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親愛的扶輪社員們：

Dear fellow Rotarians,

幾年前，美國總統尼克森的白宮顧問約翰‧狄恩三世(JohnW. Dean III)到(美國堪薩斯州)5670 地區年會演講。他談的主題是「水門、戰爭、及四大考驗。」他用這個宣言來結束他的演講：

A few years ago, John W. Dean III, White House counsel under U.S. President Richard M. Nixon, addressed the District 5670 (Kansas, USA) Conference. The subject of his talk was “Watergate, War, and The Four-Way Test.” He concluded his remarks with this declaration:

我告訴你們一件事，我不怕事後諸葛之譏，那就是假使尼克森時代我們在白宮那些牽涉水門案的人懸崖勒馬，並且應用四大考驗(The Four-Way Test)，即使是偶爾用到，就不會發生水門案。簡言之，四大考驗的確有用…能用來解決任何問題，如果我們願意用的話。

" I am going to tell you without fear of contradiction that had those of us in the Nixon White House who were involved in Watergate stopped to apply The Four-Way Test, even if only occasionally, there would have been no Watergate. In short, The Four-Way Test works. … It will work for any issue, if only we are willing to use it."

四大考驗是扶輪的招牌之一。自從賀伯‧泰勒(Herbert J. Taylor)在1932 年想出四大考驗以來，它從未與時代脫節。那四個簡短問題的根據不是某種文化或宗教。相反的，那四個問題是道德行為的簡單查核清單。它們超越國界及世代。

The Four-Way Test is one of the hallmarks of Rotary. Since it was developed by Herbert J. Taylor in 1932, it has never ceased to be relevant. Its four brief questions are not based on culture or religion; instead, they are a simple checklist for ethical behavior. They transcend national borders and generations.

作為扶輪社員，在做每一個決定時，我們的內心深處，即使不是內心頂層，應該時時心存四大考驗。在工作生活、家庭生活、以及社區生活，我們必須知道身為扶輪社員的責任：說話真實、處事公正、建立親善關係以及更好的友誼、而且處處盡我們所能幫助我們遇到的每一個人。

As Rotarians, we should have The Four-Way Test in the back of our minds — if not the front — in every decision we make, all day long. As we go through our lives at work, at home, and in our communities, we must be conscious of our responsibilities as Rotarians: to speak the truth, to be fair, to build goodwill and better friendships, and to always try to do the best we can for everyone we encounter.

我們也必須讓人們知道我們的道德標準不會有所妥協。把「四大考驗」懸掛在牆壁上讓大家都看得到，此舉發出一個明確的訊息：扶輪社員是在乎道德的正人君子。

We must also make it known that we will not compromise our ethical standards. Hanging The Four-Way Test on the wall for all to see sends a clear message: Rotarians are people of integrity who care.

四大考驗將道德判斷濃縮到可以掛在牆上的一個小匾牌。但是國際扶輪前社長李查‧伊文士（Richard Evans）甚至用一句話使它更簡化：「那是對的嗎？」

The Four-Way Test compresses ethical decisions down to something that can be hung on a small wall plaque. But Past RI President Richard Evans made it even simpler with one phrase: Is it right?

他在一篇有關這個主題的文章裡說：只要思考這個問題「那是對的嗎？」，世界上絕大部份的提議都可以輕而易舉排除在考慮之外。如果那是對的，我們儘可以進一步考慮。接著我們可以合理地考慮那是否方便、是否有利可圖、我們是否要去做。如果那是不對的，考慮其他問題便是浪費我們的時間，因為如果那是不對的，就不值得做，無論任何人能從中獲得什麼。

In his essay on the topic, he said: "A large part of all the proposals that are made in the world could easily be eliminated from further discussion simply by asking this one question: 'Is it right?' If it is, we may well consider them further. We may then reasonably ask whether or not it is convenient, whether or not it is profitable, whether or not we want to do it. But if it isn’t right, we are wasting our time in asking any other question, because if it isn’t right, it isn’t worth it, no matter what else there may be in it for anyone.'

作為扶輪社員，我希望我們都能把這個建議放在心中，並帶頭前進，只做對的事。

As Rotarians, I hope we all take this advice to heart and Lead the Way in doing only what is right.

W.B. (Bill) Boyd 白義德

國際扶輪2006-07年度社長

President, Rotary International, 2006-07

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