永誌不忘

"永誌不忘"（Lest we forget）是在英語國家的國殤紀念日（Remembrance Day）和澳新軍團日（ANZAC Day）中廣泛使用的習語。^[1]第一個用此習語以紀念陣亡將士的是魯德亞德·吉卜林，他在1897年創作的一首名為「衰退（英語：Recessional (poem)）」（Recessional）的詩中寫道：

'我們先祖自古信奉的神,

我們遙遠戰線的主,

在祂可畏的手下

從棕櫚到寒松的疆土——

萬軍之耶和華，請與我們同在,

永誌不忘——永誌不忘!'

詩中「永誌不忘」一詞出現共八次，並在首四節的結尾重覆出現，以強調遺忘帶來的惡果；「永誌不忘」（Lest we forget）的概念來自聖經申命記第6章第12節^[2]："Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt".（KJV）；「那時你要謹慎，免得你忘記將你從埃及地為奴之家領出來的耶和華」（和合本）。這與「衰退」一詩的主題一致：如果國家遺忘它一切勝利的背後源泉（萬軍之耶和華），最於必定戰敗。

「衰退」一詩在國殤紀念日亦常被吟唱。^[3]

「永誌不忘」一語於一戰後成為大英國協各國在國殤紀念日和澳新軍團日紀念活動的一部分；意指請求國民不要忘記前人的犠牲。戰爭紀念建築上通常只簡單刻上「永誌不忘」^[4] 。本語亦常用於墓誌銘。

另見

參考資料

^ ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee. [24 April 2016]. （原始內容存檔於2021-03-09）.
^ Hamer, Mary. Recessional. The Kipling Society. 2008-01-24 [2019-11-05]. （原始內容存檔於2020-12-06）.
^ Hymns for ANZAC Day.. [24 April 2016]. （原始內容存檔於2021-03-19）.
^ For example, the War memorial clock （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館） in the post office at Bangalow, New South Wales, the Memorial Clock Tower （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館） at Goomeri, Queensland, and the memorial clock tower （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館） 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]. （原始內容存檔於2021-03-09）.

[2] Hamer, Mary. Recessional. The Kipling Society. 2008-01-24 [2019-11-05]. （原始內容存檔於2020-12-06）.

[3] Hymns for ANZAC Day.. [24 April 2016]. （原始內容存檔於2021-03-19）.

[4] For example, the War memorial clock （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館） in the post office at Bangalow, New South Wales, the Memorial Clock Tower （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館） at Goomeri, Queensland, and the memorial clock tower （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館） 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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