《中華人民共和國合同法》第八條 依法成立的合同，對當事人具有法律約束力。當事人應當按照約定履行自己的義務，不得擅自變更或者解除合同。
依法成立的合同，受法律保護。
全國人大版
Article 8 A legally executed contract has legal binding force on the parties. The parties shall fulfill their obligations as contracted, and may not arbitrarily modify or terminate the contract.
A legally executed contract is protected by law.
北大法寶版
Article 8 A lawfully established contract shall be legally binding on the parties thereto, each of whom shall perform its own obligations in accordance with the terms of the contract, and no party shall unilaterally modify or terminate the contract.
The contract established according to law is protected by law.
威科版
Article 8 Contracts concluded in accordance with the law shall be legally binding on the parties. A party shall perform its own obligations as agreed, and it may not of its own accord alter or terminate the contract.
Contracts formed in accordance with the law shall receive the protection of the law.
一、依法成立的合同
全國人大版：A legally executed contract
北大法寶版：A lawfully established contract
威科先行版：Contracts concluded in accordance with the law
在《合同法第一條》的連載中，我們說過：合法一詞，有legit、legitimate、lawful、legal、rightful。以下我們複習一下。
Legit：legal, or acting according to the law or the rules 合法的、守法的，如 The business seems legit.這筆生意看起來是合法的。該詞使用比較口語化，更強調按法律行事的意思。
Legitimate：allowed and acceptable according to the law 合法的、法律認可的。
Legal：connected with the law與法律有關的；allowed or required by law 法律允許的、合法的、法律要求的。
Lawful：allowed or recognized by law 合法的、法律承認的、法定的，如 lawful heir 合法繼承人。
Rightful：that is correct,right or legal 正確的；公正的；合法的。
成立一詞，我們之前積累了 establish 和 conclude，現在我們遇到一個新的詞 execute。
Execute：to follow the instructions in a legal document; to make a document legally valid 執行（法令）；使（法律文件）生效；完成籤字、蓋章、交付等一切使契約、文件等生效的必要手續。
Establish：to start having a relationship, especially a formal one, with another person, group or country 建立（尤指正式關係）。
Conclude：通常用法 conclude sth (with sb) to arrange and settle an agreement with sb formally and finally 達成，訂立，締結（協定）。如They concluded a treaty with Turkey.他們與土耳其締結了一項條約。
Enter into：通常用法 enter into sth (with sb), to begin sth or become involved in sth 開始；進入；參與。如 to enter into an agreement 訂立協議； to enter into negotiations 開始談判
二、對當事人具有法律約束力
全國人大版：has legal binding force on the parties
北大法寶版：shall be legally binding on the parties
威科先行版：shall be legally binding on the parties
法律約束力可以翻譯成 legal binding force，也可以直接用 binding 來表達，或者是 to have the force of law。force 表示效力，比如 come to force 開始生效，to be in force 有效。
三、當事人應當按照約定履行自己的義務
全國人大版：The parties shall fulfill their obligations as contracted
北大法寶版：each of whom shall perform its own obligations in accordance with the terms of the contract
威科先行版：A party shall perform its own obligations as agreed
之前我們已經多次提到了「履行」一詞可以翻譯為 fulfill 和 perfom，以下我們再複習一下。
Fulfill：to do or have what is required or necessary. 履行、執行、符合、具備。如 fulfill a duty 履行職責； fulfil a promise 履行諾言。
Perform：to do sth, such as a piece of work, task or duty 做；履行；執行。
Contract 一詞除了常見的作為名詞的合同的意思外，還有作為動詞的「立約規定；立約承擔」的意思。
四、不得擅自變更或者解除合同
全國人大版：may not arbitrarily modify or terminate the contract
北大法寶版：no party shall unilaterally modify or terminate the contract
威科先行版：it may not of its own accord alter or terminate the contract.
Arbitrarily：任意地、隨心所欲地、專制的。如 The leaders of the groups were chosen arbitrarily. 這些團體的領導人是任意挑選的。另外， arbiter 是指仲裁人，arbitration 是指仲裁；公斷。
Unilaterally：單方地。前綴 Uni- 的意思是「單；獨；一」的意思，如 uniform 制服， unicorn 獨角獸， unicycle 獨輪腳踏車。
Accord：協議[n.]。Of your own accord 的意思是 without being asked, forced or helped 自願地、主動地，如 He came back of his own accord. 他自行回來了。
關於「變更」一詞的翻譯，我們前面也有說到，以下複習一下：
Alter：change or cause to change in character or composition, typically in a comparatively small but significant way 側重於對特徵或者組成的小而重要的改變。
Modify：make partial or minor changes to (something), typically so as to improve it or to make it less extreme 有部分或者稍作改善，使得其更適合的意思。
Amend：make minor changes in (a text) in order to make it fairer, more accurate, or more up-to-date 文字的調整使得更公正、準確和具有前沿性。
五、依法成立的合同，受法律保護
全國人大版：A legally executed contract is protected by law.
北大法寶版：The contract established according to law is protected by law.
威科先行版：Contracts formed in accordance with the law shall receive the protection of the law
六、《國際統一私法協會國際商事合同通則2010》
ARTICLE 1.3 (binding character of contract) A contract validly entered into is binding upon the parties. It can only be modified or terminated in accordance with its terms or by agreement or as otherwise provided in these Principles.
第1.3條 （合同的約束性） 有效訂立的合同對當事人具有約束力。當事人僅能根據合同的條款，或通過協議，或根據通則的規定修改或終止合同。
這是「協議必須遵守」原則，The principle pacta sunt servanda。這是一個拉丁文。在法律英語中，「法律界人士為了使法律這門職業具有獨立性，突出本行業的優越性，多採用一些特殊的語言」（引號裡的內容摘自範文祥《英文合同閱讀與分析技巧》）。
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