第32期:洛克非勒家族信条(1)

 　　克洛菲勒是个大家族，他们得以成功的原因是什么呢？

　　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 the way 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 for their guidance and inspiration.

　　Let me state them:

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

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

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

　　I believe in the dignity of the 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.

　　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.

　　这些信条是我太太和我努力用以持家育子的原则。它们是我父亲深信不疑并籍以安身立命的原则。其中有很多是我在母亲膝前学到的原则。

　　这些信条指出了一条活得快乐有用、死得勇敢安详的道路。

　　如果它们对你的意义正如对我的一样,它们或许也将有助于我们的子女从中获得引导和启发。

　　让我陈述如下:

　　我相信个人至高无上的价值及生存、自由与追求幸福的权利。

　　我相信每一项权利都伴随着一种职责；每一个机会都伴随着一份义务；每一次都拥有都伴随着一种责任。

　　我相信法律是为人制订,人却并非为法律而存在；政府是人民的仆人,而非人民的主人。

　　我相信劳动的尊严,不论是脑力或体力劳动；世界不应给予任何人生计,但它应给予每人一个谋生的机会。

　　我相信俭朴是井然有序的生活所必须；节约是健全的财务结构之必要,不论是政府、企业或个人事物皆是如此。

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 thrift   

adj.节约，节俭；n.节俭，节约

参考例句：

• He has the virtues of thrift and hard work.他具备节俭和勤奋的美德。
• His thrift and industry speak well for his future.他的节俭和勤勉预示着他美好的未来。

3 requisite   

adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the requisite qualifications for the job.他不具备这工作所需的资格。
• Food and air are requisite for life.食物和空气是生命的必需品。