“天命”“性善”“性恶”“天下乃天下之天下”这些中华思想文化术语，用英语应该怎么表达？一起来学习吧。 以下中英文内容来自中华思想文化术语传播工程核心成果——《中华思想文化术语》丛书。 天命Mandate of Heaven
天的命令与赐予。“天命”主要包含三种不同含义:其一，指天对于人事的命令。命令的内容最初集中于王权的更替，即上天授命有德者征讨并取代失德之君，享有至高无上的权力和福禄。其二，指命运，具有不可抗拒之义，标志着人力的限度。其三，指天赋予人的禀性。《中庸》称“天命之谓性”。宋儒发挥这一思想，以“天命之性”指称人禀受于天的纯善的本性。The term means order and bestowment from Heaven. “Mandate of heaven” mainly contains three different meanings: The first is the order of heaven over human affairs. Such order first of all focuses on a change of the supreme ruler’s authority: Heaven empowers the virtuous to attack and replace a ruler who has lost his virtue, and thus enjoy the highest and unsurpassed power and benefits. Secondly, mandate of heaven means fate, which is irresistible and imposes limit on human power. Thirdly, the term indicates the natural disposition bestowed by heaven upon human being. According to The Doctrine of the Mean, “Mandate of heaven endows one with his nature.” Song-dynasty Confucian scholars developed this idea, proposing that human nature was the “nature of mandate of heaven,” that is, the inherent pure and good nature one receives from heaven. ▌引例 上天的命令没有恒常不变的。A Heaven-bestowed supreme power is not eternal. 天下乃天下之天下All Under Heaven Belongs to the People. 天下是天下所有人的天下，国家是全国所有人的国家。首尾两个“天下”可以理解为国家或国家的最高统治权；中间一个“天下”是指天下所有的人。其中隐含着天赋人权、政以道立的理念。在现代语境下，这句话也可以理解为：世界是全世界所有人的世界——每个国家、每个人都有权参与治理。All under heaven belongs to all the people in the world; a country belongs to all the people in the country. “All under heaven” can here be understood as the country or highest sovereign power of the country. This implies a concept of human rights bestowed by heaven and governance by virtue. In a modern context, this can be understood in the following way: the world belongs to all the people of the world – every country and every person have the right to take part in government. ▌引例 天下非一人之天下，乃天下之天下也。同天下之利者，则得天下；擅天下之利者，则失天下。天下不是一个人的天下，是天下所有人的天下。与天下人的利益一致的人，可以获得治理天下的权力；将天下人的利益占为己有的人，势必失去治理天下的权力。All under heaven is not the world of a single man but the world of all people in the world. The one who is in accord with what benefits all under heaven wins all under heaven; the one who arrogates to himself the benefits of all under heaven loses all under heaven. 天下为公The Word Belongs to All. 天下是公众的，天下为天下人所共有。古人相信，“天下为公”是实现“大同”社会、人民生活幸福的政治前提和保障。至近代，“天下为公”又演变成为推翻专制、实现民主的标志性关键词，后来成为一种美好的社会政治理想。The world is a public realm and therefore belongs to all the people. Ancient Chinese held this to be the foundation and guarantee for people to enjoy a happy life and realize universal harmony. In modern times, it evolved into a key concept calling for overthrowing autocracy and realizing democracy and later into a longing for an ideal society. ▌引例 大道之行也，天下为公。选贤与能，讲信修睦。 译：大道实行的时代，天下为百姓所共有，品德高尚、才能突出的人被选拔出来管理社会，人与人之间讲究诚实与和睦。 When the Great Way prevails, the world belongs to all the people. People of virtue and competence are chosen to govern the country; honesty is valued and people live in harmony. 性善Human Nature Is Good 孟子（前372 ？— 前289）提出的一种人性论观点。孟子所言人性，指人天生所具有的人之所以为人的本质属性，亦即是人区别于禽兽的道德本性。这个意义上的人性， 构成了仁、义、礼、智等德行的内在根基或依据。但是，人性中具备的只是德行的端始，并不等于德行的实现或完成。人们需要不断扩充人性中的善端，才能确立起良好的德行。 This view on human nature was first proposed by Mencius. As Mencius（372?-289 BC）saw it, human nature is the inherent moral character which a human being naturally possesses and which distinguishes him from an animal. In this sense, human nature underpins such virtues as benevolence, righteousness, sound social norms, and good judgment. However, good human nature does not automatically constitute virtuous conduct. People need to continuously cultivate good human nature in order to develop virtuous conduct. ▌引例 凡孟子道性善，言必称尧、舜。 孟子讲述性善之说，言谈必称述尧、舜的事迹。When Mencius spoke about human nature being good, he always referred to the exploits of Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun. 性恶Human Nature Is Evil. 荀子（前313？—前238）提出的一种人性论观点。荀子所言人性，指人天生所具有的属性，包括身体的生命特征及各种欲望、知觉等。如果仅仅因循于人性中 所包含的对外物的欲求，就会导致人与人之间的纷争，社会将陷入混乱。而维系社会秩序所必需的道德，并非出自人的本性，而是后天人为塑造的结果。 This view was proposed by Xunzi (313?-238 BC). According to him, human nature, which refers to proprieties humans naturally possess, includes physical life as well as various desires and perceptions. If people are allowed to only follow desire for external things, which is something inherent in human nature, it will lead to conflicts, and the society will fall into chaos. Moral conduct which is vital for maintaining order in society does not derive from human nature. Rather, it is acquired through deliberate efforts. ▌引例 凡人之性恶，其善者伪也。 人的本性中只具有为恶的成分，人的善行都是后天人为的。Human nature is evil, while a good conduct is always acquired.
