01　Our Family Creed家族的信条

John Davison Rockefeller, financier, oil magnate and philanthropist

约翰·戴维森·洛克菲勒的励志演讲

They are the principles on which my wife and I have tried to bring up our family. They are the principles in which my father believed and by which he governed his life.

这些都是我和我的太太在教育我们子女时尽力遵守的原则。其中一些原则是我的父辈深信不疑的为人处世的原则。

They are the principles, many of them, which I learned at my mother's knee. They point the way to usefulness and happiness in life, to courage and peace in death.

还有一些是我在我母亲膝下所学到的原则。这些信条教会我做一个有用的人，教会我快乐以及直面死亡的勇敢和安详。

If they mean to you what they mean to me, they may perhaps be helpful also to our sons for their guidance and inspiration. Let me state them：I believe in the supreme worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

假如这些信条对各位也有同我一样的意义的话，那么它们或许也有助于我们的后世子孙从中获得引导和启发。我来分享这些信条吧：我相信个人的价值至高无上，每个人都有生存的权利、自由的权利和追求幸福的权利。我相信每一项权利都意味着一种责任，每一次机遇都意味着一项义务，每一种拥有都意味着一种职责。

I believe that every right implies a responsibility；every opportunity, an obligation；every possession, a duty.

我相信法律是为人而量身定做的，但人却不是为法律而I believe that the law was made for man and not man for the law；that government is the servant of the people and not their master.

造就的；我相信政府是人民的奴仆，而非人民的主人。

I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand；That the world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.

我相信无论脑力劳动还是体力劳动都是值得人们尊敬的；天下没有白吃的午餐，但它却会给每个人一次谋生的机会。

I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living and that economy is a prime requisite of a sound financial structure, whether in government business or personal affairs.

我相信勤俭是井然有序生活必需的，而节俭是健全的金融机制之根本，无论政府、商业或个人事务皆应如此。

I believe that truth and justice are fundamental to an enduring social order.

我相信真理和公正对社会的长治久安至关重要。

I believe in the sacredness of a promise. That a man's word should be as good as his bond, that character-not wealth or power or position-is of supreme worth.

我相信神圣的盟约。一个人应当言而有信，品格——无关财富、权势或者地位——应同样具有至高无上的价值。

I believe that the rendering of useful service is the common duty of mankind and that only in the purifying fire of sacrifice is the dross of selfishness consumed and the greatness of the human soul set free.

我相信提供有用的服务是人类的共同职责，只有在炼火中献身，那些自私的渣滓才能被消除，而人类高尚的灵魂才能发挥出来。

I believe in an all-wise and all-loving God, named by whatever name, and that the individual's highest fulfillment, greatest happiness and widest usefulness are to be found in living in harmony with His will.

我相信全能全知、满有爱心的上帝——不管如何称呼；个人最大的成就、最大的幸福、最大的作为，都必须依照上帝的意志才能在和谐的生活中找到。

I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world；that it alone can overcome hate；that right can and will triumph over might.

我相信爱是世界上最伟大的事物；唯有爱才能克服仇恨；我相信公理能够而且必将战胜强权。

These are the principles, however formulated, for which all good men and women throughout the world, irrespective of race or creed, education, social position or occupation, are standing, and for which many of them are suffering and dying.

不管如何表达，以上就是全世界一切善良的人们所信奉的原则，不论其种族、信仰、教育、地位或职业如何，而为了这些原则，许多人正在饱受煎熬，甚至献出生命。

These are the principles upon which alone a new world recognizing the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God can be established.

唯有在这些信条的基础上，才能建立起人人亲如兄弟，上帝亲如父辈的新世界。

单词解析Word Analysis

principle[ˈprɪnsəpl]n.原则；原理

例　These machines work on the same principle.

这些机器按照相同的原理运转。

courage[ˈkʌrɪdʒ]n.勇气

例　They don’t have the courage to apologize for their actions.

他们没有勇气为自己的行为道歉。

inspiration[ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃn]n.灵感；鼓舞；启示

例　He went to church for inspiration.

他去教堂做礼拜寻找灵感。

liberty[ˈlɪbəti]n.自由

例　We went to see the Statue of Liberty.

我们去看了自由女神像。

obligation[ɒblɪˈgeɪʃ（ə）n]n.义务；职责

例　We all have the obligation to stop the criminal act.

我们都有义务制止犯罪行为。

fundamental[fʌndəˈment（ə）l]adj.基本的；根本的

例　You have to tackle the fundamental cause of the problem.

你应该处理问题最基本的原因。

supreme[suːˈpriːm]adj.最高的；至高的

例　For me, dieting requires a supreme effort.

对于我来说，减肥需要极大的努力。

fulfillment[fʊlˈfɪlmənt]n.履行；实行；满足感

例　How can we attain fulfillment in this world?

我们怎样才能在这个世界上获得满足？

语法知识点Grammar Points

①If they mean to you what they mean to me, they may perhaps be helpful also to our sons for their guidance and inspiration.

这个句子中有一个结构“be helpful to”，表示“对……有用；有助于”，同义词组还有be advantageous to……。

例　It is always helpful to discuss your problems with your friends.

和朋友讨论问题总是对你有帮助的。

②I believe in the supreme worth of the individual.

这个句子中有一个结构“believe in”，表示“信任；信仰”。注意区分believe in和believe的用法：believe in多表示信仰，多搭配宗教、理论、可信任之人；believe则多表示相信某人说的话。

例　We don’t believe in ghosts.

我们不相信鬼神。

③I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living……

这个句子中有一个结构“be essential to”，表示“对……必不可少”，同义词组有be indispensable to……。

例　Hard work is essential to success.

努力工作对成功至关重要。

④I believe in an all-wise and all-loving God, named by whatever name, and that the individual’s highest fulfillment, greatest happiness and widest usefulness are to be found in living in harmony with His will.

这个句子中有一个结构“in harmony with”，表示“与……协调；与……一致”。

例　We must ensure the tourism develops in harmony with the environment.

我们必须确保旅游的发展同环境相协调。

⑤These are the principles, however formulated, for which all good men and women throughout the world, irrespective of race or creed, education……

这个句子中有一个结构“irrespective of”，表示“不管；不顾”。同义词组有regardless of。

例　The field gives high yields irrespective of weather.

不论天气如何，这块地总是很高产。

经典名句Famous Classics

1.Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.—Oprah Winfrey

没有奋斗，就没有力量。（奥普拉·温弗瑞）

2.No matter how far you may fly, never forget where you come from.

无论你能飞多远，都别忘了你来自何方。

3.Growing in wisdom can be measured by the decrease in bitterness.

智慧的增长可用痛苦的减少来衡量。

4.Don't tell lies because those who believe your lies are the ones who believe in you.

不要去骗人，因为你能骗到的，都是相信你的人。

5.Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.—Napoleon Bonaparte

当你的敌人犯错的时候，千万不要去打断他。（拿破仑·波拿巴）