家族的信条 ——小约翰·戴维森·洛克菲勒

（单词翻译）

Our family creed¹

——John Davison Rockefeller

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.

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

If they mean to you what they mean to me, they may perhaps be helpful also to our sons fortheir guidance and inspiration . Let me state them： I believe in the supreme² worth of theindividual and in his right to life，liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

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

I believe that the law was made for man and not man for the law；that government is theservant of the people and not their master.

I believe in the dignity of labor³, whether with head or hand；that the world owes no man aliving but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.

I believe that thrift⁴ is essential to well ordered living and that economy is a prime requisiteof a sound financial structure, whether in government business or personal affairs.

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

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.

I believe that the rendering⁵ of useful service is the common duty of mankind and that only inthe purifying fire of sacrifice is the dross⁶ of selfishness consumed and the greatness of thehuman soul set free.

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

I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world；that it alone can overcome hate；thatright can and will triumph over might . These are the principles, however, formulated⁷ ，forwhich all good men and women throughout the world，irrespective of race or creed , education,social position or occupation, are standing⁸, and for which many of them are suffering and dying.

These are the principles upon which alone a new world recognizing the brotherhood⁹ of manand the fatherhood of God can be established.

参考译文

家族的信条

——小约翰·戴维森·洛克菲勒

这些信条是我和我的夫人在教育儿女时尽力所依照的原则。

它们是先父深信不疑的处世立身的原则。其中很多都是我在母亲膝前所学到的原则。

这些信条指出如何快乐而有所作为地活着，也告诉人们如何勇敢而安详地面对死亡。

如果这些信条对各位的意义和对我的意义一样的话，那么它们或许也有助于我们的子女从中获得引导和启发。让我说出这些信条：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，每一种占有都意味着一种职责。

我相信法律是为人而制订的，但人却不是为法律而造就的；我相信政府是人民的仆人，而非人民的主人。

我相信无论脑力劳动还是体力劳动都是值得人们尊敬的；世界不会给任何人提供免费的午餐，但它应给每个人谋生的机会。

我相信勤俭是井然有序的生活之必需，而节俭是健全的金融机制之根本，无论政府、商务或个人事务皆是如此。

我相信真理和公正对社会的长治久安至关重要。

我相信诺言的神圣，一个人的话应该像他的债券一样好，而非财富、权势或地位——具有至高无上的价值。

我相信提供有用的服务是人类共同职责，只有在牺牲的炼火中，自私的渣滓才能被消除，人类高尚的灵魂才能发挥出来。

我相信全能全知、大慈大悲的上帝——不管用怎样的称呼；而个人最大的成就、最大的幸福、最大的作为，都必须在和上帝的意志和谐一致的生活中才能找到。

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。不管如何表述，上述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。

唯有在这些信条的基础上，才能建立起人人亲如兄弟的新世界。