trying to choose the principles to govern our collective lives

共同选择指引我们共同生活的法则
without knowing certain important particular fact about ourselves.

但对自己某些重要的特质却毫无所知
That's the idea of the "Veil of Ignorance".

这就是"无知的面纱"的概念
Now what would happen if we gather together just as we are here

假设我们像现在这样聚集在一起
and try to come up with principles of justice to govern our collective life?

并试图提出指导我们集体生活的正义原则
There would be a cacophony of proposals of suggestions

由于人们的不同利益
reflecting people's different interests,

将会出现很多不一致的声音
some are strong, some are weak,

有些人强大有些人弱势
some are rich, some are poor.

有些人富裕有些人贫穷
So Rawls says, imagine instead

因此罗尔斯说倒不如想像
that we are gathered in an original position of equality

我们都处于一个平等的原始状态
and what assures the equality is the veil of ignorance.

而确保平等的就是无知的面纱