If ever the earth has noticed a system of administration conducted with a single and keen eye to the general interest and happiness of those committed to, it must be the system protected by truth, to which our lives have been devoted to.

【翻译】如果在世界上有一种管理制度，执行时有一只敏锐的眼睛审视着它，以维护那些为之奉献的人们的普遍利益和幸福，那么它一定是受真理保护的制度，也是我们用生命一直捍卫的制度。

【分析】这是一个含有if 条件句的复合句，而且，本句使用了“无生命主语”修辞格。

1. 从句：If ever the earth has noticed a system of administration conducted with a single and keen eye to the general interest and happiness of those committed to

2. 主句：it must be the system protected by truth, to which our lives have been devoted to.

3. 在条件从句中，the earth（主）has noticed （动）a system of administration（宾）

4. 过去分词短语conducted with a single and keen eye to the general interest and happiness of those committed to, 作定语修饰a system of administration（管理制度）。其中过去分词短语committed to，修饰those（人们）

5. 过去分词短语protected by truth作定语，修饰the system

6. 非限制性定语从句to which our lives have been devoted to，再次修饰the system

【翻译技巧】“无生命主语”修辞格的句子，如果主语为时间、地点等名词，谓语常用see, find, meet, witness, notice 等动词。翻译时，一般把这些英语句子的主语看作“时间或地点状语”，谓语动词则不必翻译出来，因为实质性内容就是它的宾语及其定语。如果宾语是表示“某种行为或动作的名词”，可译为谓语。重点内容是定语。

例如：

The year 1949 witnessed the founding of the People's Republic of China. 1949年，中华人民共和国成立。

This stadium has seen many exciting football matches. 在这体育场里举办过很多精彩的足球赛。

Dusk found a little boy crying in the street. 黄昏时一个小男孩在大街上哭。

Rome witnessed many great historic events. 在罗马城发生了许多伟大历史事件。

The following year saw the death of his mother. 第二年他妈妈去世了。

Dawn met him well along the way. 拂晓时，他早已走了一大段路。

The world history has seen more tears than laughter. 在世界历史上眼泪比欢笑多。

Shanghai first saw the rise of this movement.这个运动首先在上海兴起。

The city witnessed the outbreak of the war. 战争是在这个城市爆发的。

Nightfall found him many miles short of his appointed place. 当夜幕降临时，他离预定的地点还有好几英里。

The forty years, 1840-80, brought almost ten million migrants to America. 从1840至1880年这四十年中，近一千万移民移居美国。