136、举例说明良心的性质。如果有人拥有别人的财产，而对方却不知情，所以他能据为己有，不用担心法律，或丧失尊敬和名声；然而，他仍把它们归还给对方，因为这些财产不是他的，那么他就拥有良心。因为他为了良善而行良善，为了公义而行公义。再比如，如果有人有权获得一个职位，但知道另一个候选人对国家更有用，于是他为了国家利益就让位于对方，那么他就拥有一个良善的良心。其它例子也是如此。
136、用一些例子说明良心是什么。某人占有另一人的财产，但后者不知道，因此某人可以从中获利，而无需畏惧律法，或失去荣誉和名声。但他仍然把财产归还后者，因为这不是他自己的。这样的人有良心，因为他行良善是为了良善，行公正是为了公正。另外，如果某人获得一个职位，但是他得知另一人也渴望它，并且后者对他的国家更有益处，于是某人为了国家的利益而让位给后者，这样的人有关爱良善的良心。可依此类推至其他情形。
136. Some examples may help to show what conscience is. Suppose you have another's goods without the other knowing it and can therefore profit from them with no fear of the law or of loss of position or reputation. If you nevertheless return the goods to the other because the goods are not yours, you are someone who has a conscience; you are doing a good thing because it is good, and doing the right thing because it is right. Or suppose you are offered a government position but you know that someone else who also wants that position would be of greater benefit to your country than you would. If you let the other person have the position for the good of your country, you are someone who has a good conscience. A similar principle would apply in many other situations.
136. Here are two examples to show what conscience is:
Suppose you had something that belonged to someone who did not know you had it. In this situation, you could make some money without having to worry about the law or about losing your reputation and people’s respect. If you gave the thing back to its owner anyway because it did not belong to you, then you would be acting out of conscience. You would be doing what is good and fair because it is good and fair.
Or suppose you were able to get a particular job, but you knew there was someone else who also wanted the job, and who would be more useful to your country in that job than you would be. If you let the other person have the job for the good of your country, then you would also be acting out of conscience. It is the same in any other situation.
136. Some examples will illustrate the nature of conscience. If someone has in his possession someone else's goods, without the owner's knowledge, so that he can enjoy them without fear of legal action or losing his honours or reputation, but still gives them back to the other person, because they are not his, such a person has a conscience. For he does good for good's sake and justice for justice's sake. There may also be someone who could claim an office, but knows that some other candidate is more useful to his country; if he yields place to the other for his country's good, he has a good conscience; and so on in other cases.
136. But let examples illustrate what conscience is. If a man have possession of another's property, that other being ignorant of the fact, and thus can appropriate it to himself without fear of the law, or of the loss of honour and reputation; and nevertheless restores it to the other because it is not his own, he has conscience; for he does what is good for the sake of what is good, and what is just for the sake of what is just. Again, if any one has it in his power to obtain an office, but knows that another person, also a candidate, would be more useful to the country; and he yields to the other man, for the sake of the country's good, he has a good conscience. So in all other cases.
136. But let examples illustrate what conscience is. He who has possession of another man's goods, whilst the other is ignorant of it, and thus can retain them without fear of the law, or of the loss of honor and reputation, and he still restores them to the other, because they are not his own, he has conscience, for he does what is good for the sake of what is good, and what is just for the sake of what is just. Again, if anyone can obtain an office, but knows that another, who also desires it, would be more useful to his country, and gives way to the other for the sake of the good of his country, he has a good conscience. So in other cases.
136. Sed exempla illustrent quid conscientia. Qui alterius bona apud se habet, nesciente altero, et sic absque timore legis, jacturae honoris et famae, potest lucrari illa, si usque alteri reddit, quia sua non sunt, is conscientiam habet; nam facit bonum propter bonum, et justum propter justum. Sit quoque qui potest venire ad functionem, sed scit quod alter, qui etiam ambit, patriae utilior sit; is si cedit alteri locum propter bonum patriae, is bonam conscientiam habet. Ita in reliquis.