英语谚语及其翻译技巧

第一篇：英语谚语及其翻译技巧

英语谚语及其翻译技巧

公元前55年，古罗马统帅恺撒征服不列颠岛，而英国历史上真正的“罗马人的征服”（Roman Conquest）是在公元43年开始的。从此罗马人占领不列颠400年之久。罗马人的文化对不列颠的影响仍留在岛上，在今天的英语谚语中仍然可以找到历史的痕迹。

BC, the Roman commander in chief Kai Caesar conquered the British Isles, British history, real Romans conquered the Roman, of Conquest in 43 AD.Since then, the Roman occupation of Britain 400 years.Romans cultural impact on Britain to remain on the island, you can still find traces of history in today's English proverbs

例如：

Do in Rome as the Romans do.在罗马就要过罗马人的生活。（喻：入乡随俗。）

Rome was not built in a day.罗马不是一天建成的。（喻：伟业非一日之功。）

All roads lead to Rome.条条道路通罗马.(喻:殊途同归。)

谚语的产生与人们生活和劳动的地理环境习习相关。英国是一个岛国，位于欧洲西部大西洋中的不列颠诸岛上，南面有英吉利海峡（the English Channel），多拂尔海峡（the straits of Dover），东面隔北海（the North Sea）。这里的海上运输业和渔业特别发达，因此留下了不少与航海业和渔业有关的谚语。

Proverb generation and people's lives and labor of the geographical environment breeze.Britain is an island, located in western Europe in the Atlantic Ocean on the British Isles, the south the English Channel(the English Channel), and more brush Seoul Strait(the straits of Dover), the east separated from the North Sea(the North Sea).Of maritime transport and fisheries developed, thus leaving a lot of proverbs related to the maritime industry and fisheries

例如：

All is fish that comes to his net.进到网里的都是鱼。

这条谚语的比喻意义是“任何有用的东西或有好处的东西都来者不拒”，含有贬义。

Never offer to teach fish to swim.不要教鱼儿游泳。

这条谚语的比喻意义是“不要在行人面前卖弄自己”。相当于汉语谚语“不要班们弄斧”。

He who would catch fish must not mind getting wet.要想抓鱼就不能怕弄湿衣。

这条谚语的比喻意义与汉语谚语“要吃龙肉，就得亲自下海”的比喻意义相似。

The great fish eat up the small.大鱼吃小鱼。

这条谚语形象的描绘出自然界和人类社会的激烈斗争，相互倾轧的状况。

He that would sail without danger must never come on the main sea.谁在航行时不冒险，他就永远不要来到大海上。

这条谚语比喻“不付出就没有收获”，相当于汉语谚语“不入虎穴，焉得虎子”。

大不列颠岛是典型的温带海洋性气候，雨量充沛，风大雾多，降雨量特别大。因此产生了一条谚语：It never rains but it pours.（不雨则己，一雨倾盆）。

这条谚语的比喻意义是“倒霉的事情总是一起发生的”，相当于汉语成语“祸不单行”的意思。

风俗习惯是一个地区的人的生活方式，包括的东西很多，涉及生活的各个地域。它既受到一个民族的政治、经济、宗教、文学等方面的影响，又必然反映出该民族的风俗习惯，谚语更是与风俗习惯紧密相关，英语谚语的翻译离不开对英美风俗习惯的了解。The customs of the lifestyle of a region, including a lot of things involving the life of the various geographical.It necessarily reflect the customs of the nation by a nation's political, economic, religious, literary and other aspects of Proverbs more closely related with the customs of English proverbs and their translation is inseparable from the understanding of the Anglo-American customs.任何一个民族都有自己喜欢的动物，因此宠物文化有鲜明的地域性。中国人一般都鄙视狗，常用狗来比喻坏人坏事。但英美国家大都对狗有好感，认为狗是忠实可靠的朋友，其中一部分受到外来文化的影响而含有贬义外，大部分没有贬义。在英美文化中，“狗”经常用来比喻人的生活，派生出许多谚语。

Any other people have their favorite animals, pet culture distinct regional.Chinese people generally despise dogs, used dogs to describe the bad guys a bad thing.But the Anglo-American countries, mostly the dog a good impression, that a dog is a loyal and reliable friends, some of which by the influence of foreign cultures which contain derogatory, no negative connotation.Anglo-American culture, “dog” is often used to describe the person's life, derived from the many proverbs.Every dog has his own day.(每只狗都有他的好时光。)

这条谚语比喻“人人都有得意的一天。”

An old dog barks not in rain.(老狗不乱吠。)

这条谚语比喻“老年人做事有经验。”

Dog does not eat dog.(狗不吃狗。)

这条谚语比喻“一个人不应该攻击或伤害同伙，或赚他的钱。”与这条英语习语相近的汉语有：“同室不操戈，同类不相残。”

Love me, love my dog.(喜欢我，也要喜欢我的狗。)He that lies down with dogs must rise up with fleas.(与狗同眠的人身上必然有跳蚤。)这条谚语的比喻意义近似与汉语谚语“近朱者赤，近墨者黑。”

猫也是英美文化的宠物，多用来比喻女人，猫和狗一样，常被比喻成人，自然也引出不少谚语。

All cats are grey in the dark.（所有的猫在黑暗中都是灰色的。）

这条谚语比喻“人在未成名时，很难看出有什么区别”。

A cat has nine lives.(猫有九命。)

在英美文化习俗中，传说猫天资聪明，动作灵敏，在很多其他动物会被伤害的情况下，猫都能逃脱劫难。这条谚语比喻“生命力极强”。

A cat in gloves catches no mice.(戴手套的猫捉不到老鼠。)

这条谚语比喻“四肢不勤的人，什么事也做不出来”。

宗教是一种文化现象，谚语与文化的关系极为密切。更能折射出宗教对谚语的影响。英美国家，基督教起着特别重要的作用，所以很多谚语源自《圣经》，或与基督教有关。了解英美人的信仰对翻译相关谚语起重要作用。

Religion is a cultural phenomenon, the relationship between proverbs and culture are very close.More a reflection of the religious proverbs.Anglo-American countries, Christianity plays a particularly important role, so a lot of proverbs from the Bible, or related to Christianity.Anglo-American faith plays an important role of translation-related proverbs

The heart knows his own bitterness.《圣经•箴言》

一颗心知道它自己的痛苦。

Every man must carry his own cross.(每个人必须背他自己的十字架。)

这条谚语来自《圣经》，cross（十字架）是耶稣走向死亡之地所带的十字架，钉上十字架而死。cross一词就有了“苦难”的转义。这条谚语的意思是，人人都要忍受生活中的苦难，承担自己的生活负担。

Forbidden fruit（禁果）一语也出自《圣经》，并为众人所周知。在《创世纪》中，亚当在伊甸园所吃的苹果是禁果，这个典故使“Forbidden fruit”一语获得“因被禁止反而想弄到手的东西”的转义。从而产生：

Forbidden fruit is sweet.禁果是甜的。这句谚语表示“不让得到的东西格外有诱惑力”。

在英语谚语翻译的过程中，除了以上四个主要的因素需要认真考虑外，我们还要考虑到寓言神话、文学艺术和体育美术等因素还会影响到我们对英语谚语的翻译和理解。

In addition to these four major factors that need to be carefully considered in the process of English proverbs, we have to take into account the allegorical myth, literature and art and sports art and other factors will also affect to our translation of English proverbs and understanding

英语翻译之英语谚语的译法

《辞海》说：谚语是“熟语的一种，流传于民间的简练通俗而富有意义的语句，大多反映人民生活和斗争的经验。《现代汉语词典》说：谚语是”“在群众中间流传的固定语句，用简单通俗的话反映出深刻的道理。”泽尔巴赫说：“谚语是凝结的群众智慧。”英国政治家约翰·罗素说：“谚语是一个人的才智，也是许多人的才智。”

Said: “Ci Hai” proverb “Sayings of a spread in the community's concise popular and meaningful statement, most of them reflect the experience of people's lives and struggles.” Modern Chinese Dictionary “says: Proverbs are spread among the massesfixed statement to reflect the profound truth, with a simple and popular.”Zell Bach said:“ the proverb is a condensation of the wisdom of the masses.”British statesman John Russell said:“ Proverbs are the daughters of a person's intelligence, the talents of many people.”

英语(论坛)的maxim意为：格言、箴言；谚语；原理、主义；行为准则等。proverb意为：谚语、古话；俗语、箴言等。quotation意为语录、名言、谚语。学好谚语，对于英语的提高非常有帮助，一些谚语如果能够做到信手拈来，会让你的文采增色不少。比较谚语的中文和英文，也会让你体会到不同文化之间很多道理都是相同的。有的智慧是如此的相似，简直如出一辙。不得不感慨人类之伟大。希望大家真正学好谚语，并提高自己的英语水平。

English(Forum)maxim means: maxims, proverbs;proverb;principle, doctrine;Code of Conduct.The proverb means: proverbs, an old saying;saying, Proverbs.quotation word for quotations, sayings, and proverbs.Learn proverbs, very helpful for the improvement of English proverbs do come in handy, make your literary talent considerably.Compare proverbs in Chinese and English, but also make you feel a lot of sense between the different cultures are the same.Some wisdom is so similar, almost identical.But feeling the greatness of mankind.I hope we truly learn proverbs, and to improve their English language proficiency.1、Rome was not built in a day

罗马不是一天建成的。

2、Dripping water wears away stone.水滴石穿

3、Where there’s a will, there’s a way.有志者事竟成。

4、A good beginning is half done.好的开始是成功的一半。

5、Actions speak louder than words.事实胜于雄辩。

6、A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.吃一堑，长一智。

7、A hedge between keeps friendship green.君子之交淡如水。

8、A good book is the best of friend, the same today and forever.好书正如良友，会让你受益终生。

9、A good conscience is a soft pillow.不做亏心事，不怕鬼敲门。

10、Let bygones be bygones.既往不咎。

11、Fear always springs from ignorance.恐惧源于无知。

12、He who risks nothing gains nothing.收获与风险并存。

13、Necessity is the mother of invention.需求是发明的动力。

14、There is no general rule without some exception.任何规则均有例外。

不善始者不善终。2.A bad thing never dies.遗臭万年。

4.A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush.一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。

5.A boaster and a liar are cousins-german.吹牛与说谎本是同宗。

6.A bully is always a coward.色厉内荏。

7.A burden of one's choice is not felt.爱挑的担子不嫌重。

8.A candle lights others and consumes itself.蜡烛照亮别人，却毁灭了自己。9.A cat has 9 lives.猫有九条命。

10.A cat may look at a king.人人平等。

11.A close mouth catches no flies.病从口入。

12.A constant guest is never welcome.常客令人厌。13.Actions speak louder than words.事实胜于雄辩。14.Adversity leads to prosperity.穷则思变。

15.Adversity makes a man wise, not rich.逆境出人才。

16.A fair death honors the whole life.死得其所，流芳百世。17.A faithful friend is hard to find.知音难觅。

18.A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.吃一堑，长一智。

19.A fox may grow gray, but never good.江山易改，本性难移。20.A friend in need is a friend indeed.患难见真情。

21.A friend is easier lost than found.得朋友难，失朋友易。

22.A friend is never known till a man has need.需要之时方知友。23.A friend without faults will never be found.没有十全十美的朋友。

24.“After you” is good manners.“您先请”是礼貌。

25.A good beginning is half done.良好的开端是成功的一半。26.A good beginning is half done.善始者善终。

27.A good book is a good friend.好书如挚友。

28.A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever.一本好书，相伴一生。

29.A good conscience is a soft pillow.不做亏心事，不怕鬼叫门。30.A good fame is better than a good face.美名胜过美貌。

31.A good husband makes a good wife.夫善则妻贤。

32.A good medicine tastes bitter.良药苦口。

33.A good wife health is a man's best wealth.妻贤身体好是男人最大的财富。34.A great talker is a great liar.说大话者多谎言。

35.A hedge between keeps friendship green.君子之交淡如水。

第二篇：英语谚语翻译初探

英语谚语翻译初探

英语谚语翻译初探

一 引言

德国学者赛勒尔在《德国谚语(proverb)学》中认为“谚语(proverb)是在民间流传的、具有诲人倾向和高雅形式的独立语句。”作为英国人民长期的生产和生活经验教训的总结,英语(English)谚语(proverb)早已成为英语(English)语言文化的一个重要组成部分。这些谚语(proverb),有的寓意深刻、充满智慧;有的短小精悍、生动活泼;有的琅琅上口、易诵易记。的确,英语(English)谚语(proverb)具有深刻的哲理、简洁的用词、和谐的语调及鲜明的形象等诸多特征,充满思想智慧和语言艺术的光彩,具有深厚的文化积淀。翻译是科学,因为它涉及思维和语言,反映了存在与认识、主体与客体的关系;翻译是艺术,因为它是译者对原文进行再创造的过程;翻译是技能,因为译文的信息需用译语以恰当的方式再现(陈宏薇,1998)。对英语(English)谚语(proverb)比喻结构的研究和翻译恰恰是翻译的科学性、艺术性和技能性的结合与体现。

英语(English)和汉语(Chinese)中存在大量的谚语(proverb)。谚语(proverb)一般是民间流传于口头的语言，一般短小 精悍，是人们生活经验，生活智慧的结晶。寓意深刻，生动活泼，朗朗上口，是语言中的精华，是历史文化的积淀。在翻译英语(English)谚语(proverb)的时候要表达出英语(English)谚语(proverb)的修辞，意思以及韵律，实为不易。

