（一九四四年九月八日）September 8, 1944

* 这是毛泽东在中共中央警备团追悼张思德的会上的讲演。
我们的共产党和共产党所领导的八路军、新四军，是革命的队伍。我们这个队伍完全是为着解放人民的，是彻底地为人民的利益工作的。张思德[1]同志就是我们这个队伍中的一个同志。
Our Communist Party and the Eighth Route and New Fourth Armies led by our Party are battalions of the revolution. These battalions of ours are wholly dedicated to the liberation of the people and work entirely in the people’s interests. Comrade Chang Szu-the was in the ranks of these battalions.
　　人总是要死的，但死的意义有不同。中国古时候有个文学家叫做司马迁的说过：“人固有一死，或重于泰山，或轻于鸿毛。”[2]为人民利益而死，就比泰山还重；替法西斯卖力，替剥削人民和压迫人民的人去死，就比鸿毛还轻。张思德同志是为人民利益而死的，他的死是比泰山还要重的。
All men must die, but death can vary in its significance. The ancient Chinese writer Szuma Chien said, “Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather.”To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather. Comrade Chang Szu-the died for the people, and his death is indeed weightier than Mount Tai.
　　因为我们是为人民服务的，所以，我们如果有缺点，就不怕别人批评指出。不管是什么人，谁向我们指出都行。只要你说得对，我们就改正。你说的办法对人民有好处，我们就照你的办。“精兵简政”这一条意见，就是党外人士李鼎铭[3]先生提出来的；他提得好，对人民有好处，我们就采用了。只要我们为人民的利益坚持好的，为人民的利益改正错的，我们这个队伍就一定会兴旺起来。
If we have shortcomings, we are not afraid to have them pointed out and criticized, because we serve the people. Anyone , no matter who, may point out our shortcomings. If he is right, we will correct them. If what he proposes will benefit the people, we will act upon it. The idea “better troops and simpler administration”was put forward by Mr. Li Ting-ming, who is not a Communist. He made a good suggestion which is of benefit to the people, and we have adopted it. If, in the interests of the people, we persist in doing what is right and correct what is wrong, our rank will surely thrive.
　　我们都是来自五湖四海，为了一个共同的革命目标，走到一起来了。我们还要和全国大多数人民走这一条路。我们今天已经领导着有九千一百万人口的根据地[4]，但是还不够，还要更大些，才能取得全民族的解放。我们的同志在困难的时候，要看到成绩，要看到光明，要提高我们的勇气。中国人民正在受难，我们有责任解救他们，我们要努力奋斗。要奋斗就会有牺牲，死人的事是经常发生的。但是我们想到人民的利益，想到大多数人民的痛苦，我们为人民而死，就是死得其所。不过，我们应当尽量地减少那些不必要的牺牲。我们的干部要关心每一个战士，一切革命队伍的人都要互相关心，互相爱护，互相帮助。
We hail from all corners of the country and have joined together for a common revolutionary objective. And we need the vast majorityof the people with us on the road to this objective. Today, we already lead base areas with us a population of 91 millions, but this is not enough; to liberate the whole nation more are needed. In times of difficulty we must not lose sight of our achievement, must see the bright future and must pluck up our courage. The Chinese people are suffering; it is our duty to save them and we must exert ourselves in struggle. Wherever there is struggle there is sacrifice, and death is a common occurrence. But we have the interests of the people and the suffering of the great majority at heart, and when we die for the people it is a worthy death. Nevertheless, we should do our best to avoid unnecessary sacrifices. Our cadres must show concern for every soldier and all the people in the revolutionary ranks must care for each other, must love and help each other.
　　今后我们的队伍里，不管死了谁，不管是炊事员，是战士，只要他是做过一些有益的工作的，我们都要给他送葬，开追悼会。这要成为一个制度。这个方法也要介绍到老百姓那里去。村上的人死了，开个追悼会。用这样的方法，寄托我们的哀思，使整个人民团结起来。
From now on, when anyone in our ranks who has done some useful work dies, be he sodier or cook, we should have a funeral ceremony and a memorial meeting in his honour. This should become the rule. And it should be introduced among the people as well. When someone dies in a village, let a memorial meeting be held. In this way we express our mourning for the dead and unite all the people.
PS:什么是“人民”？1949年6月30日，毛泽东在《论人民民主专政》一文中强调：“人民是什么？在中国，在现阶段，是工人阶级，农民阶级，城市小资产阶级和民族资产阶级。”1957年2月27日，毛泽东在最高国务会议上发表了《关于正确处理人民内部矛盾的问题》的讲话，他指出：“人民这个概念在不同的国家和各个国家不同的历史时期，有着不同的内容。”“在现阶段，在建设社会主义的时期，一切赞成、拥护和参加社会主义建设事业的阶级、阶层和社会集团，都属于人民的范围；一切反抗社会主义革命和敌视、破坏社会主义建设的社会势力和社会集团，都是人民的敌人。”毛泽东使用“人民”的概念，也使用“群众”的概念，有时候还用“人民群众”。因此，在中国共产党的政治学词汇中，人民、人民群众、群众基本可以画等号。
What is "the people"? On June 30, 1949, Mao Zedong emphasized in his article "On the People's Democratic Dictatorship": "What are the people? In China, at the present stage, it is the working class, the peasant class, the urban petty bourgeoisie and the national bourgeoisie. On February 27, 1957, Mao Zedong delivered a speech entitled "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People" at the Supreme State Council, in which he pointed out: "The concept of the people has different contents in different countries and in different historical periods of each country. "At the present stage, in the period of building socialism, all classes, strata and social groups that approve, support and participate in the cause of socialist construction belong to the scope of the people; All social forces and social groups that resist the socialist revolution and are hostile to and sabotage socialist construction are enemies of the people. Mao Zedong used the concept of "the people", but also the concept of "the masses", and sometimes "the masses of the people." Therefore, in the political science vocabulary of the Communist Party of China, the people, the masses and the masses can basically be equated.

我实现不了我的理想。

理想通过我而实现，纵然牺牲了自己的生命。

不是我选择了理想。

是理想选择了我。