胡适留学日记一七、美国银币上之刻文

(一月廿七日)


(此段是前函中之一段)


I remember the first time I saw the American dollar and was greatly touched by the simple inscription on it: "In God we trust." It recalled to my mind all the precautionary methods of testing and guarding against counterfeit money in my own country, —and I was ashamed.


But after 6 years' time I have come to find fault with this inscription which then so greatly incited my admiration. A better inscription, I think, would be: "In man we trust."


Jan, 27, 1916


  〔中译

余曾记得,余第一次见到美元时,就被它上面之一句铭文深深感动:“吾人之信仰在于上帝。”它使余想起,所有吾国鉴别和防范伪币之预防举措。——此时,余不禁汗颜。


然而,六年之后,余终于从这句铭文中找出疵点,尽管此铭文在当时曾激起吾无限的钦佩之情。余斗胆以为,更好之铭文恐怕是:“吾人之信仰在于人。”


1916年1月27日

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