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常用的英语格言和成语
2001-11-26 10:31:22
许多人在演讲、写作或谈话中，喜欢引用一些格言 (adage)、成语 (proverb) 或引语 (quotation) 等，使其内容更加活泼生动，有时还能收到「事半功倍」之效。我们也可以模仿。
值得一提的是：成语或格言，一般而言，都是照原文独立使用。不过有时也可用在新的句子里；有时也可用肯定句或否定句；有时动词时态也可稍加改变；这要看使用时的情况而定。但无论如何，必须保持原文的完整性。在此，先以第一句为例，希望能收「举一反三」之效。
(1) You can not teach an old dog new tricks ── 照字面意思是：你不能教老狗学新的把戏。也就是说：年老守旧的人，不易改变旧的作风，或接受新的事物和新思想。(Some people find it impossible to change their ways; or older people can not accept the changes or new ideas.） 虽然这句成语可以独立使用，但只要能维持原文的完整性，也可「动些手脚」。例如：
Stop trying to teach an old dog new tricks; you are just wasting time.（别想教老狗新花样，你只是白花时间。）
Are you trying to teach an old dog new tricks?
He is impossible. Don't try to teach an old dog new tricks.（impossible 是指顽固成性、墨守成规的人。）
I have tried teaching an old dog new tricks, but it doesn't work.（注：教狗不直接用 teach，要用 try to teach。）
(2) All that glitters is not gold. ── 字面的意思是：所有能闪闪发光的东西，未必都是黄金。换言之，就是许多外表漂亮的物品，未必都是真正的宝贝。因为也许是金玉其外，败絮其中，或是中看不中用。(not every beautiful thing is valuable. ) 也有人说成：All is not gold that glitters. (glitter 是动词，意思是闪闪发光或光彩夺目。) 也可用在句子里：
I told my students that all that glitters is not gold.
还有一句相似的成语：
Don't judge a book by its cover. (意思是：不能以书皮的美丑，去判断书的内容好坏。)
(3) Pepole (或 Those) who live in glass houses should not throw stones (或 rocks) ── 照字面的意思是：住在玻璃屋里的人不可丢石头。也就是说，世间没有十全十美的人，每个人都有缺点，所以不要批评别人。即所谓「自身有短，勿批他人」。(Nobody is perfect, so we should not criticize others.) 类似的，还有：
Don't judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes. (除非你充分了解人家的立场，不可轻易作出评估。)
(judge = criticize; have walked a mile in his shoes = have understood his situation well enough)
另一句是：
Judge not lest ye be judged. (来自圣经)（意思是：不要批评别人，免得将来也被别人批评。）(ye 是古字 = you；lest 是连接词，意思是唯恐或免得。）就是：
If you criticize others, you probably will be criticized ,too.
所以我们也可以说：
He told his children“Judge not lest ye be judged.”
(4) It is more blessed to give than to receive. ── 意思是：施比受更有福。也就是劝人多多行善，帮助他人。（blessed 是形容词，意思是幸福的，受尊敬的。）这句话不但可独立使用，也可用在不同的句子里：
Especially during Christmas time, it's more blessed to give than to receive.（尤其在圣诞时更要助人）
The longer I live the more I realize that it is more blessed to give than to receive.（我活得愈久，愈体会到施比受更有福。)
(5) Every cloud has a silver lining. ── 照字面的意思是，每一个阴云中，都有一点银白的衬层。换句话就是，每一个不好的情况，也有好的一面。即所谓「黑暗中总有一线光明」。(Something good in every situation; or there is a positive side in everything.) (lining 是名词，意思是内衬或环衬。）所以劝人不可悲观，就可以说：
Don't be so grumpy and pessimistic because every cloud has a silver lining. (不要这麽暴躁和悲观，事情也有好的一面。）
(6) A rolling stone gathers no moss. ── 这是一句老俗语，但还是很流行。照字面的意思是，转动的石头，是长不出苔藓的。也就是说，常常在工作上变动的人，较难得到很好的资历，也难受到别人的信任。即所谓「滚石不生苔，转业不聚财」。(One who is always on the move or changes jobs often will not save or keep much money.) 所以我们可以劝年轻人不可见异思迁，到时一事无成：
Don't change your job too frequently because a rolling stone gathers no moss.
(7) You can lead a horse to water, but you can not make him drink. ── 意思是说，带马到河边容易，但逼马饮水倒很困难。换句话说，有好的建议，尽管可以提出，但不能逼人家做他不愿做的事。因为人家不肯照著你的意思做，还是没有办法啊！ (You can encourage, but not force, someone to do something; or you may give someone an advice, but you can't force him /her to follow it.) 例如：
I can not force her to marry him. After all you can lead a horse to water, but you can not make him drink.（我不能逼她嫁给他。毕竟带马到河边容易，逼马饮水倒困难。）
(8) Don't put all your eggs in one basket. ── 照字面意思是：不要把全部鸡蛋放在一个篮子里。也就是劝人不可把一切希望寄托在一个计画上，或集中全部的财力干一件事。（don't risk everything you have on a single plan or idea; don't forcus or invest too much in one specific area）（注：只用 basket，而不用 box 或 bag，也许因为从前农夫把鸡蛋拾起後，都放在篮子里。) 所以可以说：
If you are spending all your money on that stock, you are putting all your eggs in one basket.（假如你把所有的钱投资在一种股票上，那就太冒险了。）
I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.（我不想冒著孤注一掷的风险。）  推荐给好友  打印本页
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