永志不忘

“永志不忘”（英语：Lest we forget）是在英语国家的国殇纪念日（Remembrance Day）和澳新军团日（ANZAC Day）中广泛使用的习语。^[1]第一个用此习语以纪念阵亡将士的是鲁德亚德·吉卜林，他在1897年创作的一首名为“衰退（英语：Recessional (poem)）”（Recessional）的诗中写道：

'我们先祖自古信奉的神,

我们遥远战线的主,

在祂可畏的手下

从棕榈到寒松的疆土——

万军之耶和华，请与我们同在,

永志不忘——永志不忘!'

诗中“永志不忘”一词出现共八次，并在首四节的结尾重复出现，以强调遗忘带来的恶果；“永志不忘”（Lest we forget）的概念来自圣经申命记第6章第12节^[2]："Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt".（KJV）；“那时你要谨慎，免得你忘记将你从埃及地为奴之家领出来的耶和华”（和合本）。这与“衰退”一诗的主题一致：如果国家遗忘它一切胜利的背后源泉（万军之耶和华），最于必定战败。

“衰退”一诗在国殇纪念日亦常被吟唱。^[3]

“永志不忘”一语于一战后成为英联邦各国在国殇纪念日和澳新军团日纪念活动的一部分；意指请求国民不要忘记前人的犠牲。战争纪念建筑上通常只简单刻上“永志不忘”^[4] 。本语亦常用于墓志铭。

另见

参考资料

^ ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee. [24 April 2016]. （原始内容存档于2021-03-09）.
^ Hamer, Mary. Recessional. The Kipling Society. 2008-01-24 [2019-11-05]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-06）.
^ Hymns for ANZAC Day.. [24 April 2016]. （原始内容存档于2021-03-19）.
^ For example, the War memorial clock （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） in the post office at Bangalow, New South Wales, the Memorial Clock Tower （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） at Goomeri, Queensland, and the memorial clock tower （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） at Pinnaroo, South Australia all have the twelve letters of "Lest We Forget" on the clock face, with L-E-S-T-W-E at 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, and 3 o'clock, in forward sequence, starting with the "F", and the letters F-O-R-G-E-T, in reverse sequence, at 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 o'clock—meaning that the top half of the clock immediately displays "Lest we", and the bottom half "Forget", to all viewers.

[1] ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee. [24 April 2016]. （原始内容存档于2021-03-09）.

[2] Hamer, Mary. Recessional. The Kipling Society. 2008-01-24 [2019-11-05]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-06）.

[3] Hymns for ANZAC Day.. [24 April 2016]. （原始内容存档于2021-03-19）.

[4] For example, the War memorial clock （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） in the post office at Bangalow, New South Wales, the Memorial Clock Tower （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） at Goomeri, Queensland, and the memorial clock tower （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） at Pinnaroo, South Australia all have the twelve letters of "Lest We Forget" on the clock face, with L-E-S-T-W-E at 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, and 3 o'clock, in forward sequence, starting with the "F", and the letters F-O-R-G-E-T, in reverse sequence, at 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 o'clock—meaning that the top half of the clock immediately displays "Lest we", and the bottom half "Forget", to all viewers.

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