在去年十一月召開的中央經濟工作會議上，決定今年要實行穩健的財政政策和貨幣政策，這標志著實施已近7年的積極財政政策調整了取向。對于“穩健的財政政策和貨幣政策”的英譯，許多媒體都是用prudent fiscal and monetary policies 來表達的：
1. A high-level meeting of the Community Party of China (CPC) held Wednesday set the tone for China's economic policy next year, declaring that China will exercise prudent fiscal and monetary policies in 2005.
2. The policy shift from 'proactive to prudent' fiscal and monetary policies was made 'to conform with changes in China's macro-economic situation and consolidate the achievements of macro-control,'
3. China's proactive fiscal policy, in place since 1998, has resulted in seven years of world-stunning economic growth. A prudent policy is the logical choice to curb overheating of the economy, maintain steady development and improve the efficiency of the economy.
4. China has begun to shift to a prudent financial policy for economic development after having adopted a proactive fiscal policy for securing sustainable growth during the past seven years.
5. In line with the prudent policy, the Chinese government will cut budget deficit and public investment, reform expenditure structure and push financial reform while carrying out macro-control measures, he said.
但是，prudent（謹慎）有消極保守的意思：Definition of PRUDENT: careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment; "a prudent manager"; "prudent rulers"; "prudent hesitation"; "more prudent to hide than to fight"
1. US prudent policy about climate change：（謹慎且消極的態度）The US Administration has come under criticism within many European countries and within the American community of environmentalists for adopting what is considered to be too relaxed a view toward the question of global climate change, more particularly toward the prospect of a substantial warming of the surface of the earth sometime during the next century.
2. Prudent fiscal policy spells economic recovery （帶動經濟的復蘇）
“謹慎的財政政策”的說法在國外也能找到依據。例如，“謹慎的財政政策是新加坡經濟管理的重要特征。雖然有更大的開支壓力和較緊的預算，但我們必須保持這個謹慎的財政政策。”
那么，穩健的財政政策是什么呢？財政部長金人慶支出：“實行穩健的財政政策（也就是經濟學講的中性財政政策），主要是要服從服務于改革發展大局，服從服務于中央宏觀調控大局，宏觀上既要防止通貨膨脹的苗頭繼續擴大，又要防止通貨緊縮的趨勢重新出現；既要堅決控制投資需求膨脹，又要努力擴大消費需求；既要對投資過熱的行業從緊，又要著力支持經濟社會發展中的薄弱環節。政策核心是松緊適度，著力協調，放眼長遠。具體說來，要注重把握'控制赤字、調整結構、推進改革、增收節支'十六個字。”
中性是指有增有減，有保有壓，松緊適度，既不過快也不過慢，既不過高也不過低，這是穩健財政政策的重要特征。國家發改委宏觀經濟研究院副院長王一鳴說：“我理解的穩健是它既不同于過去的積極財政政策那樣的擴張，也不同于緊縮型財政政策那樣一種收縮，而是從過去積極財政政策的軌道上逐步地退下來，也就是說要逐步減少它的擴張力度。……經濟保持一種穩定發展的格局，既不過快也不過慢，既不過高也不過低。…… 穩健的財政政策并不是從擴張轉向緊縮，也不意味著對經濟支持力度的減弱，它的核心是松緊適度，促進經濟健康平穩運行。”
英語中sound policy的含義：If sound policy is to be formulated, the issues will be decided on the basis of three criteria: Is the proposed matter feasible? (Can it be done?) Is it advisable? (Should it be done?) Is it efficient? (What is the cost-benefit ratio?) The policy will be sound if those questions are answered affirmatively, or if a satisfactory compromise based on the criteria is made.
從以上的解釋不難看出，英語中的sound policy同漢語中的“穩健政策”是比較吻合的。因為它是以可行性、必要性和效益性這“三性”要求為前提的。
Sound Monetary Policy Supports a Healthy Economy.
Sound Fiscal Policy Spurs Economic Growth
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said that sound fiscal policies would help the ECB to keep interest rates relatively low.
The governor has highlighted the main objectives of any sound monetary policy - the maintenance of price stability and stability of the external value of the domestic currency.
A sound monetary and fiscal policy framework has to be complemented by structural policies that make the economy more flexible and dynamic.
積極的財政政策和穩健的貨幣政策也可以帶動經濟的復蘇，而不是促進經濟的增長或發展，例如：China's pro-active fiscal policies and sound monetary policies have contributed to the overall recovery of economy. 實施積極的財政政策和穩健的貨幣政策對我國經濟的全面復蘇的促進作用。
Sustaining Economic Recovery through Sound Monetary Policy
由此看來，“穩健”（sound）和“謹慎”（prudent）是可以交替使用的，只是前者更為可取。孫學工在他的《財政赤字政策的選擇》一文中指出：“應根據我國具體情況并參照相應的國際經驗，建立起適合中國國情的、滿足當前發展階段需要的、且又是充分謹慎的財政政策規則。…… 其實更應改為"謹慎的財政政策”。政府之所以選擇“穩健”，只是為了尋求一種平衡與引導，從中可以看到政府的用心良苦，其實怎么說都是無所謂的，大家知道怎么做就是了。”
順便提一下，在互聯網的語料庫里，Sound policy 的例子比較多，Prudent policy的例子比較少，而Cautious policy的例子則很難找到。
