在1998年3月朱鎔基就任總理初試啼聲的人大閉幕記者會,朱在被外媒問及外界有指他是「經濟沙皇」時擲下名句:「不管前面是地雷陣還是萬丈深淵,我將勇往直前,義無反顧,鞠躬盡瘁,死而後已。」當年朱彤把這句繙譯成:「No matter what is waiting for me in front of me, being landmines or an abyss, I will blaze my trail and I have no hesitation and no misgivings and I will do all my best and contribute, devote all myself to the people and the country until the last day of my life.」這句因繙譯準繩,換來「第一繙譯」的稱號。