【问】 The best moral sanction is that of conscience;the worst is the fear of punishment.《远东英汉大辞典》(P.1840)将上面的句子译为：“最好的道德制裁是良心;最坏的是怕受处罚。”我觉得上面的译文不通。请分析。

【答】 复数形式的sanctions才作“制裁”解(见sanction/sanctions)。而单数形式的sanction除作“批准”、“许可”解之外，还可作“约束(力)”(something that forces the keeping of a rule orstandard)解：

1. societies where shame is the only sanction against wrongdoing(LDCE)

把羞耻作为犯罪行为唯一约束的社会

2. There are still many countries where the death penalty is the sanction against murder.(Wood)

现在仍然有许多国家用杀人罚款来约束谋杀。

建议译文：最好的道德约束力是良心的约束力;最坏的约束力是害怕受到惩罚。