二 实证研究

广义地说,英语(English)的比喻结构包括明喻、暗喻、换喻、换喻和拟人等。本文从比喻这一修辞格的角度,再结合翻译理论从五个方面来研究英语(English)谚语(proverb)诸多特点。

1、明喻(Simile),就是把本体(tenor)和喻体(vehicle)通过比喻词(like , as , than , and , the same 等)联系起来。亦即把甲事物直接比作乙事物,以便使事物的形象更加生动、逼真说理更加透彻,更加具有说服力。

一般说来,英语(English)谚语(proverb)的明喻结构最好的翻译方法是直译(wordword translation),即在不违背译文语言规范以及不引起错误的联想的条件下,在译文中保留英语(English)谚语(proverb)原有的色彩与形象。这是英语(English)谚语(proverb)汉译的最常用方法。一般用“如同,就象”或直接用“是”之类的汉语(Chinese)句式翻译。例如:

A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full ofweeds.只说不做的人,犹如光长野草的花园。

Living without an aim is like sailing without a compass.无目标的生活,就象无罗盘的航行。

An honest man’s word is as good as his bond.诚实人的诺言,如同他立下的契约一样可靠。

A home without love is no more than a body without asoul.没有爱的家庭就象一个没有灵魂的躯体。

Truth and rose have thorns about them.真理象玫瑰那样多刺。

值得注意的是,有些英语(English)谚语(proverb)的明喻结构既可直译, 又可意译(free translation),即在不可能或没必要保留原有表达形式时,摆脱字面意义或形式的方法。这些谚语(proverb)译成汉语(Chinese)时可用汉语(Chinese)的并列结构表示。例如:

Lovers live by love as larks live by leeks.云雀靠韭葱生活,情侣靠爱情生活。

Old friends and old wine are best.陈酒味醇,老友情深。

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.宁要美名,不要巨富。

另外,有些英语(English)谚语(proverb)的明喻结构在翻译时还可以套用汉语(Chinese)谚语(proverb)。尽管英汉两种语言文化有很大差异,但人们对有些事物的理解和看法往往有相同、甚至是不谋而合的,因此,英汉两种语言有着大致相同的比喻和形象,表达的意义几乎相同。如果直译,用“犹如,就象”之类的汉语(Chinese)句式,反而显得罗嗦。再者,受“中庸”哲学思想的影响,中国人的美学观念中特别强调平衡美,除了极为频繁地使用对仗这一修辞格,还大量使用四字词组。例如:

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.欲速则不达。

A word and a stone let go cannot be recalled.一言既出,驷马难追。

A miss is as good as a mile.差之毫厘,失之千里。

The water that bears the boat is the same that swallows itup.水能载舟,亦能覆舟。、暗喻(Metaphor),也叫隐喻,是一种含蓄的比较。它与明喻稍有不同,就是说本体与喻体无需比喻词而直接联系起来,即把本体直接说成喻体。

通常,英语(English)谚语(proverb)的暗喻结构最好的翻译方法是直译,用“如同,就象”或直接用“是”之类的汉语(Chinese)句式翻译。例如:

Zeal without knowledge is fire without light.没有知识的热心,如同没有光的火。

Deeds are fruits , words are leaves.行动是果实,言语是叶子。

Life is not a bed of roses.生活并非玫瑰花床。(人生并非一帆风顺。)

All that glitters is not gold.所有闪闪发光的未必都是黄金。

Speech silver , silence is golden.雄辩是银,沉默是金。

Plain dealing is a jewel.光明磊落是瑰宝。

Time is money.时间就是金钱。(一寸光阴一寸金。)

暗喻的使用,使得英语(English)谚语(proverb)具体生动,形象鲜明;其论理恰到好处,论事明白易懂,起到了警醒人、教育人的功效。有趣的是,前辈在翻译Time is money 时,不主张套用“一寸光阴一寸金”。理由是谚语(proverb)Time is money.“ ??宣扬功利主义，带有资产阶级的铜臭味”(曾自立,1983)。而今天,人们不再持此态度了,足见英语(English)谚语(proverb)翻译时的语用意义的变迁,地方文化色彩转变。

3、换喻(Metonymy)

换喻指某一事物改由属性或与之有密切关系的事物来表示。也叫转喻,即对某一事物不直呼其名,而用另一与之有密切关联的事物来代替它。也有的书本称“换喻”为“借代”。换喻的一个重要特征是其联想意义。

这类谚语(proverb)翻译时既可直译,又可意译,还可以套用汉语(Chinese)谚语(proverb),但要加注或加以解释,否则译语的读者因为语言文化的巨大差异,难以理解,无法产生联想。例如:

Caesar’s wife must be above suspicious.身为恺撒妻,务必无可疑。(恺撒是古罗马著名将军,其妻与某一案件有牵连,遭其遗弃,以证明自己与犯罪无关。

Caesar’s wife 被用来比喻a person who has close relationshipwith a great man 与伟人关系很近人。)

Who keeps company with the wolf , will learn to howl.跟狼在一起,就会学会狼叫。(这里的wolf 狼在英语(English)中代指an evil person 坏人)。

No cross , no crown.不经苦难,哪来胜利?(cross 在基督教里代表十字架,也代表耶酥基督, 《圣经》中记载耶酥基督力经磨难,钉死在十字架上。crown 在英语(English)里代表王冠,是胜利的象征。)

If a donkey brag at you , don’t brag at him.别和蠢人一般见识。(这里的donkey 驴子在英语(English)中暗含a foolish person 愚蠢的人之意,因此,一提到donkey 就会使人联想到fool 蠢人。该谚语(proverb)就是借用donkey 来代指fool。)

Homer sometimes nods.智者千虑,必有一失。(我们知道,Homer 荷马是古希腊著名诗人,也是wise man 智者的代名词,这里借用Homer 来代指wise man ,生动地说明了“人有失错,马有失蹄”这一道理。)

Rome was not built in a day.冰冻三尺,非一日之寒。(该谚语(proverb)也经常直译为“罗马不是一天建成的”, 其中Rome 代指宏伟事业、伟大成就。这句谚语(proverb)教导我们:要成就大业,既需要时间,又需要有锲而不舍的精神。)、代喻(Synecdoche)又称举偶,它是以部分代替全部或全体代替部分的一种修辞手法。

这类谚语(proverb)翻译时,往往采用意译的方法。例如:

Many hands make light work.人多好办事。

Many hands make quick work.人多办事快。

Two heads are better than one.二人智慧胜一人。

Great minds think alike.英雄所见略同。

这些在英语(English)中表示人体某一部分的单词:hands 手,heads头,和minds 大脑,都被用来代替people 人,就是用部分来代替全部。翻译的时候一定要注意译语(target language)和原语(source language)使用的语言的不同之处,采用汉语(Chinese)常用的表达方式,以便翻译得恰如其分,为汉语(Chinese)读者所理解和接受。5、拟人(Personification)

实际上,拟人也是一种比喻,即把无生命的事物或抽象概念看成有生命的东西来加以谈论。在翻译时一般可以套用汉语(Chinese)谚语(proverb),没有合适的同义习语套用时,则采取直译或意译的方法。例如:

Money talks.(有钱能使鬼推磨);

Money is a good servant but a bad master.(要做金钱的主人,不要做金钱的奴隶);

The pot calls the kettle black.(五十步笑百步)。

这些谚语(proverb)中无生命的东西money ,pot 都被人格化了。

又如:

Failure is the mother of success.(失败乃成功之母);

Industry is the father of success.(勤勉乃成功之父);

Necessity is the mother of invention.(需要是发明之母);

Truth is the daughter of time.(真理是时间的女儿)，这些谚语(proverb)中的抽象概念failure , industry , necessity , truth与success , invention , time 之间被以亲属关系(mother , father , daughter)联系起来。运用拟人这一修辞手法,英语(English)谚语(proverb)中的抽象事物就具有人的五官、四肢的功能,会说会笑、能跑能跳,产生了生动有趣的具体形象。译语同样具有原语形象和色彩,既注意了语言的艺术性,有兼顾了其民族性。

结 语

奈达(E.A.Nida ,1993)说过:“就真正成功的翻译而言，译者的双文化(Biculture)功底甚至比双语(bilingualism)功底更重要,因为词语只有在其起作用的文化语境中才富有意义”。作为文化载体的语言,必定有着丰富的文化深蕴。翻译的实践过程,是对原语文字的深刻剖析, 对原语文化的传达。英语(English)谚语(proverb)的翻译就更难了,不但要求译者忠实地表达原文的思想内容,还要求译者保持原文的比喻形象,修辞效果,同时译文语言要有谚语(proverb)的味道。的确,英语(English)谚语(proverb)是英国人民在特定的历史、地理环境、风俗习惯、宗教信仰、经济、文化和社会生活中产生的,具有鲜明的民族性、思想性和艺术性。而翻译又是跨语言,跨文化、跨社会的交际活动,既具有科学性,又具有艺术性。我们可以把二者完美地结合起来,运用到英语(English)谚语(proverb)的比喻结构的翻译中去,既能让中国人民了解英汉两种语言和文化的差异，又能丰富汉语(Chinese)语言文化,促进两种文化的交流和繁荣。同时,对英语(English)谚语(proverb)的学习和掌握,可以提高我们的英语(English)表达能力,加强个人的修养,提高自己的情操。

英语(English)谚语(proverb)有很多在汉语(Chinese)中可以找到对应的谚语(proverb)，具有相似的意思，在翻译中有时可以替换。但是在直接替换时一定注意语境，因为谚语(proverb)背后蕴含了很深的文化因素，再加上语境因素的干扰，谚语(proverb)的引申义可能稍有差别，所以翻译中不能统统照搬对应的谚语(proverb)，有的时候只能解释出来英语(English)谚语(proverb)的意思。

第三篇：谚语翻译技巧

英汉谚语的区别与翻译原则

谚语是通俗简练、生动活泼的韵语或短句，它经常以口语的形式在人民中间广泛地沿用和流传，是人民群众表现实际生活经验或感受的一种“现成话”。本文主要介绍英汉谚语英汉谚语的特点与区别，并对翻译过程中应掌握的基本技巧作了大致概括。

一、英汉谚语的特征

(一)用词精炼、句式整齐

经过长期的实践，谚语的用词十分讲究，单句间接凝练、言简意赅，双句大多采用对仗，结构整齐、对称。

汉谚：

1、滴水穿石

Constant dropping wears the stone

2、路遥知马力，日久见人心。

As distance tests a horse's strength.sotime reveals a person's heart.英谚：

1、Out of sight，out of mind.眼不见，心不烦。

2、Like father，like son，有其父，必有其子。

(二)音韵和谐、易于上口

谚语经过人们长期的使用流传，具有很强的口语化特点，单句讲究韵律，双句讲究对仗，因此说起来朗朗上口，听起来悦耳动听。

汉谚：

1、嘴上无毛，说话不牢。

Downy lips make thoughtless slips.2、失之东隅，收之桑隅。

What one loses on the swings one gets back on theroundabouts.英谚：

1、Aeeidents will happen in the best-regu-lated families.家规再严，丑事难免。

2、Empty vessels make the most noise.滴瓶不响，半瓶叮当。

(三)比喻生动，寓意深刻

谚语来源于生活又反映生活，包含着许多生动形象的比喻，往往蕴含着深刻的人生哲理。汉谚：

1、留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。

As long as green hills remains，there'll never be a shortage of firewood，2、宁为鸡头，毋为牛后。

Better bethe head 0fadogthanthetail of alion.英谚：

1、Great minds think alike.英雄所见略同。

2、A contented mind is a perpetual feast.知足者常乐。

二、英汉谚语中所反映的文化差异

英汉谚语所反映的文化差异主要表现在以下几个方面：

（一）、起源差异

首先，英汉谚语都受到宗教思想的 影响，英谚受基督教的影响，反映了基督教的伦理道德和行为规范，如：No respecter of persons.（一视同仁）；而汉谚则受到“儒”、“释”、“道”三教的影响，如：“养儿防老，积谷防饥”是儒家的思想；

（二）、地理环境的差异

谚语的产生与人们的生活密切相关。英国是一个四面环海的岛国，因此英国历史上航海业曾一度领先于世界，这对英谚的形成有很大的影响。英语中就有许多与航海有关的谚语，如：to take the wind out of one’s sail（先发制人，抢占上风），to go with the stream/tide（随波逐流、顺应时势）。而 中国 是一个内陆国家，千百年来以农业为主，人与土地有着不可分割的联系。因此汉语中就有许多与河流、土地和农业有关的谚语如：一帆风顺、过河拆桥、隔岸观火、拔苗助长、五谷丰登、瓜熟蒂落、春华秋实、根深蒂固、沧海桑田等。[7]

（三）、习俗差异

英汉习俗差异是英汉文化差异的一个重要方面，最典型的莫过于在对狗的态度上。狗在汉语中是一种卑微的动物。汉语中与狗有关的词语大都含有贬意：狐朋狗党、狗急跳墙、狼心狗肺、狗腿子等。而在西方英语国家，狗被认为是人类最忠诚的朋友，所以西方人不吃狗肉。英语中有关狗的谚语除了一部分因受其他语言的影响而含有贬义外，大部分都有褒义。如:Every dog has his day.（人皆有出头日）；Love me, love my dog.（爱屋及乌）等。

（四）、三、英汉谚语的翻译方法

由于具有鲜明的民族性，同一内容的谚语，由于各民族的生活环境和生活习惯不同，有不同的说法，因此谚语的翻译需灵活处理。一般来说，谚语的翻译有以下几种方法。

(一)同义谚语借用法

同义谚语借用法就是运用相同意思的谚语相互翻译的方法。虽然英语与汉语在语言习惯、民族特色、地方风情等方面有着极大的差别。但是在某些谚语无论内容、形式都有相似之处，其中运用的对仗、比喻等修辞手法也大致相同，且表达的意义也相同。对这些谚语采用同义谚语借用法，一方面可使译文更加通顺，另一方面更容易为译文读者理解和接受。汉谚：

1、一次被火烧，二次避火苗。

A burnt child dreads the fire.2、失败是成功之母。

Failure is the mother of Success.英谚：

1、Like begets like.龙生龙，凤生凤。

2、Wall have ears.隔墙有耳。

(二)直译法

采取直译法翻译谚语，指在翻译时尽量保持源语谚语的语言形式，包括用词、句子结构、比喻手段等，把原来的内容、形式、精神都输入到译文中，保留形象，努力减少翻译中的损失。张培基在《习语汉译英研究》中指出直译法的重要性，“由于一国语言中的习语最能集中反映该国的民族文化、传统等各种特点，民族色彩很浓，习语的直译就有了它的特殊重要性。”

汉谚：

1、明枪易躲，暗箭难防。

It is easy to dodge a spear in the open.but hard to guard against an arrow shot from hiding.2、城门失火，殃及池鱼。

Afire on the city hall brings disaster to the fish in the moat.英谚：

1、Forbidden fruit is sweet.禁果分外甜。

2、Half a loaf is better than no bread.有半块面包总比没有好。

(三)意译法

由于语言结构和文化背景的缘故，有一部分谚语无法进行直译。这部分谚语一般没有很强的比喻，或者根本没有比喻，且这类谚语的特点是寓意较深且隐含于较浅显的字面下，带有浓厚民族色彩且多来源于历史典故，我们就没有必要去追求原文的形式了，而应选用意译法表达出来。意译主要是指在翻译时抓住内容和喻义这一重要方面，牺牲形象，结合上下文灵活地传达原意，帮助译文读者更好地理解原文。

汉谚：

1、塞翁失马，安知非福?A loss may turn out to be a gain.由于译文读者不了解该谚语的背景，无法理解它的直译“When the old man on the frontier lost his mare.who could have suggested it was a blessing in disguise?”

