台詞

部份台詞摘錄如下：

1. 就職總統的宣誓：
I, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, do here-by swear to be faithful to the Republic of South Africa. Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another, and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.

2. 第一天上班時對其惶恐不安的白人下屬的演說：
Some of you may know who I am. I couldn't help noticing the empty offices as I came to work this morning, and all of the packing boxes. Now, of course, if you want to leave, that is your right. And if you feel in your heart that you cannot work with your new government, then it is better that you do leave. Right away. But if you are packing up because you fear that your language, or the color of your skin, or who you worked for before disqualifies you from working here, I am here to tell you, have no such fears. what is verby is verby, the past is the past. We look to the future now. We need your help. We want your help. If you'd like to stay, you'd be doing your country a great service. All I ask is that you do your work to the best of your abilities, and with good hearts. I promise to do the same. If we can manage that, our country will be a shining light in the world.

3. 對他的貼身保鏢總管：
When people see me in public they see my bodyguards. You represent me, directly. The rainbow nation starts here. Reconciliation starts here. Forgiveness starts here too. Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon.

4. 對那些要消滅Springboks的南非黑人族群：
Brothers, sisters, comrades, I am here because I believe you have made a decision with insufficient information and foresight. I am aware of your earlier vote. I am aware that it was unanimous. Nonetheless, I believe we should restore the Springboks. Rrstore their name, their emblem and their colors, immediately. Let me tell you why. On Robben island, in Pollsmoor prison, all of my jailors were afrikaners. For twenty-seven years, I studied them. I learned their language, I read their books, their poetry. I had to know my enemy before I could prevail against him. And we did prevail, did we not? All of us here we prevailed. Our enemy is no longer the afrikaner. They are our fellow South Africans, our partners in democarcy, and they treasure Springbok rugby. If we take that away, we lose them. We proved that we are what they feared we would be, we have to be better than that. We have to surprise them with a compassion, with restraint, and generosity. I know, all of the things they denied us. But this is no time to celebrate a petty revenge, this is the time to build our nation, using every single brick available to us----even if that brick comes wrapped in green and gold. You elected me your leader. Let me lead you now.

5. 對他的助理：
That minority still controls the police, the army, and the economy. If we lose them we cannot address the other issues. The rugby is not only a political calculation, but also a human calculation. If we take away what they cherish----the Springboks, their national anthem, we just reinforce the cycle of fear between us. I'll do what I must to break that cycle, or it will destroy us.

6. 對Springboks隊長：
How to get them to be better than they think they can be? That is very difficult, I find. Inspriation, perhaps. How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do? How do we inpire everyone around us? I sometimes think, it's just by using the work of others. On Robben island, when the things got very bad, I found inspiration in a poem, a victorian poem. Just words, but they helped me to stand when all i wanted to do was to lie down. We need inspiration, because in order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations.

7. 那首令他一直充滿勇氣的詩：
Out of the night that covers me
Black as the pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the the horror of the shade
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unfraid
It matters not how strait the gate
How charged with punishment the scroll
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul