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In early 1828, Sojourner Truth approached the Grand Jury of Kingston, New York.
1828年初，索杰纳·特鲁斯来到纽约州金斯顿陪审团。
She had no experience with the legal system, no money, and no power in the eyes of the court.
她对司法制度不甚了解，在法庭看来，她人微言轻。
Ignoring the jury's scorn, Truth said she was there to fight for custody of her five-year-old son Peter, who'd been illegally sold to an enslaver in Alabama.
但她无视陪审团的蔑视，一心为夺回被非法贩卖到阿拉巴马州5岁的儿子彼得的监护权而抗争。
As the trial played out over the next several months, Truth raised funds, strategized with lawyers, and held her faith.
数月后庭审结束，期间特鲁斯自筹资金，与律师制定策略，并且坚守信念。
Finally in the spring of 1828, Peter was returned to her care -- but Truth's work was far from over.
1828年春天，彼得终于回到了她的身边--但特鲁斯的使命远不止于此。
She would dedicate the rest of her life to pursuing justice and spiritual understanding.
她将用余生捍卫正义和宗教包容。
Truth was born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree in the late 18th century in Ulster County, New York.
在18世纪晚期的纽约州阿尔斯特县，特鲁斯一出生就成为了奴隶，原名伊莎贝拉·鲍姆弗里。
Although New York state had announced the abolition of slavery in 1799, the emancipation act was gradual.
尽管纽约州于1799年已经宣布废除奴隶制，但废奴过程却进展缓慢。
Those who were currently enslaved were forced to serve a period of indentured servitude until their mid-20s.
那些现有的奴隶们，仍需被迫执行奴役契约直至25岁左右。
Throughout this period, enslavers repeatedly sold Baumfree, tearing her from her loved ones.
在此期间，奴隶主曾多次出售鲍姆弗利，强迫她与亲人分开。
Often, she was explicitly prevented from pursuing new relationships.
通常，她被明令禁止恋爱婚嫁。
Eventually, she married an enslaved man named Thomas, with whom she had three children.
但最后，她嫁给了一个叫托马斯的奴隶，并养育了三个孩子。
She was desperate to keep her new family together -- but the slow progress of abolition threatened this hope.
她不顾一切维系家庭的完整--但缓慢的废除进程威胁着这一希望。
Baumfree's enslaver, John Dumont, had promised to free her by 1826.
鲍姆弗利的奴隶主，约翰·杜蒙，承诺于1826年释放她。
When he failed to keep his word, Baumfree fled for her safety.
然而他却言而无信，为了自己的安全，鲍姆弗利逃走了。
During the escape, she was only able to rescue her youngest daughter Sophia, while her other children remained in bondage.
逃亡期间，她只救出了小女儿索菲亚，而她的其他孩子仍被奴役着。
It would be two years before she regained custody of Peter.
这是她获得彼得监护权的两年前。
After that, she would wait another two years before she saw any of her other children.
之后，她还需要再等两年才能见到她其他的孩子。
During this time, Baumfree found solace in her faith and became increasingly dedicated to religious reflection.
在此期间，鲍姆弗利在信仰中找到了安慰并逐渐专注于宗教反思。
After settling in Kingston, New York, she joined a Methodist community that shared her political views.
定居纽约金斯顿后，她加入了与她有着共同政治主张的卫理公会。
She continued her practice of speaking aloud to God in private, and one night, her evening prayers took on even more sacred significance.
她私下不停地练习对上帝大声说话，一天晚上，她的祷告更具神圣的意义。
Baumfree claimed to hear the voice of God, telling her to leave Kingston, and share her holy message with others.
鲍姆弗利声称听到了上帝的声音，让她离开金斯顿，向人们昭示神的旨意。
Though she never learned to read or write, Baumfree became known as an electrifying orator,
鲍姆弗利目不识丁，但她逐渐以一位慷慨激昂的演说家的身份而名声大噪，
whose speeches drew on Biblical references, spiritual ideals, and her experience of slavery.
她的演讲取材于圣经，精神理念和她的奴隶经历。
Her sermons denounced the oppression of African Americans and women in general, and became prominent in campaigns for both abolition and women's rights.
她的布道通常谴责对非裔美国人和妇女的压迫，在废奴和女权运动中起到了重要作用。
In 1843, she renamed herself Sojourner Truth and embarked on a legendary speaking tour.
1843年，她更名为索杰纳·特鲁斯，并开启了她传奇的巡回演说之旅。
Truth saw her journey as a mission from God.
特鲁斯视这次巡讲为上帝布道。
Her faith often led her to the nation's most hostile regions, where she spoke to bigoted audiences as the only Black woman in the crowd.
她的信仰使她常去全国最敌视她的地区，在那里，她是顽固保守的听众中唯一的黑人女性。
Truth was confident God would protect her, but some crowds responded to her bravery with violence.
特鲁斯坚信上帝会保护她，但一些群众用暴力回应了她的勇敢。
During one of her sermons, a mob of white men threatened to set fire to the tent where she was speaking.
在一次布道时，一群白人暴徒威胁要放火烧掉她演讲的帐篷。
In her memoir, Truth recalled steeling herself to confront them:
在回忆录中，特鲁斯回忆自己决心直面他们：
"Have I not faith enough to go out and quell that mob... I felt as if I had three hearts! And that they were so large, my body could hardly hold them!"
“难道我没有足够的信心出去镇压暴徒吗...我感觉我像是有三颗心！而且它们那么大，身体几乎难以容纳！”
She placated the men with song and prayer, until they had no desire to harm her.
她用歌声和祷告安抚暴徒，直至他们不再想伤害她。
Truth's speeches impacted thousands of people in communities across the nation, but her activism went far beyond public speaking.
特鲁斯的演讲影响了全国成千上万的人，但她的行动远不止于公开演讲。
During the Civil War, she became involved with the Union Army, recruiting soldiers and organizing supplies for Black troops.
内战期间，她加入了联邦军队，从事招募士兵，为黑人军队管理供给品的工作。
Her work was so well regarded that she was invited to meet President Lincoln.
她的工作广受好评，甚至被邀请面见林肯总统。
She took the occasion to argue that all formerly enslaved people should be granted land by the government.
她借此良机提出所有以前被奴役的人都应该被政府授予土地。
Truth continued to travel and speak well into her 80s.
直至80多岁，特鲁斯仍坚持巡回演说。
Until her death in 1883, she remained an outspoken critic who fought for her right to be heard in a hostile world.
在1883年去世前，她一直是一位直言不讳的批评家，在充满敌意的世界为自己争取权力。
As Truth once said, "I feel safe even in the midst of my enemies; for the truth is powerful and will prevail."
正如特鲁斯所说，“即使我身处敌营，仍能随遇而安；因为真理攻无不克，必将战无不胜。”