2、天有不测风云。

Something unexpected may happen any time.“天有不测风云”，若把它的字面意义和形象意义毫无保留地译成英语。会使英文读者不知所云，因为汉语中“风云”的文化含义一般的西方人很难理解，若把它的隐含意义译出，就一目了然了。

类似的，在英语当中也有很多只宜意译的谚语，如：When Greek meets Greek.then comes the tug of war.两雄相争，其斗必烈。(不宜直译成“希腊人遇上希腊人。定有一场好斗。”)

(四)直译和意译兼用

由于汉英两个民族在文化传承、语言结构、表达习惯等方面存在诸多差异，在许多情况下，单独使用直译或意译不能达到目的，因此要将两种方法结合起来。采用直译保留原文比喻形象，兼用意译作适当补充，不给读者造成错误联想。

对一些喻在言外的汉语谚语可以采用这种翻译方法，例如：一个碗不响，两个碗丁当。One bowl is quiet，tWO bowls make a row.(译文中的前半句采用直译法，后半句中的“丁当”意译为吵架，不仅弥补了直译的不足，将含义译出，而且收到了画龙点睛的效果。)同样的，司马昭之心，路人皆知。可以翻译为：Sima Zhao's intent is known to all.the villain's desire is obvious.总之，在翻译过程中对谚语的处理一定要谨慎而又灵活，不可机械地死译硬译，更不可望文生义。而应尽可能全面地考虑涉及的各种因素，充分考虑到谚语的语言特点和文化背景，根据具体的情况仔细斟酌，运用合适的翻译方法，力求做到形式与内容兼顾，才能将谚语所表达的信息成功地移植到目的语中去。参考 文献 ：

[3]武占坤、马国凡.谚语[M].第二版.内蒙古：内蒙古人民出版社，1997年.p.3。[4]方梦之.译学辞典[M].上海：上海外语 教育 出版社，2004年.p.186。

[6]周淑萍.英汉谚语渊源比较 分析 [J].南平师专学报，2003年，第22卷：p.92。

[7]陈丽英.英汉习语的语用意义对比及翻译[J].龙岩师专学报，2003年，第21卷：p.107。[1]张宁.英汉习语的文化差异与翻译[J].中国翻译，1999年，第3期：p.23。

[11]陈雯.英语习语文化内涵探微[J].广西教育学院学报，2003年，第5期：p.45。[15]梁茂成.英汉谚语的理解与翻译[J].中国翻译，1995年，第6期：p.36。

[16]邱凯端.论英汉习语翻译的异同[J].漳州师范学院学报，2003年，第1期：p.99。[19]包惠南.文化语境与语言翻译[M].北京：中国对外翻译出版公司，2001年.p.165。

第四篇：英语谚语俗语翻译

Part One  I had only recently seen John in a restaurant.The news of his death came as a bolt from the blue  She found the keys she had lost last month, which was like a bolt from the blue A bolt from the blue  Meaning：A complete surprise, like a bolt of lightning from a blue sky. Origin：This has the feel of a Shakespearian or Biblical phrase, but it isn't as old as it sounds.There are several forms of it: 'out of the blue', 'a bolt out of the blue', etc.The earliest citation is Thomas Carlyle, in The French Revolution, 1837: “Arrestment, sudden really as a bolt out of the Blue, has hit strange victims.”  It is unpleasant to hear him speak on national topics, for he is a bird of ill omen. 叫他谈论国事是不愉快的，因为他常出不吉之言。

a bird of ill omen  中国有句老话:“夜猫子进宅，无事不来”，可见猫头鹰是种不吉利的象征。它往往和黑暗、神秘甚至死亡联系起来。然而在日本，猫头鹰却是吉利和幸福的代表。 奥运会的吉祥物

 雕像、挂钟、水壶、牙签盒，甚至还有女士佩戴的胸针

 They were only crying crocodile tears at the old man's funeral because nobody had really liked him. 在老人的葬礼上，他们在假装慈悲，因为他们之中没有谁喜欢过他。

 We need not hope for lower taxes in the future ─ that would be crying for the moon. 我们不应抱任何希望将来会降低税收，这是根本不可能的事。

“不可能”，“没门”的译法  No way/There is no way! Impossible! Out of the question/That's out of the question! Not a chance! Hopeless! Pigs might fly! The sun might rise in the west! Never/Never ever ever! You are crying for the moon!Street Arabs are produced by slums and not by original sin. 流浪儿是贫民窟的产物，而不是原始罪恶的产物。

John is ashamed of his humble background.That is his Achilles' heel. 约翰因出身卑贱而自惭形秽，这是他的致命弱点。

 Every atom of your flesh is as dear to me as my own;in pain and sickness it would still be dear. 在我看来，你身上的每一个细胞都像我自己的细胞一样亲，即使你痛苦你有病，也还是一样亲。 I'll play old Gooseberry with the office, and make you glad to buy me out at a good high figure. 我要在工作上故意捣蛋，使你不得不付出高价收买我。 play gooseberry(British humorous) to be with two people who are having a romantic relationship and who would prefer to be alone. “Best be off to bed, my boy ─ ho, ho!” “No, no.We know a trick worth two of that.We won’t go home till morning, till day light does appear!”

 “孩子，最好上床睡吧——嗬，嗬！”“不，不，你不必跟我们玩那一套。不到明天，不到天大亮我们不归家。                

    know a trick worth two of that: 有更好的办法

What you suggest is very good.But listen to me.I know a trick worth two of that.When the well's dry, we know the worth of water.We'll never know the worth of water till the well go dry.We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.She gave her heart to one who could not know its worth.No one know the worth of woman's love till he sue for alienation.You know a trick or two after twenty years in business.Your class made him monitor, which amounts to setting the fox to keep the geese.你们班推选他当班长，这等于是引狼人室 set a fox to keep one's geese： 引狼人室

Yes, I went there the night before last, but she was quite on the high ropes about something, and was so grand and mysterious that I couldn’t make anything of her.不错，前天晚上我到那儿去过，也不知道她为何异常得意洋洋，又威风 又神秘，弄得我莫名其妙 be on the high ropes：兴高采烈, 得意 The Squire broke in, “Don’t think that I’ll have any humble pie eaten to that fellow Bellew!“ 乡绅插嘴道：“别以为我会向贝鲁这种人低声下气。”

Eat humble pie(British, American & Australian)also eat crow(American)：Act submissively and apologetically, especially in admitting an error.忍气吞生，赔礼道歉 我们原打算在妈妈生日那天给她意外惊喜，可他却泄露了秘密。

We had planned to give Mum a pleasant surprise on her birthday, but let the cat out of the bag To look like the cat that ate the canary形容一个人显得非常满足的样子。rain cats and dogs倾盆大雨

All cats are（或look）black（或gray）in the dark./We are in the same boat.五十步笑百步或乌鸦笑猪黑。

西方人也喜欢猫，并将猫养为宠物。但是黑猫却让西方人心生恐惧，尤其是英国人，他们将黑猫与女巫联系在上起。如果是漆黑的星期五晚上碰上一只黑猫，便预示着此人会遭厄运。在英国古代的传说中，人们认为妖魔常变成黑色的动物，尤其是黑猫，还有人说黑猫就是巫婆变的。黑猫有九命，巫婆有变九次的魔法。杀死一只黑猫，她还可以再变八次。所以英语的猫还含有”心地恶毒的女人，爱说人坏话的女人“等意思。

 She is a cat（她是个包藏祸心的女人）

 Mrs Smith is a perfect cat（史密斯太太是个地地道道的长舌妇）

 The man and his wife live a cat and dog life, and both are miserable(他们夫妻俩经常吵架，两人都感到痛苦) It‘s difficult to get a man to bell the cat（敢于在危险中挺身而出的人不容易找到） A cat has nine lives（猫有九命/自有天相）

 Cats hide their claws（猫总是藏起自己的爪子/知人知面不知心）

 All cats are grey in the dark（黑暗处的猫都是灰色的/人未出名时看起来都差不多） A gloved cat catches no mice（戴手套的猫抓不到老鼠/不愿吃苦的人成不了大事业） The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream（掩耳盗铃，自欺欺人） There‘s more ways than one to kill a cat（有的是办法） like a cat on hot bricks（焦躁不安，如热锅上的蚂蚁）

 他决定不了究竟是上大学还是去找工作，可事实上他只能干一件，两者不能兼得。

 He can’t make up his mind whether to go to college or get a job.You can't eat your cake and have it, too. To have one’s cake and eat it too ：         

           （eat one’s cake and have it too or simply have one’s cake and eat it）”you can't have it both ways“ and ”you can't have the best of both worlds.“ 如果你在数学课堂上准备英语考试，那就好比是挖肉补疮

It is just like robbing Peter to pay Paul if you try to prepare for the English exam during a maths class rob Peter to pay Paul(拆东墙补西墙)Fig.to take or borrow from one in order to give or pay something owed to another For example By borrowing money to meet the debt, you are just robbing Peter to pay Paul You borrow money from me to pay the bank loan.It is like robbing Peter to pay Paul.害群之马，无处不有。

There is a black sheep in every flock 饿了糠也甜，饱了蜜也咸。

Hungry dogs will eat dirty puddings 我刚来，真是“丈二和尚——摸不着头脑”！你的估计怎样？

Being new here, I'm very much in the dark myself!Let’s hear your assessment of it.那二鬼子被村子里的人打得鼻青脸肿。

The puppet soldier was beaten black and blue by the villagers 我看见火车朝他们开来，还没来得及喊，它已经撞上了其中一人。

I saw the train coming towards them.Before I could say Jack Robinson，it had hit on one of them.He ran off before I could say Jack Robinson．

As I walked into the kitchen the cat jumped out of the window before you could say Jack Robinson．

她有一次解释她为何嫁给比她矮小很多的人。她说：“他虽然矮一点, 但他不但仁慈而且精力充沛，工作又勤奋。所谓身小会文国家用，大汉空长做什么？  She once explained why she married him so much shorter than her.“He may be a bit short,’’

she said,” but he's not only kind, but very energetic and hardworking.Better short and sweet than long and lax.”

short and sweet: brief and to the point；without de lay 简短扼要；不拖延

The politician’s speech was surprisingly short and sweet；it only lasted ten minutes． The students appreciated the fact that the teacher made the exam short and sweet． 我平日和你说话，你全当耳边风。

But let whatever I say go in one ear and out the other.How many times have I told you to get to work on time? But my words just go in one ear and out the other.So I don’t have any choice but to fire you.Whatever you say to him goes in at one ear and out at the other.The teacher's directions to the boy went in one ear and out the other.Since his mind was already made up, my arguments went in one ear and out the other.他认为这些美丽的中国画是连城之璧。

He thinks that these beautiful traditional Chinese paintings are beyond price(rare and valuable)他是个不中用的货，又不会种田，又不会作生意，坐吃山空，把些田地都弄得精光。

This fellow was a good-for-nothing； he could neither till the land nor trade.He just sat at home eating until he had eaten up all his property 现在国家正当多事之秋，那王公大臣只是恐怕耽处分，多一事不如少一事。Now the country is in peril, yet the nobles and high officials are only afraid of being punished,                and their policy is to let sleeping dogs lie. It's better to save trouble.;the less trouble the better;avoid trouble whenever possible;don't meet trouble halfway  If I were you, I would not tell Nellie you saw her husband having lunch with another woman.It might have been perfectly innocent, but I'd let sleeping dogs lie. Better let sleeping dogs lie.The boss likes Peter so much, and you are just like fish in a big pond.Be smart and stay quiet until your chance comes.Practice 2                          Remain where you are till I return;be as still as a mouse.你呆在此处等到我回来，静静地不要弄出声响。

John, a timid middle-aged mickey mouse who was afraid of crowds，people，anything.约翰，一个胆小的微不足道的中年人，他怕人多，怕同人接触，什么都怕

If the mountain will not come to Mahomet，Mahomet must go to the mountain.(谚语〉事不将就人，人就得将就事。（他不迁就你，你就得迁就他）You needn't pay the bill.It's my turn to stand Sam.你不必付账。这次轮到我做东。

He rose again and toured the dishevelled room.The man at the other table raised his head, ”You seem a bit on your toes.”

