天下为公(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。
天下为公
during the american revolutionary war, lewis nicola, a brigadier general in the american army, wrote a letter to the commander in chief, george washington, on behalf of the army officers. he suggested to washington that he become the"king of the united states."
from his headquarters in newburgh, new york, washington responded at once:"be assured, sir, no occurrence in the course of the war has given me more painful sensations than your information of there being such ideas existing in the army as you have expressed.... let me conjure you then, if you have any regard for your country, concern for yourself or posterity, or respect for me, to banish these thoughts from your mind, and never communicate, as from yourself or any one else, a sentiment of the like nature." and thus, the hero of the war refused to be king.

美国独立战争期间,美军准将刘易斯.尼古拉代表各军官致函总司令乔治.华盛顿,提议华盛顿做「美国国王」。
华盛顿当时在纽约的纽堡总部。他马上回信说:「先生说军中有大函所述想法,这无疑是战争爆发以来,最令我痛心的事……假如先生对国家还有一点敬爱,对自己和后代还有一点关怀,对我还有一点尊重,那么,切勿再抱这样的思想,也切勿再表达自己或他人的这种意见。」美国独立战争的英雄,就这样拒绝了王位。
【附注】旧式英文,名词常用大写,即使那名词不是人名或地名。华盛顿回信中的 sir、 war、 army、 coun try、 mind、 nature等字,今天一般会用小写。