Thanksgiving Day is the most truly American
of the national holidays in the United States and
is most closely connected With the earliest
history of the country.
感恩节是美国的一个最地道的全国性节日，它和美国早期的历史有着最密切的联系。
In 1620, the settlers, or Pilgrims, they sailed
to America on the May flower, seeking a place
where they could have freedom of Worship.
在1620年，一群清教徒乘坐“五月花”号轮船到达美洲，他们想要在那里寻找一个可以享有宗教信仰自由的地方。
After a tempestuous two-month voyage they landed at in icy November, What is now Plymouth Massachusetts.
经过了两个月颠沛的海上航行之后，在冰天雪地的十一月，他们到达了如今美国马萨诸塞州的普利茅斯。
During their first winter, over half of the settlers died of starvation or epidemics.
第一年的冬天，超过一半的清教徒死于饥饿和当时的流行病。
Those who survived began sowing in the first spring.
冬天过后，春天来临时，那些幸存下来的人开始播种耕地。
All summer long they waited for the harvests.
整个漫长的夏天，他们都在期盼着秋收的到来。
With great anxiety, knowing that their lives and the future existence of the colony depended on the coming harvest.
他们之所以这么焦急地期待着，是因为他们深切地知道，他们的生命和他们将来在这片新土地上的生死存亡全都系于即将到来的秋收。
Finally the fields produced a yield rich beyond expectations.
最后，土地上的粮食丰收得超乎他们的期待。
And therefore it was decided that a day of
thanksgiving to the Lord be fixed.
于是，他们决定选一天作为感恩上帝垂怜他们的日子。
Years later, President of the United States proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day every year.
多年以后，美国总统宣布每年十一月的第四个星期四作为感恩节。
The celebration of Thanksgiving Day has been observed on that date until today.
庆祝感恩节的日期从那时候一直沿用到现在。
The pattern of the Thanksgiving celebration has never changed through the years.
多年来，庆祝感恩节的方式也从来没有改变过。
The big family dinner is planned months ahead.
每年感恩节的家庭聚餐早在几个月就定好了。
On the dinner table, people will find apples, oranges, chestnuts, walnuts and grapes.
感恩节的餐桌上往往会有苹果、桔子、栗子、核桃、和葡萄。
There Will be plum pudding, mince pie, other varieties of food and cranberry juice and squash.
还会有李子布丁、肉馅饼、以及其他各种各样的食物、果汁和南瓜。
The best and most attractive among them are roast turkey and pumpkin pie.
感恩节餐桌上必不可少的也最吸引人的就是烤火鸡和南瓜派。
They have been the most traditional and favorite food on Thanksgiving Day throughout the years.
多年来它们一直是最传统也是最受欢迎的感恩节食物。
Everyone agrees the dinner must be built around roast turkey stuffed with a bread dressing to absorb the tasty juices as it roasts.
通常，在烤火鸡的前，人们会在火鸡肚子里塞填上面包以吸收烤火鸡时溢出来的美味汤汁。
But as cooking varies with families and with the regions where one lives, it is not easy to get a consensus on the precise kind of stuffing for the royal bird.
然而，不同地区、不同家庭对于火鸡的烹调方式并不尽相同。
Thanksgiving today is, in every sense, a national annual holiday on which Americans of all faiths and backgrounds join in to express their thanks for the years bounty and reverently ask for continued blessings.
感恩节是美国一年一度的全国性节日。在感恩节这一天，美国各种信仰、各种背景的人都共同感谢上帝给予的一切恩典，并祈求来年继续获得上帝的赐福。
( 英文版来源于网络，翻译: 熊老师 )