他又站起来在乱糟糟的房间里踱来踱去，在另一餐桌旁的那个人抬起 头来说：“你看上去有些坐立不安。

on one's toes: stay alert and ready for action.Keep on your toes, lads, the attack is expected at any moment.It keeps your brain on its toes.A toadeater is one who eats somebody's toads.马屁精是拍某人马屁的人

If you do it, it means that you are setting the tortoise to catch the hare.你若做它，这意味着你在做不可能做到的事

He has an old head on young shoulders ； at one moment he is a scampish boy, and at another a resolute man.他少年老成：一会儿是个淘气的小孩，一会儿是刚毅果断的男子汉

He talks about nothing but money —— It's becoming a King Charles' head!他只谈到了钱——钱成了他不离口的话题

当有人对我提出另一个工作时，我进退维谷，因为我仍然对我的老板怀有极大的忠心。

I was on the horns of a dilemma when I was offered another job because I still felt a great deal of loyalty to my boss.钱先生周岁时“抓周”，抓了一本书，因此得名“钟书”。（舒展文《钱钟书与杨绛》〉

When Qian was just one year old, he was told by his parents to choose one thing among many others, he picked up a book of all things.Thereupon his father very gladly gave him the name: Zhongshu(= book lover)谚曰：“桃李不言，下自成蹊”。此言虽小，可以喻大。

The peach and plum trees can not talk, yet a path is trodden out to them.This simple saying conveys a wealth of meaning.真是一说曹操，曹操就到！老无赖来了！杰克，你已经订婚了，是不是？

Well, speak of the wolf(and he will appear)！Here is the old scoundrel！Is that right, you've gotten yourself engaged, Jack? 许多家长太溺爱孩子了，这样反而害了他们。他们给孩子们太多的钱，太多的自由，这样很容易导致少年犯罪。

A great many parents are killing their children with kindness by giving them too much money       and freedom.This may lead to juvenile delinquency.Practice 3                                          Guards knew when blue devils had seized the inmates of these cages, they couldn't eat.看守们知道，牢笼里的人忧郁沮丧时，饭就吃不下。

Being out of health, she was sorely afflicted with the blue devils.由于身体不好，她变得极为忧郁。blue coat警察 blue jacket水手 blue-blooded高贵的 blue stocking女才子 a bluemoon稀罕的事 in a bluemood情绪低落 blue baby天生苍白的小孩 a blue blood出生高贵的人 blue talk色情言语、污言秽语 to have the blue忧伤、伤感 the blue moon千载难逢的机会

“ Where's the fire，dear boy?” he drawled，“ Do you really have to run for it?” “干嘛这么急，老弟？”他慢吞吞地说，“难道我们非跑步不可吗？”

I can’t live this life of milk and water.I must get excited somehow — or I shall burst!我无法过这种毫无生气的生活。我得设法兴奋一下，否则我受不了！Each bit the thumb but neither dared say he bit it at the other.他俩互相瞧不起，却又不敢公开承认。

It is much cry and little wool with him.To hear him talk you would think he was the world’s greatest artists;actually they're very mediocre.他说得好可做得差。听他讲话觉得他似乎是世界上最了不起的艺术 家，实际上乃平庸之辈也。A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country.先知在故乡无人尊敬；本地姜不辣

The new chief justice, Sir Robert Wright was ignorant to a proverb.这位新任大法官罗伯特爵士的无知，是尽人皆知的。

Millions of people have lived near or below the breadline for almost two decades.差不多20年了，生活在贫困线以下或温饱问题还没有解决的人口仍有 几百万。John's letter doesn’t make sense ； it is neither rhyme nor reason.约翰的信写得一点也不明白，简直莫名其妙。

I has crossed the Rubicon，and refused to give him what he wanted.我巳采取断然措施，拒绝给他所要的东西。

International pressure may be able to prevent the country crossing the Rubicon to authoritarian rule.It was a real feather in his cap for the new teacher when he was made head of the history department.对这位新老师来说，被任命为历史系的系主任可是一件值得骄傲的事儿。

It was no use crying over spilt milk.No use building castles in the air.What was needed was a plan---lots of plans---serious, practical, sensible plans for the new life.覆水难收，徒悔无益。空中楼阁，也没好处。需要的是规划——许许多 多的规划——为新生活而作的严肃、切实、明智的规划。

She didn't expect too much of him ； they were birds of a different feather.她没有对他指望太多;他们走不到一块去。

I am from Missouri, you've got to show me.            



        

     

 Several art dealers got their fingers burned on old master paintings that later turned out to be fakes

 The donkey means one thing and the driver another. 不同的人有不同的观点；各人从自己的利益出发看问题。

 仁者见仁，智者见智: the donkey means one thing, and the driver another./ the benevolent see benevolence and the wise see wisdom. He had walked two miles through the pouring rain, and arrived at our house looking like something the cat's brought in. 他在倾盆大雨中走了两英里，到我们家时浑身沾满泥浆，一副精疲力尽 的样子。我要见到确实证据才相信；我是不见不信。

John can be relied on.He eats no fish and plays the game.约翰为人可靠，他既诚实又正直。

That is a tall story about the town's street.有关这城主街的说法实在令人难以置信

Listening to classical music is my cup of tea.古典音乐我最爱听。 One’s cup of tea You could always get him to go for a walk.Hiking was just his cup of tea.Chemistry, not art, is my cup of tea.My uncle sent me a novel written by Balzac.That’s just my cup of tea.This is a fine kettle of fish！I forgot my book.真糟糕，我的书忘了带了。

There I was, stuck on a lonely road 50 miles from home, after I was stupid enough to lock myself out of my car.It was dark and not a house in sight.A fine kettle of fish, I tell you!He left a fine kettle of fish behind.We couldn't find out what our money had been spent for;we couldn’t tell which members had paid their dues, and the rent wasn't paid.What a mess!To have other fish to fry.Honey, they want me to run for Congress, but I said no.I have other fish to fryyou look like something the cat dragged in!She is head and shoulders above the rest of the class in singing.在唱歌方面，她比班上其他人强得多

head and shoulders above someone or something This wine is head and shoulders above that one.John stands head and shoulders above Bob.If he were down in the mouth, one could feel sorry for him.But he looks as pleased as Punch with himself.他要是愁眉苦脸，人们倒会可怜他，可是他却满开心地自得其乐呢。down in the mouth ：口语，“沮丧的”，“颓丧的”，“气馁的” be as pleased as Punch ”gloomy at the thought of what he had to face“;”gloomy predictions“;”a gloomy silence“;”the darkening mood“;”lonely and blue in a strange city“;”depressed by the loss of his job“;”a dispirited and resigned expression on her face“;”downcast after his defeat“;”feeling discouraged and downhearted“ If he were seen it was dollars to doughnuts that he would be arrested.若当时他被人瞧见，十拿九稳他会被捕。

It’s dollars to doughnuts:相差悬殊，十有八九

I will bet you dollars to doughnuts there will be no rains tomorrow.It is dollars to doughnuts that Wang is not expecting us tonight Dollars to doughts they have forgotten about their appointment with us.two doughnuts and coffee                   

 贼臣董卓，将欲篡位；朝中文武，无计可施。

 Here is how matters stand ： the traitor Dong Zhuo is preparing to seize the throne, and our civil military officials have no means to prevent him. 虽然他非常有才能，但他非常谦虚不摆架子，故他树敌不多，所谓大智若愚，大巧若拙。

 He has made few enemies, even though he's very brilliant，because he’s so modest and unassuming.It is a great talent to be able to conceal one's talents. 大智若愚，大巧若拙：

 He knows most who speaks least. It is wisdom sometimes to seem a fool. Greatest genius often lies concealed. A man of great wisdom often appears slow-witted [stupid]. Men of great wisdom often appear slow-witted. Cats hide their paws. Still waters run deep. 假使你希望约翰工作愉快，你最好给他加薪；否则他将辞职；所谓三天不吃饭，什么事都敢干

 You should give John a raise in salary if you expect him to be happy at his work;otherwise, he might quit.A hungry man is an angry man. “不到黄河心不死，哈哈哈！”李秘书突然大声笑了。

 “ Won't quit until we drive them into the sea — Ha, Ha, Ha!” Commissioner Li burst into hearty laughter.                                         Until all is over ambition never dies.；

not to stop until one reaches the Huanghe River not stop until one reaches one's goal 你别狗仗人势欺侮人，争权夺利，勾心斗角的事我不干。

You don’t bully others on the strength of your boss;I won't scramble for power and profit and intrigue against others.狗仗人势：be a bully with the backing of a powerful person 争权夺利:to scramble for power and wealth 勾心斗角:intrigue against each other 两雄相遇，必有一搏。

It will certainly be an exciting match when Greek meets Greek.他们的后台总是靠不住的，一旦树倒猢狲散，全局就改观了。

Their wire-pulling bosses are not reliable ； once the tree falls, the monkeys on it will flee helter-skelter, and the whole situation will change.他们说连他放个屁都是香的。

They say a Russian fart is fragrant 这才是“知人知面不知心”呢。那里有这样禽兽的人。

You can know a man’s face but not his heart.I’ll show the beast！We may know a man's exterior but not his heart.It is impossible to judge a man's heart from his face.One may know a person for a long time without understanding his true nature.You know a man or you recognize him when you see him, but you don't know what he is at heart.You may know a person's face, but not his heart.亲身经历，胜过旁人教诲。

Wit bought is better than wit taught.千里之堤，溃于蚁穴。

Slight negligence may lead to great disaster.A small leak will sink a great ship.(小漏水也会沉大船)不尝黄连苦，哪知蜜糖甜。不要总以为天下乌鸦一般黑。

Who has never tasted bitter, knows not what is sweet.But don‘t always be thinking “in every country dogs bite.Evil people are samely bad all over the world.in every country dogs biteDogs bite in every country 人人负责，无人负责。艘公多了会翻船。

Everybody's business is nobody's business.Too many cooks may spoil the soup 有事只管来找我。

Come to see me whenever you need any help.不要以为它太贵了。（快来买呀，）过了这个村就没这个店了。Please don't think it is too much.So it is now or never.子曰：“无欲速，无见小利。欲速则不达，见小 利则大事不成。”

Confucius said, “Don't wish for speed； don't see small advantages.If you wish for speed, you won't succeed ； if you see small advantages, great things will not be accomplished.” Haste makes waste fool's haste is no speed More haste, less speed.The more haste, the less speed.1.The hotels were all full，so we had to pig it in an old hut for the night.旅社均已客满，我们不得不挤在一个又脏又旧的棚屋里过夜。2.Let sleeping dogs lie.Why, these people are kittle cattle to shoe.别惹是生非。哎，这些人都是难对付的人 Be kittle cattle to shoe: 难以对付的人

3.The bandits seemed to have got away with no trouble at all, the police had jam on their faces this time.匪徒们似乎很顺利地逃脱了，警察部门这次可丢脸了。

If you say that someone has jam on their face, they appear to be caught, embarrassed or found guilty.lie on one's face 脸朝下躺下...Just put your John Henry on that Check and then take it to the bank.请你在支票上签个名，然后把它拿到银行去。

4.Money makes the mare go.You can secure your ends with one hundred pounds.有钱能使鬼推磨，用100英镑你就能达到目的。

Secure one‟s position:稳住阵脚

5.The accused knew that he had to bite the bullet until he was proved innocent.被告知道在证明他是无辜的以前，他只得咬紧牙关忍受。bite the bullet：原意：咬住子弹

引伸义：咬紧牙关挺过去

6.When he entered our college four years ago，he was as poor as Job, but now he has become a millionaire.当他4年前进我们学院时，他穷得家徒四壁，可现在成了百万富翁。

As poor as Job:一贫如洗，家徒四壁。

7.Two may keep counsel when the third's away.没有不泄露的秘密；没有不透风的墙（有意无意的被流传开去，也有意无意的伤了人）。

8.He is a real Jekyll and Hyde：at home he's kind and loving，but in business he's completely without principles.他是个真的具有双重人格的人；在家和蔼可亲，可在生意场上，他却完全不讲道义。

9.That was not asking much, and yet.…he could not help thinking it was like asking for the moon.这样要求本来并不过分，可是……他们却不由得想，这简直是异想天开。

Ask for the moon: to want something that you cannot reach or have;to try for the impossible，异想天开

10.He has good reason to believe in you, for you are as kind a man as the sun shines on.他完全有理由相信你，因为你是世上少有的好心人（或打起灯笼也找不到的好心人）。11.Sir, I am only just getting well of a fever, and I am as weak as water.先生，我髙烧才好，身体非常虚弱。As weak as water:浑身没劲儿

to be in hot water/in deep water：陷入困境 water over the dam：木已成舟，既成事实

as weak as water：身体非常虚弱；意志薄弱；性格懦弱 fish in troubled/muddy waters：混水摸鱼；趁火打劫 in rough / troubled water：灾难深重 spend like water：挥霍无度

12.He was a man not yet forty years of age，with still much of the salt of youth about him.他不到40岁，仍有着不少青年人的朝气。the salt of youth:青年人的热情

