我们应该谦虚。谨慎，戒骄，戒躁，全心全意地为人民服务，……
——《两个中国之命运》（一九四五年四月二十三日），《毛泽东选集》第三卷第一零二八页
We should be modest and prudent, guard against arrogance and rashness, and serve the Chinese people heart and soul....
― "China's Two Possible Destinies" (April 23, 1945), Selected Works, Vol. III p. 253.

全心全意地为人民服务，一刻也不脱离群众；一切从人民的利益出发，而不是从个人或小集团的利益出发；向人民负责和向党的领导机关负责的一至性；这些就是我们的出发点。 
——《论联合政府》（一九四五年四月二十四日），《毛泽东选集》第三卷第一零九五——一零九六页
Our point of departure is to serve the people whole-heartedly and never for a moment divorce ourselves from the masses, to proceed in all cases from the interests of the people and not from one's self-interest or from the interests of a small group, and to identify our responsibility to the people with our responsibility to the leading organs of the Party.
― "On Coalition Government" (April 24, 1945), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 315.*

国家机关实行民主集中制，国家机关必须依靠人民群众，国家机关工作人员必须为人民服务。
——《关于正确处理人民内部矛盾的问题》（一九五七年二月二十七日），人民出版社版第四页
The organs of state must practise democratic centralism, they must rely on the masses and their personnel must serve the people.
― "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People" (February 27, 1957), 1st pocket ed., p. 8.*

白求恩同志毫不利己专门利人的精神，表现在他对工作的极端的负责任，对同志对人民的极端的热忱。每个共产党员都要学习他。……我们大家要学习他毫无自私自利之心的精神。从这点出发，就可以变为大有利于人民的人。一个人能力有大小，但只要有这点精神，就是一个高尚的人，一个纯粹的人，一个有道德的人，一个脱离了低级趣味的人，一个有益于人民的人。
——《纪念白求恩》（一九三九年十二月二十一日），《毛泽东选集》第二卷第六五三——六五四页
Comrade Bethune's spirit, his utter devotion to others without any thought of self, was shown in his boundless sense of responsibility in his work and his boundless warm-heartedness towards all comrades and the people. Every Communist must learn from him. We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him. With this spirit everyone can be very useful to the people. A man's ability may be great or small, but if he has this spirit, he is already noble-minded and pure, a man of moral integrity and above vulgar interests, a man who is of value to the people.
― "In Memory of Norman Bethune" (December 21, 1939), Selected Works, Vol. II, pp. 337-38.*

我们的共产党和共产党所领导的八路军、新四军，是革命的队伍。我们这个队伍完全是为着解放人民的，是彻底地为人民的利益工作的。
——《为人民服务》（一九四四年九月八日），《毛泽东选集》第三卷第一零零三页
Our Communist Party and the Eighth Route and New Fourth Armies led by our Party are battalions of the revolution. These battalions of ours are wholly dedicated to the liberation of the people and work entirely in the people's interests.
― "Serve the People" (September 8, 1944), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 227.

我们一切工作干部，不论职位高低，都是人民的勤务员，我们所做的一切，都是为人民服务，我们有些什么不好的东西舍不得丢掉呢？
——《一九四五年的任务 》（一九四四年十二月十五日），一九四四年十二月十六日延安《解放日报》
All our cadres, whatever their rank, are servants of the people, and whatever we do is to serve the people. How then can we be reluctant to discard any of our bad traits?
― "The Tasks for 1945" (December 15, 1944).

我们的责任，是向人民负责，每句话，每个行动，每项政策，都要适合人民的利益，如果有了错误，定要改正，这就叫向人民负责。
——《抗日战争后的时局和我们的方针》（一九四五年八月十三日），《毛泽东选集》第四卷第一一二八页
Our duty is to hold ourselves responsible to the people. Every word, every act and every policy must conform to the people's interests, and if mistakes occur, they must be corrected - that is what being responsible to the people means.
― "The Situation and Our Policy After the Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan" (August 13, 1945), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 16.

要奋斗就会有牺牲，死人的事是经常发生的。但是我们想到人民的利益，想到大多数人民的痛苦，我们为人民而死，就是死得其所。不过，我们应当尽量地减少那些不必要的牺牲。
——《为人民服务》（一九四四年九月八日），《毛泽东选集》第三卷第一零零四页
Wherever there is struggle there is sacrifice, and death is a common occurrence. But we have the interests of the people and the sufferings of the great majority at heart, and when we die for the people it is a worthy death. Nevertheless, we should do our best to avoid unnecessary sacrifices.
― "Serve the People" (September 8, 1944), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 228.

人总是要死的，但死的意义有不同。中国古时候有个文学家叫做司马迁的说过：“人固有一死，或重于泰山，或轻于鸿毛。”为人民利益而死，就比泰山还重；替法西斯卖力，替剥削人民和压迫人民的人去死，就比鸿毛还轻。
——《为人民服务》（一九四四年九月八日），《毛泽东选集》第三卷第一零零三页
All men must die, but death can vary in its significance. The ancient Chinese writer Szuma Chien said, "Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather." To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather.
― Ibid., p. 227.*