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.

这些是我妻子和我在教育培养我们子女时尽力倚靠的信条，这些是我父亲所笃信并以之规范其生活的信条，这些信条中的大部分是我从母亲的膝下秉承而来的。

They point the way to usefulness and happiness in life, to courage and peace in death.

这些信条指明了人们如何幸福而有所作为地生活，也指明了人们如何勇敢而安详地对待死亡。

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

如果这些信条对于诸位的意义如同它们对于我的意义，那么它们或许可以有效地指导和鼓舞我们的子女们。

Let me state them :

让我将这些信条陈述如下：

I believe in the supreme¹ worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

我相信，个人拥有至上的价值，拥有生存、自由和追求幸福的权利。

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

我相信，每一项权利都必然蕴含着一种责任，每一个机遇都必然蕴含着一种义务，每一种获得都必然蕴含着一种职责。

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.

我相信，法律为人所制定，而非人为法律而生，政府是人民的仆人，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，不管体力劳动抑或脑力劳动都是高尚的，世界不会让人不劳而获，但却会给每个人一次谋生的机会。

I believe that thrift² is essential to well-ordered living and that economy is a prime requisite³ of a sound financial structure, whether in government, business or personal affairs.

我相信，不管是在政府、商业还是个人事务中，勤俭节约都是合理安排生活之基本要素，而经济适用是健全的金融机制之主要需求。

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

我相信，真理与正义是任何一个长治久安的社会秩序之基石。

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

我相信，承诺是神圣的；并且，假如人的言语和契约同样可靠，那么这种品质，一而非财富、权势与身份地位一就具有至高无上的价值。

I believe that the rendering⁴ of useful service is the common duty of mankind and that only in the purifying fire of sacrifice is the dross⁵ of selfishness ccxisumed and the greatness of the human soul set free.

我相信，人类共同的职责是有助益地服务社会，只有在自我牺牲的炼火之中，自私的渣滓才会被焚为灰烬，人类灵魂中的伟大情操才会获得自由。

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，有一位无所不知、大慈大悲的上帝存在一尽管人们对他的称呼各不相同，人们能在和他的意志和谐相处的过程中得到最高的满足感、最大的幸福感，以及最广博的成就感。

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，爱是这个世界上最伟大的事物，只有爱才能够战胜仇恨，而正义能够而且必定击败强权。

These are the principles, however formulated⁶, for which all good men and women throughout the world, irrespective of race or creed⁷, education, social position or occupation, are standing⁸, and for which many of them are suffering and dying.

无论怎样表述，以上就是这些信条一全世界所有不计种族、信仰、教育程度、社会地位或职业的善良的男男女女们所赞同的信条一而且正是为了这些信条，他们中的许多人正在忍受苦痛，甚至即将死去。

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

只有凭借这些信条，人类才能建立起人人如手足、上帝如慈父的新世界。