Try translating the following into English 1.袖手旁观，守株待兔。

Standing by with folded arms and waiting for gains without pains 2.失之东隅，得之桑榆。

What you lose on the swings you get back on the roundabouts.英译lose at sunrise and gain at sunset我觉得一些看上去很健康的女孩子施以浓妆，实在是多此一举。

I always feel that it would simply be to gild the lily for some health-looking young girls to make up their faced so heavily.3.妈妈说我最好离开厨房，因为她不需要我帮忙。我在那儿碰这撞那，反而碍事。

Mum said that I‟d best/had better leave the kitchen because she didn't need my help and I was like a bull in a china shop there.4.月满则亏，水满则溢。

The moon waxes only to wane, water brims only to overflow.月满则亏，说明：月亮圆了，接着就会慢慢的变成月牙。水满则溢，说明：盛水的容易内水满了，再注水就会溢出来啦。比喻做什么事情到了极点都会慢慢衰退的。The Origins Jekyll and Hyde Jekyll and Hyde源于苏格兰作家R.L.史蒂文森1886年发表的作品《化身博士》（Doctor Jekyll and Mr.Hyde),该作品所描写的是一个具有双重对立人格的人：一是善良的Dr Jekyll，一是邪恶的Mr Hyde。结合起来就是一个具有双 重对立人格的人。汉译时，译着“两面派，具有善恶双重人格的人” Sword of Damocles Sword of Damocles出自古代希腊的一则历史故事。精通古希腊历史、文 学的罗马杰出作家与政论家西塞罗（106BC-43BC)在其论文《图斯库拉的话》 屮写道：“公元前4世纪的西西里岛上叙拉克的统治者狄奥尼修斯一世(406BC-367BC)有个亲信的名字叫达摩克里斯，他很羡慕帝王的柰华生活，常说: “君王是人世间最幸福的人。”狄奥尼修斯为了教训这个想得君位者，在一次宴会上，要他坐在国土的宝座上。当他猛然抬头，只见头顶上有一把用头发悬着 的宝剑，随时都有刺到头顶的危险。他吓得战战兢兢，如坐针毡，时刻提心吊 胆，惶惶不安。由于该成语用来比喻临头的危险或情况的危急，因此可汉译为 “千钧一发“，但也可译为“达摩克里斯的宝剑” Burn one’s boats(bridges为美国人使用）源于一则历史故事0 古罗马朱力斯•凯撒大军乘船越过Rubicon后就把船烧了，以此向士兵指明后 路已断不可能后退。现借用来比喻“不留后路，下定决心干到底”。可汉译为 “破釜沉舟”。Homer sometimes nods.此语可译为“智者千虑，必有一失”。用来比喻 “伟人有时也会出错”。源自古罗马著名诗人贺拉斯（65BC4BC)写的《诗艺》： “我认为居然可敬的荷马也打瞌睡（Even Homer sometimes nods)o这是羞愧的 事，但在如此长久的写作中，睡意袭来时，打一下瞌睡未尝不可/这里同时值 得一提的是荷马（Homer)这位曾得到马克思极高评价的古希腊的伟大诗人，他 曾写过两部性界著名的史诗：《伊亚特》与《奥德赛》。这两部史诗无论从艺术 技巧或者从历史、地理、考古学和民俗学方面讲都有很大的艺术价值，有“永久 的魅力”，是“一种规范和高不可及的范本”。Hobson's choice 此语可译为“毫无选择的余地。”源自英国《观察家》杂 志H12年第509期。Hobson是6世纪英国剑桥地区驿站老板。按规定驿站都 向顾客出租马匹，他因喜欢自己的马匹而坚持按固定的顺序轮流将马出租。顾 客到马厩去牵马时，不论该马如何即牵即走，无商量的余地。如顾客不服从, 就只得自认倒霉。Hobson毫不徇私情，非叫顾客用该马不可，否则就别想有马 骑。因而，老板的这种怪癖叫人不敢和他讨价还价了。

1.I went on a bat in his room, and we smoked and drank till three.我到他的房间里去狂欢，我们在那里又抽烟又喝酒，一直到清晨三点。go on a bat 纵酒取乐，酗酒胡闹 go out on a bat 酗酒胡闹

go to bat [美国俚语]被判入狱，判刑

on one's own bat [俚语] 通过自己的努力；靠自己的力量

blind as a bat [口语]近乎全盲的；视力很差的，眼力不行的；鼠目寸光的；完全看不见东西的 like a bat out of hell [俚语] 如飞地，飞速地；不顾一切地，鲁莽地，胡来地

2.Are you running with the hare and hunting with the hounds? You‟re either for us or against us.Which is it? 你两面讨好吗？你要么赞成我们，要么反对我们。究竟是哪一种态度？ Hare也叫jackrabbit或jack rabbit，不打洞（burrow/warren），而是在地面坑（depression）里或窝（form）。出生带毛（furred），眼睛睁开。Rabbit是住在洞里的，出生没毛，不能睁眼；家养的通常住在小木屋（hutch）中。Hare比rabbit体型大，耳朵更长，有黑色斑点（marking），不群居，没有被人类驯化（domesticated），所以可以叫„野兔‟。一岁以下的hare叫leveret。一群叫drove。Rabbit可以翻译为„家兔‟，但有的也叫hare，因为长相接近，但实际上还是rabbit，如Belgian Hare.“兔”在中国人心中可谓形象复杂，有好的一面，如“形如脱兔”（比喻动作快捷）；也有差的一面，如“狡兔三窟、兔子尾巴长不了”。对外国人来说，rabbit的形象可不美。a rabbit意为a person who plays a game badly（蹩脚的运动员———尤指网球运动员）；在俚语中，hare指坐车不买票的人。run with the hare and hunt with the hounds

hunt是“追捕、猎杀”的意思，hound指“猎狗”，它的拼写是h-o-u-n-d，字面意思就是“和兔子一起奔跑的同时派猎狗追赶”，既想得到兔子的信任又想猎杀兔子，也就是“两面讨好”。

这个“两面讨好”和我们汉语里讲的“两面派”（two-faced）意思可不一样，我们来看一个例子：

They want to keep the peace and have everyone happy.For this reason they learn very quickly to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds;to side with whoever is nearest in a relentless quest to avoid rows.他们希望保持平稳并且让大家都高兴，所以很快了学会讨好的方法。为了避免冲突他们就站在不断提要求的人那边。

大家体会出这两个说法的不同了吗？two-faced一般指当面一套，背地又一套的伎俩，而run with the hare and hunt with the hounds 则指人两面讨好，不得罪任何一方的做法。

3.In ancient times if a man‟s eye was put out by his enemy, he might get his revenge by paying him backing his own coin.古时候某人的眼睛若被敌人挖出，他一定要挖出敌人的眼睛作为报复。这就是以其人之道还治其人之身。pay sb back in his own coin eye for eye tooth for tooth

4.He went on throwing open doors, and peeping in.Everything was in apple pie order, ready for immediate occupation.他继续将各扇门打开朝里窥视：一切井井有条，马上就可住进去。in apple pie order 有条不紊，井然有序

这个习语的由来尚有争论。在美国，有人认为它产生在新大陆移民时期。那时，家庭主妇要烤苹果派时，需将苹果一片片切成同样的大小，这样烘烤出来的苹果派才会香酥可口。所以这个习语用来形容东西摆放得整整齐齐，井然有序。

Her room is always in apple pie order.他的房间总是整整齐齐的。apple of love 爱情的苹果

这个习语源于殖民时期的南美洲。当时在秘鲁的丛林中，生长着一种叫“狼桃”的水果。这种水果色泽光亮、鲜艳，形状和苹果十分相似。但人们认为这种水果是一种毒果，没人敢吃，只把它作为观赏植物加以栽培。后来有人冒着生命危险，勇敢地品尝并证实了它的美味。到了16世纪，英国有一位公爵游历到了秘鲁，非常喜欢这种水果，于是，他把它们带回英国皇宫，作为珍贵的礼品献给他心目中的爱人——当时的英国女王伊丽莎白。这种水果，实际上就是西红柿。从那以后，西红柿在异国他乡的土地上得到广泛种植，被人们称为“爱情的苹果”。如今，这一短语可喻指“爱情的信物”。例：Hey, don't touch that bike.It's my apple of love.嗨，别动那辆自行车。它可是我的爱情信物 as American as apple pie 典型的美国人的性格 美国人向来喜欢吃苹果馅饼（apple pie），也就是我们常说的“苹果派”。这是一种用烤箱制作的甜点，外面裹着一层面粉，里面包着苹果做的馅儿。美国人喜爱吃苹果派的嗜好始于他们刚从欧洲移居到美洲来的时候。那时每个家庭主妇都经常自己动手做苹果派。为了说明苹果派是美国生活方式的一个特点，人们常说：as American as apple pie。这个习语的意思是：就像苹果派一样具有美国特色。

例句：Japanese sushi and Vietnamese spring rolls have become as American as apple pie.日本寿司和越南春卷都已经变成像苹果派一样的美国食品了

5.“Why didn't the chap come? …Can't kick my heels here for ever,“ thought John.那家伙怎么没来？我可不能老在这儿等下去了。”约翰想

kick your heels：(British)to be forced to wait for a period of time(usually in continuous tenses)Wait impatiently to be summoned.Origin：The kicking of heels alludes to the toe shuffling and foot tapping that people resort to when they are impatient at having to wait for something.It is an 18th century phrase and is first cited in a work by the appropriately named Samuel Foothe has no idea of how to even start the job.Why, my nine-year old daughter knows more about computers than he does!他说：我跟你说，Ed，这个人简直乳臭未干，他甚至连这工作怎么着手干都不知道。嘿，我九岁女儿对电脑的了解都比他要多。

这里的wet behind the ears，相当于中文里的“乳臭未干的，” 用来形容某人幼稚无知 3.在那个国家，很多人感到60年代初的种族隔离是件棘手之事。

In that country, many people found racial segregation a hot potato in the early '60s.美国人很喜欢吃土豆，特别是刚从烤箱里拿出来的一个个热气腾腾的土豆。下面我们要介绍的一个俗语是hot potato。大家都知道hot的意思是热或烫，potato就是土豆。热的土豆固然好吃，但是它会烫你的手，你会想法马上甩掉的。Hot potato作为俗语，它的意思就是一个争论很激烈的问题，没有一个人愿意为它承担责任。例如：The question of whether to raise taxes to cut the budget deficit is a real hot potato for a lot of politicians.是否用增加税收的方法来减少预算赤字的问题对于许多政客来说是一个棘手的问题。下面这个例子是一位律师在给另一位律师提供建议：

If I were you, I'd drop that client like a hot potato;he's always suing somebody for something, but he usually loses and he doesn't pay his lawyer's bills.要是我是你的话，我就把你那个顾客马上甩掉。他老是为了什么事去告别人，可是他总是输给别人，他还往往不付律师费。

英语potato一词特别有意思。不仅因为sweet potato（甜土豆）即是“白薯（山芋）”，这样的命名特别有趣，而且potato常可用以指人，例如small potatoes原意是“鸡毛蒜皮等微不足道的东西”，但更多用以指“小人物”“微不足道的人”（类似上海方言“萝卜头”）。“He is a small potato.”也常被学生作为口头禅，拿来互相取笑。

Hot potato可指“麻烦的事”、“棘手的问题”或“难对付的人”，类似中文 “烫手的山芋”，例如The subject of police brutality is a hot potato.（警察暴行的话题是一个棘手的问题。）

短语the clean potato指“最正确、最适当的事物”，也可以指“正派的人”、“规矩的好人”。而反过来，not the clean potato则意为“形迹可疑的人”。

作为一种常见的食品，potato在美国俚语里也有很多体现。比如，potato常指“头”或“难看的脸”；potato-trap指“嘴”；potato-head则指“傻瓜”（土豆是没有脑子的）；而potato digger则指“古板守旧、不受欢迎的人”（大概是由在地里掘土豆的农民形象转化而来的）。

上世纪90年代初出现了一个新的短语couch potato，专指“吃饱饭后成天窝在沙发上看电视的人”，非常形象。（顺便提一下，英美人很少用sofa一词，长沙发叫couch，单人沙发则叫armchair。）随着电脑的普及，近来一个与potato有关的新短语流行开来，即mouse potato（这里的mouse不是“老鼠”，而是“鼠标”），专门指“整天坐在电脑前的电脑迷”。这一词条已被正式收录在2006年版的《韦氏大学词典》（Webster Collegiate Dictionary）的100个新词语中。笔者相信，今后还会有更多“新土豆”的出现。

4.他同意独自完成这项工程，简直是蛇吞象。

He bit off more than he could chew when he agreed to finish this project alone He bit off more than he could chew.他说得多，做得少。

他承诺太多他办不到的事情。用意译：“思想的巨人，行动的矮子！”

5.我只是告诉你，和他打交道的惟一方法就是与他面对面展开斗争。

I simply wanted to tell you that the only way to do business with him was to beard the lion in his den.beard the lion in his den：入虎穴取子(老虎头上捉虱, 太岁头上动土)

6.对于诗我读得不多。要读的时候，我总是宁可选择过去的佳作，而不要当代的次品。.Of poetry I don't read much and when I do I choose the dead lion in preference to the living dog.A living dog is better than a dead lion．(下贱而活着比高贵而死了的强。)将对应的两个成分拆开并在句中重作安排，分别喻指“过去的佳作”(死狮)和“当代的次品”(活狗)，形成强烈对比，表现力强。

7.现在最好不要向老板讲，因为你没有遵守限期，他正在气头上哪。

Better not try to talk to the boss now, He's as mad as a wet hen because you didn't meet your deadline.as mad as a wet hen:非常生气

