去时有资格说，“我与这名为美国做过杰出贡献的了不起的人一起共事过。”
He noted that even though he felt he may not deserve the medal, he knew "it came from the President's heart."
拜登指出，虽然他认为自己配不上获此殊荣，但他知道，“这是奥巴马总统的心意。”
"Mr. President, you know as long as there's a breath in me, I'll be there for you, my whole family will be. And I know, I know it is reciprocal."
“总统先生，你知道只要我还活着，我就会为你守候，我的整个家庭都会如此。而且我知道你也会这样。”
Obama gave his farewell speech as president on Tuesday in his hometown of Chicago. He will leave the White House on January 20, when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
奥巴马周二在他的家乡芝加哥市发表了告别演讲。他将于1月20日离开白宫，届时候任总统川普将会宣誓就职。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)