12月18日上午10时，庆祝改革开放40周年大会在人民大会堂举行。中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平出席大会并发表重要讲话。在大会上，习近平主席的这些金句振奋人心！

忍饥挨饿、缺吃少穿、生活困顿这些几千年来困扰我国人民的问题总体上一去不复返了！
Hunger, shortage and poverty that plagued Chinese people for thousands of years have been generally left behind.

40年来取得的成就不是天上掉下来的，更不是别人恩赐施舍的，而是全党全国各族人民用勤劳、智慧、勇气干出来的！
What we have achieved in the past 40 years is not a godsend, still less a gift from others. It comes from the hard work, wisdom and courage of all members of the Party and the people of all ethnic groups in China.

坚持把人民拥护不拥护、赞成不赞成、高兴不高兴作为制定政策的依据，顺应民心、尊重民意、关注民情、致力民生。
In considering and introducing a policy, we must first and foremost ensure the backing, approval and endorsement of the people. We must act in line with our people's aspirations, respect their views and ideas, care about their worries and concerns and commit to improving their livelihood.

在中国这样一个有着5000多年文明史、13亿多人口的大国推进改革发展，没有可以奉为金科玉律的教科书，也没有可以对中国人民颐指气使的教师爷。
There is no textbook or golden rule to follow for reform and development in China, a country with over 5000 years of civilization and more than 1.3 billion people. No one is in the position to dictate to the Chinese people what should or should not be done.

我们有坚定的政治决心和强大能力维护国家主权和领土完整，祖国的神圣领土一寸都不能分裂出去！
With firm political resolve and strong capability to uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity, we will never allow any of our sacred territory, not even an inch, to be separated from the motherland!

伟大梦想不是等得来、喊得来的，而是拼出来、干出来的。我们现在所处的，是一个船到中流浪更急、人到半山路更陡的时候，是一个愈进愈难、愈进愈险而又不进则退、非进不可的时候。
A great dream will not come true through waiting or chanting slogans; it can only be fulfilled with hard work and perseverance. We are now in a state very much like sailing to the midstream of a river or climbing halfway up a mountain, as the goings get tough, we must press ahead and there's no turning back.

信仰、信念、信心，任何时候都至关重要。小到一个人、一个集体，大到一个政党、一个民族、一个国家，只要有信仰、信念、信心，就会愈挫愈奋、愈战愈勇，否则就会不战自败、不打自垮。
Conviction, commitment and confidence matter at all times. With these traits, an individual, a group or a political party, a people, or even a country, would always emerge stronger from setbacks. But without them, one would easily give up and lose the courage to fight.

在近代以来漫长的历史进程中，中国人民经历了太多太多的磨难，付出了太多太多的牺牲，进行了太多太多的拼搏。现在，中国人民和中华民族在历史进程中积累的强大能量已经充分爆发出来了，为实现中华民族伟大复兴提供了势不可挡的磅礴力量。
The untold sufferings, heavy sacrifices, and heroic struggles of the Chinese people and Chinese nation have fostered a mighty energy over a long course of history. Today, such an energy has been brought out and offers an irresistible driving force for our national rejuvenation.

建成社会主义现代化强国，实现中华民族伟大复兴，是一场接力跑，我们要一棒接着一棒跑下去，每一代人都要为下一代人跑出一个好成绩。
Turning China into a great modern socialist country and achieving national rejuvenation is like a relay race, in which the baton is passed on from generation to generation. Every generation must strive for a good score for the sake of future ones.

将改革开放进行到底，不断实现人民对美好生活的向往，在新时代创造中华民族新的更大奇迹！创造让世界刮目相看的新的更大奇迹！
We will stay committed to the reform and opening-up and see that our people realize their aspirations for a better life. In this way, we will create new and even greater miracles of the Chinese nation in the new era, miracles that will truly impress the world!