8.有些人在上火车的时候，不等乘客下车就一拥而入，这种行为真叫我生气。

It gets me goat the way some people push onto a train before the passengers on board can get off When someone says the phrase “something or other really gets my goat,” they mean that they are extremely irritated.A wide variety of things could contribute to irritation, ranging from someone else's actions to a series of events, but, despite the turn of phrase, goats are not usually involved.Like many colorful idioms in the English language, the origins of “get my goat” are murky, difficult to pin down, and actually rather fascinating, for people who enjoy exploring language.9.我们公司规定的试用阶段，目的在于区分能够胜任工作和不能胜任工作的人。

The purpose of our company^ trial employment period is to separate the wheat(the sheep)from the chaff(the goats).separate the sheep from the goats(British, American & Australian)also sort(out)the sheep from the goats(British & Australian)

to choose the people or things of high quality from a group of mixed quality I'll look through the application forms and separate the sheep from the goats.10.他是个胆小鬼，他不可能临危不惧于关键时刻。

He is a chicken and it is impossible for him to face the music at the critical moment.11.这不是任何人的错误，责任完全在我们自己身上。我们不自量力，结果把自己搞得完蛋了

It was nobody's fault but our own.We cooked our own goose by trying to bite off more than we could chew.Cook one’s goose: ruin your chances;make impossible to succeed Explanation: Used when speaking about a person or thing that makes success impossible.Examples: Well, I cooked my goose by asking the wrong questions on the interview.-You'd better be careful when speaking to her, you don't want to cook your goose by saying something insensitive.12.她对家谱很感兴趣。所谓自己无学问，莫把祖宗夸；我认为对一个人的评价源于其本身所为，而非其祖先。She's showed great interest in genealogy [,dʒi:ni'ælədʒi](family tree).But mules boast much that their ancestors were horses;I think a person's value derives from what he does, not from what one of his ancestors might have been 13.与过去相比，小康之家逐渐多了起来。

Compared with the past, there is an increasing number of well-to-do families.Say something about the origins of the following.Adam’s profession Adam's profession此语源自莎士比亚：《哈姆雷特》第五场，译为“园艺，农艺”。Shakespeare 在第五场中写道：There is no ancient gentlemen but gardeners, ditchers, and grave makers ；they hold up Adam's profession.这里没有古代绅士，只有花匠、挖沟者和修墓人；他们干的是园艺。measure for measure measure for measure.此语可译为“一报还一报；冤报冤；仇报仇；以牙还牙”。源自《圣经■马太福音》。耶稣说：“你们不要评判人，免得你们被人评 判。因为你们怎样评判人，也必然会被人怎样评判。你们用什么量器量别人，别人就必然会用什么量器来量你们。” enough to make the angles weep enough to make the angels weep.此语可译为“愚逸得使人丧失信心和希望”。源自莎士比亚剧本《一报还一报》（Measure for Measure)第2幕第2场 once in a blue moon once in a blue moon.此语的中译为“极为罕见，（机会）极少”。源于自 然科学现象。即在一定的条件下，当大气中有大小合适的微尘时，就会出现太阳和月亮均呈深蓝色的自然奇观。据科学家们分析，此种罕见景观的微尘可能 来自火山爆发，或沙漠扬尘，甚至森林大火。由于蓝色月亮和蓝色太阳出现的 机会少，所以此语具有上述译文

以小人之心，度君子之腹 “以小人之心，度君子之腹,‟可译为gauge the heart of a gentleman with one's own mean measure t 或译为 try to estimate what's in the heart of the great with the heart of the mean,语出《左传•昭公二十八年》“愿以小人之腹，为君子之 心。”后经改造，用来指某些人以自己鄙陋或卑劣的心理，去推测品德髙尚者的 胸襟。南朝宋刘义庆《世说新语•雅量》：“庚曰：„可谓以小人之虑，度君子之心。此成语涉及这样一则故事：公元前514年，晋国的执政大臣韩宣子去世，一位名叫魏舒的人继位。他将两个旧责族的田地分为10个县，派贤能有功者 去任县长。其中与他同宗的魏戊被派到梗阳县任该职。此时，有一桩官司使其 深感棘手，他即报之魏舒，让其处理。

对是，涉案一方暗中送魏舒一个女乐人，他欲将其收下。此事让魏戊知道 了，他就对大臣阎没和女宽说：“魏舒以不受贿赂而扬名各国，若收下女乐人，就没有比这更大的贿赂了。您二位一定要劝谏他。”

之后，阎没和女宽在庭院里等着魏舒的到来。吃饭的时候，魏舒就招呼他 俩一起来用餐，可他俩盯着桌上的饭菜接连叹了三次气。饭毕，魏舒就问其究 竟，并说伯父、叔父曾告诉他说，吃饭时要忘掉忧愁，刚才二位为何三次叹气呀？他们俩回答说“昨晚有人把酒赐给咱们两个小人，所以没吃晚饭，现在肚子 饿得慌，惟恐刚上的饭菜不够吃而叹气。见菜上了一半时，咱们责备6己道：„难道将军请咱们吃饭会不够吃？‟因而再次叹气。等饭菜上完，咱们俩愿意把小人的肚子当做君子的心，刚刚满足就行了！” 嫁祸于人

“嫁祸于人”可译为：①shift the blame onto ②lay one's own fault at sb else‟s door ③put one's misfortunes onto other people's shoulder.语出《史记•赵世 家》，对曰：“夫秦蚕食韩氏地，中绝不会相通，固自以为坐而受上党之地也。韩氏所以不人秦者，欲嫁其祸于赵也。”这则故事说的是：公元前262年，韩囯 上党守将冯亭派使者到赵国，便对孝成王说：“咱韩国已无法守住上党了，它似 就要并人秦国了。但上党的官吏与百姓均愿归属赵国，而不愿归属秦国。上党 有城池17座，希望大王来管辖”。赵孝成王闻之喜形于色，即召见平阳君赵豹并询问其看法。赵豹答曰： “圣人视无缘无故而得到为大祸害。” 孝成王反问道“天下人为我的恩德所感召，为何说此乃无缘无故而得 利呢？”

赵豹道：“秦国一直在蚕食韩国的土地，并早已认为轻易地得到上党这块 地方。韩国之所以不想把上党交给秦国而交给赵国，是打箅把祸害转到我们赵国身上。秦国付出了辛苦，却未得到它，而咱赵国却白白得到了，这怎能说非 无缘无故得了利呢？大干一定不要接受。” 孝成王不悦地说：“如今派百万大军去进攻，一年半载也不一定能得到一 座城池，现在人家送来17座城池之大礼于我，这可是大利呀！”后来孝成王因接受了这份礼物而引发了秦赵间的一场大战。

第五篇：常用谚语翻译专题

1.Absence makes the heart grow fonder。

小别胜新婚；离别更增思念之情。

2.Action speak louder than words。

行动胜于言辞；事实胜于雄辩；坐而言不如起而行。

3.Advice when most needed is least heeded。

忠言于最需要时，最不被重视；忠言逆耳。

4.Affection is blind reason。

爱情是盲目的理性。

5.After a storm comes a calm。

暴风雨后的宁静；否极泰来；雨过天晴。

6.After dinner sit a while, after supper walk a mile。

饭后坐一下，晚饭后运动。

7.After night comes the day。

黑夜过后，白昼将至；否极泰来。

8.After pleasure comes pain。

先乐必后苦。

9.All cats are grey in the dark。

猫在黑暗中都是灰色的。

10.All good things come to an end。

好景不常；天下没有不散的筵席。

11.All may begin a war, few can end it。

战端易起难收。

12.All men are mortal。

人皆有一死。

13.All rivers run into the sea。

条条江河通大海；条条大道通罗马；殊途同归。

14.All roads lead to Rome。

条条大道通罗马；殊途同归。

15.All's fair in love and war。

恋爱和战争是不择手段的；兵不厌诈；情场如战场。

16.All's grist that comes to the mill。

到磨子里的一切都成粉；来者不拒，全盘照收。

17.All's well that ends well。

凡事结局好，则全部都好。

18.All that glitters is not gold。

发光的未必全是金；中看未必中用；人不可貌相。

19.All things come to those who wait。

懂得忍耐的人是最大的赢家；忍为上策。

20.All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy。

只工作而不游戏，会使人变得迟钝。

21.Another day, another dollar。

做一天，一天。

22.Any port in a storm。

暴风雨中的港口；危急时的避难所；穷途末路之计。

23.Appearances are deceptive。

外表是靠不住的；勿以貌取人。

24.An apple a day keeps the doctor away。

每天吃一个苹果，不必看医生。

25.The apple never falls far from the tree。

苹果只会掉落苹果树下。

26.April showers bring forth May flowers。

四月阵雨带来五月花。

27.Art apes nature。

艺术模仿自然。

28.Art is long, life is short。

生也有涯，而知无涯；人生短暂，而学问无穷。

29.As a man lives, so shall he die;as a tree falls, so shall it lie。

人有生就有死；树倒了，也就躺在那儿了。

30.As is the workman so is the work。

有怎样的工匠就有怎样的作品；物如其人。

31.As soon as is born he begins to die。

生即死的开端；人一出生，就是步向死亡。

32.As you brew, so must you drink。

自己酿的酒，自己喝；自作自受；自食其果。

33.As you make your bed, so you must lie on it。

自己铺的床，自己睡；自作自受；自食其果。

34.As you sow, so will you reap。

种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。

35.Ask no questions and be told no lies。

不问问题不会受骗；[台湾谚语]小孩有耳无嘴。

36.A bad beginning makes a bad ending。

不善始者不善终。

37.A bad excuse is better than none at all。

一个勉强的借口，总比没有强。

38.Bad excuses are worse than none。

坏借口不如没借口。

39.Bad news has wings。

坏消息长了翅膀；好事不出门，坏事传千里。

40.Bad news travels fast。

坏消息传得快；好事不出门，坏事传千里。

41.A bad penny always come back。

劣币难除；烫手山芋甩不掉。

42.A bad workman always blames his tools。

拙劣的工匠总是埋怨工具不好。

43.A bargain is a bargain。

一言为定；协议已成，不可反悔。

44.Barking dogs seldom bite。

会叫的狗不咬人；色厉内荏。

45.Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home。

家虽简陋，但没有一个地方比家更温暖；在家千日好，出门事事难。

46.Be just to all, but trust not all。

公道待人，但不可尽信之。

47.Be sure of hay till the end of May。

不到五月底，干草不可弃。

48.Be swift to hear, slow to hear。

多听少说。

49.Beauty and chastity seldom meet。

美貌与贞洁常相斥。

50.Beauty is but a skin deep。

美貌是肤浅的；美丽是不能持久的；勿以貌取人。

51.Beauty is in the eye of the beholder。

情人眼里出西施。

52.Beggars cannot be choosers。

乞丐当无权选择；讨饭难拣嘴；饥难择食。

53.Best is cheapest。

最好的即是最便宜的。

54.The best of friends must part。

朋友关系再好，终须分离；天下无不散的筵席。

55.The best things are hard to come by。

最好的东西难得到。

56.Better a bare foot than no foot at all。

光脚总比没脚好，有总比没有好。

57.Better a glorious death than a shameful life。

光荣赴死，好过苟且偷生。

58.Better be born lucky than wise。

运气比才智更有用；生不逢时，再有才气也没用。

59.Better be sure than sorry。

安全总比后悔好；预防胜于后悔；宁未雨绸缪，毋事后懊悔。

60.Better give than take。

施比受有福。

61.Better late than never。

迟做总比不做好；亡羊补牢，尤为晚矣。

62.Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know。

已知的危险比未知的好；明枪易躲，暗箭难防。

63.Beware what and to whom you speak。

小心你说出的话和说话的对象。

64.A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush。

一鸟在手，胜于二鸟在林；到手的才实在；把握现在，不要空想未来。

65.Birds of a feather flock together。

物以类聚。

66.Bite not the hand that feeds thee。

别反咬喂你的手；不要忘恩负义。

67.A blessing in disguise。

外表似不幸，其实为幸福；因祸得福；塞翁失马，安知非福。

68.The blind leads the blind。

盲人带领盲人；问道于盲。

69.Blood will tell。

血统不彰自显，不说自明。

70.Boys will be boys。

男孩毕竟是男孩。

71.A brave man smiles in the face of adversity。

勇者面对逆境也微笑；勇者不惧。

72.The bull must be taken by the horns。

对付公牛得抓其角；勇敢面对困难。

73.Business before pleasure。

先做完工作，再享受娱乐；先劳后乐。

74.Business is business。

公事公办；就事论事；亲兄弟明算帐。

75.Business is the salt of life。

事业能替人生增添趣味。

76.Call a spade a spade。

直言不讳；有话直说；说一是一，说二是二。

77.Cast not the first stone。

不要丢第一块石头；欲谴责别人前，先扪心自问是否无罪。

78.A cat has nine lives。

猫有九条命；吉人天相；命大。

79.Catch as catch can。

能拿多少算多少。

80.Catch one napping。

乘人不备，捉其把柄。

81.Caveat emptor。

顾客小心上当。

82.The chain is no stronger than its weakest link。

整个链条的强韧与否，要看最弱的那一环。

83.Charity begins at home。

仁爱先从家里开始；老吾老，以及人之老。

84.Christmas comes but once a year。

圣诞节一年才一次；佳节难逢。

85.Civility costs nothing。

礼貌不花分文。

86.Cleanliness is next to godliness。

洁净仅次于敬神。

87.Clothes do not make the man。

衣冠不能造人品。

88.Clothes make the man。

人要衣装，佛要金装。

89.Constant dripping wears away the stone。

滴水穿石；铁杵磨成针。

90.The course of true love never did run smooth。

真爱无坦途，好事多磨。

91.Courtesy costs nothing。

礼多人不怪；礼貌不费分文。

92.Covetousness is the root of all evil。

贪婪是万恶之源。

93.A coward dies many deaths, a brave man but one。

懦夫死千次，勇者只死一次。

94.Cowards die many times before their deaths。

胆怯者在真正死前已死过多次。

95.Creep before you walk。

先学爬，再学走；按部就班。

96.A crooked stick throws a crooked shadow。

上梁不正下梁歪；曲杖生曲影。

97.Curiosity killed the cat。

好奇伤身。

98.The darkest hour comes before dawn。

黎明之前，是最黑暗的时刻。

99.The darkest hour is that before the dawn。

黎明之前最黑暗；否极泰来。

100.Dead men tell no tales。

死人不会泄密；死无对证。101.Death defies the doctor。

死神专与医生作对。

102.Deathe is common to all。

人皆有一死。

103.Deeds, not words。

行动胜于空谈；莫坐而言，要起而行。

104.The descent to hell is easy。

下地狱，容易得很。

105.The devil finds work for idle hands to do。

魔鬼找事给游手好闲得人去做；游手好闲，为非作歹。

106.The devil is never far off。

魔鬼总是近在眼前。

107.The devil never sleeps。

魔鬼从不睡觉。

108.The devil take the hindmost。

魔鬼抓去最后的人；落后者倒霉。

109.The die is cast。

色子已经掷出；木已成舟。

110.Discretion is the better part of valour。

审慎乃勇敢之主体；勇敢贵审慎。

111.A disease known is half cured。

弄清楚病情，就等于病治好了一半。

112.Do as I say, not as I do。

照我所说的去做，不要照我所做的去做。

113.Do as you would be done by。

已所欲，施于人。

114.Do in Rome as the Romans do。

在罗马，就照着罗马人的习俗去做；入乡随俗。

115.Do your best.Angels can do no better。

只要努力做，天使也不会做得比你更好。

116.Dog does not eat dog。

狗不吃狗；同类不相残。

117.Doing is better than saying。

做比说好；坐而言，不如起而行。

118.Don't bite off more than you can chew。

贪多嚼不烂；不要自不量力。

119.Don't burn the candle at both ends。

蜡烛不要两头烧；不可过分透支体力。

120.Don't cast your pearls before swine。

不要在猪面前丢珍珠；不要对牛弹琴。

121.Don't change horses in mid—stream。

渡河途中莫换马；临阵莫换将。

122.Don't count your chickens before they are hatched。

不要打如意算盘；不要过早乐观；小鸡孵出之后才算数。

123.Don't cross a bridge till you come to it。

船到桥头自然直；勿杞人忧天。

124.Don't cry over spilt milk。

牛奶洒了，哭也没用；不要为无法挽回的事懊恼。

125.Don't cut off your nose to spite your face。

不要割下自己的鼻子来和脸过不去；不要和自己过不去。

126.Don't empty the baby out with the bath water。

不要将小孩与洗澡水一起倒掉。

127.Don't have too many irons in the fire。

不要把太多的铁放到火炉里；不要同时做太多事；不要操之过急。

128.Don't judge by appearances。

别以貌取人；人不可貌相。

129.Don't make a mountain out of a molehill。

勿将鼹鼠丘看作大山；不要小题大做。

130.Don't measure other people's corn by your own bushel。

别用自己的斗去量别人的谷；勿以己度人。

131.Don't meet trouble halfway。

勿杞人忧天；勿自寻烦恼。

132.Don't paint the lily。

不要给百合花涂上颜色。

133.Don't put all your eggs in one basket。

不要把所有的蛋放在一个篮子里；勿孤注一掷。

134.Don't put the cart before the horse。

不要把马车放在马前；勿本末倒置。

135.Don't ride the high horse。

不要骑高马；不要摆架子。

136.Don't set fire to your house to keep yourself warm。

不要焚屋取暖。

137.Don't tell tales out of school。

不要泄露秘密。

138.Don't wash your dirty linen in public。

家丑不可外扬。

139.Don't wear out your welcome。

莫停留太久以致不受欢迎；常客不受欢迎。

140.A drowning man will clutch at a straw。

溺者攀草求援；急不暇择。

141.Drunkenness reveals what soberness conceals。

酒醉时会说出清醒时不想说的话；酒后吐真言。

142.Dry bread at home is better than roast meat abroad。

在家吃干面包，好过在外吃烤肉；在家千日好，出门事事难。

143.Dying men speak true。

快要死的人说真话；人之将死，其言也善。

144.The early bird catches the worm。

早起的鸟儿有虫吃；捷足先登。

145.Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise。

早睡早起使人健康、富有又聪明。

146.Eaiser said than done。

说时容易做时难；知易行难。

147.East or west, home is best。

东奔西跑，不如家里最好；金窝、银窝，不如自己的草窝。

148.Easy come, easy go。

来得容易去得快。

149.Eat to live and not live to eat。

吃饭是为了活着，活着不是为了吃饭。150.The end justifies the means。

为达目的，不择手段。

151.An Englishman's house is his castle。

英国人的家就是他的城堡。

152.Enough is enough。

够用就够了。

153.Even a worm will turn。

甚至蠕虫也会翻身；狗急跳墙。

154.Even Homer sometimes nods。

即使荷马也会打瞌睡；智者千虑，必有一失。

155.Every ass likes to hear himself bray。

每头驴子都爱听自己嘶叫；马不知脸长。

156.Every cloud has a silver lining。

乌云背后是银边；否极泰来；因祸得福。

157.Every couple is not a pair。

两个人未必就是一对。

158.Every day is not holiday。

不是每天都是假日。

159.Every dog has his day。

狗也有走运的一天；凡人皆有得意日。

160.Every little helps。

点滴都有用；积少成多。

161.Every man has his faults。

每个人都有缺点；人非圣贤，孰能无过。

162.Every man has his price。

人各有价；人人可以被收买。

163.Every man is his own worst enemy。

每个人是自己最大的敌人。

164.Every why has a wherefore。

事出必有因。

165.Everybody's business is nobody's business。

众人之事无人管；三个和尚没水喝。

166.Everyone to his taste。

人各有所好。

167.Everything comes to him who waits。

等待的人终必得到。

168.Everything has an end。

所有的事情都有终结；天下无不散之筵席。

169.Evil tidings spread quickly。

好事不出门，坏事传千里。

170.The exception proves the rule。

例外证明法则的存在。

171.Expectation is better than realization。

期待比实现更美好。

172.Experience is the best teacher。

经验即良师。

173.An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth。

以眼还眼，以牙还牙。

174.The eye is bigger than the belly。

眼大肚子小。

175.A fair face may hide a foul heart。

笑里藏刀，包藏祸心。

176.Faith will move mountains。

信念可撼山。

177.False with one can be false with two。

撒了一次谎，必有第二次。

178.Familiarity breeds contempt。

熟悉易生轻侮。

179.A fault confessed is half redressed。

承认错，就等于改正了一半；知过能改，善莫大焉。

180.First come, first served。

先到先得，捷足先登。

181.First impressions are most lasting。

初次印象最持久；先入为主。

182.First think and then speak。

先想好了再发言。

183.A fool and his money are soon parted。

愚人难聚财。

184.Fools rush in where angels fear to tread。

天使不敢涉足的地方，愚人却冲进去；无知的人，天不怕，地不怕。

185.For want of a nail„

事小关大局。

186.Forbidden fruit is sweetest。

禁果最甜。

187.Forewarmed is forearmed。

预先获得警告，既是预先有了准备；凡事预则立。

188.Forgive and forget。

既往不咎。

189.Fortune helps him that's willing to help himself。

天助自助者。

190.A friend in need is a friend indeed。

患难见真情；患难之交才是真朋友。

191.A friend to all is a friend to none。

对谁都友好的人，等于对谁都不友好。

192.Gather ye rosebuds while ye may。

有花堪折直需折。

193.Give a fool rope enough, and he'll hang himself。

任由愚人自为，他将自取灭亡。

194.Give a man an annuity and he'll live for ever。

给人年金，他就会长命百岁。

195.Give a thief enough rope and he'll hang himself。

多行不义必自毙。

196.Give and take。

施舍与接纳；交换意见；有来有往。

197.Give credit where credit is due。

有功则赏。

198.Give him an inch and he'll take an ell。

得寸进尺。

199.Give me liberty or give me death。

不自由，毋宁死。

200.Give the devil his due。

公平看待魔鬼；平心而论。

201.God helps those who help themselves。

天助自助者。

202.God is a sure paymaster。

上帝绝不欠人的债。

203.A good beginning makes a good ending。

有善始必有善终。

204.Good company makes short miles。

良伴同行路途短。

205.A good dog deserves a good bone。

良犬应得好骨头。

206.A good face needs no paint。

姣好的脸毋须化妆。

207.Good fences make good neighbours。

篱笆筑得牢，邻居处得好。

208.A good husband makes a good wife。

夫好则妻贤。

209.A good name is sooner lost than won。

好名声得之难，失之易。

210.A good tale is none the worse for being told twice。

好戏不厌百回看；好故事百听不厌。

211.Good to begin well, better to end well。

有善始很好，有善终更好。

212.A good wife makes a good husband。

有好妻子就有好丈夫。

213.Good words are worth much and cost little。

说好话最划算。

214.The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence。

篱笆外的草总是比较绿；外国的月亮比较圆。

215.Great minds think alike。

英雄所见略同。

216.Half a loaf is better than no bread。

半条面包总比没面包好；聊胜于无。

217.Half empty is half full。

半空就是半满。

218.Half the world knows not how the other half lives。

世界上有一半的人不知道另一半人如何生活。

219.The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world。

推摇篮的手支配世界。

220.Handsome is as handsome does。

行为漂亮才是美；心美貌亦美。

221.Haste makes waste。

欲速则不达。

222.A hasty meeting, a hasty parting。

聚的匆忙散得快。

223.He helps little that helps not himself。

连自己都帮不了得人，不会有大用处。

224.He laughs best who laughs last。

笑到最后的人笑的最甜；别高兴得太早。

225.He robs Peter to pay Paul。

抢彼得得钱，还保罗的债。

226.He that fights and runs away may live to fight another day。

逃跑的人未来可以再战；留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。

227.He that gains time gains all things。

能争取时间，便能获得一切。

228.He that runs fastest gets the ring。

谁跑得快，谁得奖；捷足先登。

229.He that runs fast will not run long。

跑得快的人跑不久。

230.He who begins many things, finishes but few。

虎头蛇尾。

231.He who denies all confesses all。

全部否认即全部承认；欲盖弥彰。

232.He who hesitates is lost。

迟疑者必失良机。

233.He who lives in a glass house should not throw stones。

自己有缺点，就不应该说别人。

234.Health is better than wealth。

健康胜于财富。

235.Heaven helps those who help themselves。

天助自助者。

236.A heavy purse makes a light heart。

钱袋重，心快活。

237.His bark is worse than his bite。

叫得凶，但咬得不重；雷声大，雨点小。

238.History repeats itself。

历史会重演。

239.Hitch your wagon to a star。

把你的马车栓到星星上；要理想崇高，胸怀大志。

240.Home is home, be it ever so humble。

家虽简陋，但没有一个地方比家更温暖；在家千日好，出外事事难。

241.Honesty is the best policy。

诚实为上策。

242.Hope for the best and prepare for the worst。

抱最好的希望，作最坏的打算。

243.Hope is the poor man's bread。

希望是穷人的面包；穷人靠希望活下去。

244.Hope springs eternal in the human breast。

希望永远在人的心中滋生。

245.A house divided against itself cannot stand。

有内讧的家不能存在；家和万事兴。

246.Hunger knows no friend。

饥饿使人六亲不认。

247.If a man deceives me once, shame on him;if he deceives me twice, shame on

me。

人欺我一次，他可耻；欺我两次，我可耻。

248.If a thing is worth doing it is worth doing well。

如故一件事值得做，就值得做好。

249.If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again。

再接再厉，终会成功。

250.If the shoe fits, wear it。

如果鞋子合适，就穿吧；有则改之，无则嘉勉。

251.If you can't beat 'em join 'em。

不能打败他们，就加入他们。

252.If you do not like it you must lump it。

即使你不喜欢，也得忍受；逆来顺受。

253.If you want a thing well done, do it yourself。

欲事成当自为之。

254.If you want peace, prepare for war。

欲求和平，先准备战争。

255.Ignorance is bliss。

无知就是福。

256.Ill got, ill spent。

悖入悖出；不义之财，不可久享。

257.Ill news comes apace。

坏事传千里。

258.Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery。

模仿是最真挚的奉承。

259.In for a penny, in for a pound。

既已投下一便士，索性再花一英镑；一不做，二不休。

260.In union is strength。

团结就是力量。

261.It is a sad heart that never rejoices。

永无欢乐的心是可悲的；哀莫大于心死。

262.It's a small world。

人生何处不相逢；冤家路窄。

263.It is always darkest just before the day dawns。

黎明之前最为黑暗；否极泰来。

264.It's an ill bird that fouls its own nest。

弄脏自己巢的鸟，不是好鸟；家丑不可外扬。

265.It's an ill wind that blows nobody good。

无人得到好处的风可真是坏风；凡事皆有利有弊。

266.It is as well to know which way the wind blows。

最好知道风吹往哪个方向；识时务者为俊杰。

267.It is best to be on the safe side。

小心谨慎为上策。

268.It is better to be alone than iin bad company。

交恶友不如无友。

269.It is better to die with honour than to live with shame。

光荣而死，好过含辱苟活。

270.It is better to do well than to say well。

说得好不如做得好。

271.It is better to give than to take。

施比受有福。

272.It is better to wear out than to rust out。

与其锈坏，不如用坏；与其闲死，不如忙死。

273.It is easier said than done。

说比做容易。

274.It is love that makes the world go round。

爱情使世界旋转。

275.It is more blessed to give than to receive。

施比受更有福。

276.It is no use crying over spilt milk。

打翻牛奶，哭也没用；覆水难收。

277.It is not how long but how well we live。

人生在于活得漂亮，而非活得长久。

278.It is the unexpected that always happens。

意外常常发生。

279.It is too late to lock the stable when the horse has been stolen。

亡羊补牢，为时已晚。

280.It is too late to shut the stable—door when the steed is stolen。

马已被偷再关马厩；亡羊补牢，为时已晚。

281.It is useless to flog a dead horse。

鞭死马无益；勿旧调重弹。

282.It never rains but pours。

不雨则已，一雨倾盆；屋漏偏逢连夜雨；祸不单行。

283.It takes all sorts to make a world。

世界是由各式各样的人组成的。

284.It takes two to make a quarrel。

两个人才能吵架；一个巴掌拍不响。

285.A Jack of all trades is master of none。

无能先生，无一精通；样样通，样样松。

286.The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step。

千里之行，始于足下；万丈高楼平地起。

287.Judge not a book by its cover。

不能光用封面来评断一本书的好坏；不能以貌取人。

288.Judge not, that ye be judged。

不评论人，以免被人评论。

289.Jump once but look twice。

三思而后行。

290.Keep something for a rainy day。

未雨绸缪，有备无患。

291.Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open。

少说话，多观察。

292.Keep your purse and your mouth closed。

不浪费，不多言；把钱包与嘴巴闭紧。

293.Kill not the goose that lays the golden eggs。

勿杀生金蛋的鹅；勿杀鸡取卵。

294.Kill two birds with one stone。

以一石杀二鸟；一举两得。

295.Knowledge is power。

知识就是力量。

296.The laborer is worthy of his hire。

一分辛劳，一分收获。

297.The last straw breaks the camel's back。

最后一根稻草，压断骆驼的背；凡事宜节制，过则必败事。

298.Laugh and the world laughs with you;weep and you weep alone。

欢笑，则世界与你同乐；哭泣，则独自悲伤。

299.Laughter is the best medicine。

笑是最好的药。

300.Learn to walk before you run。

学跑之前先学走。

301.Least said, soonest mended。

话少易了；话少祸少；言多必失。

302.The leopard cannot change his spots。

豹无法改变它的斑点；本性难移。

303.Let bygones be bygones。

让过去的事成为过去；既往不咎。

304.Let sleeping dogs lie。

让睡觉的狗躺着；勿惹是生非；勿打草惊蛇。

305.Let the buyer beware。

顾客小心上当。

306.A light purse makes a heavy heart。

钱袋轻，心沉重。

307.Like father, like son。

有其父必有其子。

308.Like will to like。

物以类聚；同声相应；同气相求。

309.A little learning is a dangerous thing。

一知半解最危险。

310.Little pitchers have long ears。

水罐虽小，耳朵长；小孩子，耳朵灵。

311.Little strokes fell great oaks。

滴水穿石。

312.Live and learn。

活到老，学到老；学无止境。

313.Live and let live。

自己活，也让别人活；互相帮助，共存共荣。

314.Live not to eat, but eat to live。

活着不是为吃，吃是为了活。

315.Living well is the best revenge。

活得好就是给仇人最好的报复。

316.Lock the stable after the horse is stolen。

亡羊补牢，为时已晚。

317.Long absent, soon forgotten。

离久情疏。

318.The longest day must have an end。

最长之日终有尽时；否极泰来。

319.The longest night will have an end。

最长的夜也有结束的时候；否极泰来。

320.Look before you leap。

三思而行。

321.Love is blind。

爱情是盲目的。

322.Love me, love my dog。

爱我，也爱我的狗；爱屋及乌。

323.The love of money is the root of all evil。

爱财是一切罪恶的根源。

324.Love will find a way。

真情所至，金石为开。

325.Make haste slowly。

要 快中有慢；欲速则不达。

326.Make hay while the sun shines。

有太阳时快晒草；把握时机。

327.Make much of what you have。

善于利用手边的东西。

328.Make the best of a bad bargain。

善处逆境。

329.Make the best of a bad job。

善处逆境。

330.A man can lead a horse to the water but he cannot make him drink。

师傅领进门，修行在个人。

331.A man has many enemies when his back is to the wall。

身处绝境的人，仇敌很多。

332.A man is known by the company he keeps。

观其友，知其人；物以类聚。

333.Man proposes, God disposes。

某事在人，成事在天。

334.Man shall not live by bread alone。

人生活不只靠面包。

335.Man's work lasts till set of sum;woman's work is never done。

男人的工作从日出到日落，女人的工作永远做不完。

336.Many a true word is spoken in jest。

玩笑之中有真话；笑谈之中有至理名言。

337.Many hands make light work。

人多好办事；众擎易举。

338.Many heads are better than one。

众人的主意，总比一个人的好；三个臭皮匠，胜过一个诸葛亮。

339.Marry in haste, and repent at leisure。

匆忙结婚必后悔。

340.Measure for measure。

一报还一报；以其人之道，还治其人之身。

341.Measure yourself by your own foot。

以自己的标准衡量自己；以己之尺，度己之身。

342.Men are known by the company they keep。

观其友，知其人；物以类聚。

343.Men may promise more in a day than they will fulfill in a year。

人一天内许的愿，会比一年内能实现的多。

344.Might si right。

强权即是公理。

345.Mind your p's and q's。

p和q要分辨清楚；要谨慎行事。

346.Misery loves company。

祸不单行。

347.Misfortunes never come singly。

祸不单行。

348.A miss is as good as a mile。

失之毫厘，差之千里。

349.Moderation in all things。

凡事中庸而行。

350.Money begets money。

钱可生钱。

351.Money burns a hole in the pocket。

钱在口袋里烧了个洞；有钱必花光。

352.Money draws money。

钱生钱，利滚利。

353.Money si the root of all evil。

钱是一切罪恶的根源。

354.Money makes the mare go。

有钱能使鬼推磨；金钱万能。

355.More haste, less speed。

欲速则不达。

356.More than enough is too much。

超过所需就是太多；凡事适可而止。

357.The more you have, the more you want。

拥有愈多，想要愈多。

358.Murder will out。

恶事必败露；天网恢恢，疏而不漏。

359.My son is my son till he has got him a wife, but my daughter's my daughter

all the days of her life。

儿子一娶妻就不再是儿子，女儿却终生是女儿。

360.Nature is the best physician。

大自然是最好的医生。

361.Necessity is the mother of invention。

需要为发明之母；穷则变，变则通。

362.Neither a borrower nor a lender be。

既不要做负债者，也不要做债主。

363.Never answer a question until it is asked。

没人问起，别先回答。

364.Never ask pardon before you are accused。

未被指控前不求饶；不要自己承认犯罪。

365.Never cross your bridges till you come to them。

船到桥头自然直；勿杞人忧天。

366.Never do things by halves。

勿半途而废。

367.Never judge by appearances。

人不可貌相；勿以貌取人。

368.Never look a gift horse in the mouth。

不要看别人赠送的马的嘴；不要挑剔得到的礼物。

369.Never make threats you cannot carry out。

不要做不能实现的威胁；勿虚张声势。

370.Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today。

今日事，今日毕。

371.Never say die。

永远不要说“完了”；不要气馁。

372.Never speak ill of men behind their backs。

别在背后说人坏话。

373.Never spend your money before you have it。

钱到手了再花；量入为出。

374.Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you。

勿自寻烦恼；勿杞人忧天。

375.Never venture out of your depth till you can swim。

还不会游泳，就不要冒险入深池。

376.No answer is also an answer。

没有答案也是一种答案。

377.No gain without pain。

不劳则无获。

378.No man is an island。

没有人是1个孤岛；没有人是孤立的。

379.No news is good news。

没消息，就是好消息。

380.No pain(s)，no gain(s)。

不劳则无获；吃得苦中苦，方为人上人。

381.No time like the present。

现在就是最好的时光；大好时光，莫如今朝。

382.Noblesse oblige。

生为贵族，举止就要像贵族。

383.The noblest vengeance is to forgive。

宽恕是最高尚的报复。

384.None so blind as those who won't see。

没有人比不愿看的人更瞎。

385.None so deaf as those who won't hear。

没有人比不愿听的人更聋。

386.Not to advance is to go back。

不进则退；没有进步就是退步。

387.Nothing attempted, nothing gained。

不试则一事无成；不入虎穴，焉得虎子。

388.Nothing for nothing。

没钱买不到东西；天下没有免费的午餐。

389.Nothing is as good as it seems beforehand。

事前看事最美好；没有什么事比事前看来得好。

390.Nothing is certain but uncertainty。

不确定就是世界上的常理。

391.Nothing is given so freely as advice。

人们都乐于给别人忠告。

392.Nothing is good or bad but by comparion。

不经比较，不知好坏；不怕不识货，就怕货比货。

393.Nothing is impossible to a willing heart。

天下无难事，只怕有心人。

394.Nothing is so certain as the unexpected。

意料之外的事必发生。

395.Nothing seek, nothing find。

不寻找，不会得到。

396.Nothing succeeds like success。

没有事情会像成功那样，一次接着一次；一事如意，事事顺利。

397.Of two evils choose the lesser。

两害相权取其轻。

398.Old friends and old wine are best。

朋友和酒是老的好。

399.Old habits die hard。

积习难改。

400.The old way is best。

老方法最好。

401.Once a beggar, always a beggar。

一日为乞丐，终生是乞丐。

402.Once bitten, twice shy。

上一次当，学一次乖；一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳。

403.One cannot be in two place at once。

一个人不能同时在两地；分身乏术。

404.One cannot put back the clock。

时光不能倒流。

405.One father can support ten children;ten children cannot support one father。

一父能养十子；十子难养一父。

406.One good turn deserves another。

善有善报。

407.One is never too old to learn。

活到老，学到老。

408.One man's meat is another man's poison。

队甲是肉，对乙是毒；人各有所好。

409.One of these days is none of these days。

拖延时日，终难实现。

410.One picture is worth a thousand words。

千言不如一画；百闻不如一见。

411.One rotten apple spoils the whole lot。

一只烂苹果，弄坏全筐；害群之马。

412.Opportunity makes the thief。

机会制造小偷；勿使人有机可乘。

413.Opportunity seldom knocks twice。

机会很少敲两次门；福无双至；机会难得。

414.Our worst misfortunes are those which never befall us。

最大的不幸，是为没有发生的事苦恼。

415.Out of debt, out of danger。

不负债，没有危险。

416.Out of sight, out of mind。

眼不见，心不念；离久情疏。

417.Out of the frying-pan into the fire。

逃出热锅，却掉到火里；每下愈况。

418.Paddle your own canoe。

自己摇浆；自力更生。

419.Patience is a virtue。

忍耐是美德。

420.The pen is mighter than the sword。

文胜于武；笔诛胜于剑伐。

421.Penny and penny laid up will be many。

积分成万；积少成多；积沙成塔。

422.A penny for your thoughts。

我给你一分钱，你告诉我你在想什么。

423.A penny saved is a penny earned。

省一分，就是赚一分。

424.Penny wise, pound foolish。

小处聪明，大事苯；贪小失大。

425.People who live in glass houses should not throw stones。

自己住在玻璃屋，不要向别人扔石头；自己有缺点，就不要说别人。

426.Pigs might fly。

世上无奇不有。

427.Pitchers have ears。

水罐有耳；隔墙有耳。

428.A place for everything, and everything in iis place。

各种东西应放在固定的地方；万物各得其所。

429.Possession is nine points of the law。

占有即已九成合法；财产一占有，官司准打赢。

430.The pot called the kettle black。

锅笑壶黑；五十步笑一百步。

431.Poverty is a pain, but no disgrace。

贫穷是痛苦，而非耻辱。

432.Poverty is no sin。

贫穷非罪恶；贫穷不足以为耻。

433.Practice makes perfect。

熟能生巧。

434.Practice what you preach。

实行你所讲的道理；躬行己说；言行一致。

435.Praise makes good men better and bad men worse。

称赞使善人更善，恶人更恶。

436.Pretty is as pretty does。

行为善者始为美；心美貌亦美。

437.Prevention is better than cure。

预防胜于治疗。

438.Pride goes before a fall。

骄傲走在跌倒的前面；骄者必败。

439.Pride will have a fall。

骄傲会使人跌交；骄者必败。

440.The proof of the pudding is in the eating。

布丁的美味吃时方知；空谈不如实际。

441.Rain, rain, go to Spain。

雨啊雨啊，到西班牙去。

442.Rats desert a sinking ship。

鼠弃沉船。

443.Red sky at night, shepherd's delight;red sky in the morning, shepherd's

warning。

傍晚天红，牧羊人高兴；早晨天红，牧羊人当心。

444.Revenge is sweet。

复仇是甜蜜的。

445.Revenge is a dish that should be eaten cold。

报复是一道等凉再吃的菜；君子报仇，十年不晚。

446.The road to hell is paved with good intention。

去地狱的路是善意铺成的。

447.A rolling stone gathers no moss。

滚石不生苔；转业不聚财。

448.Rome was not built in a day。

罗马不是一天建成的。

449.A rose by any other name would smell as sweet。

玫瑰即使被称作其它的名字，芬芳依旧。

450.Salt seasons all things。

盐能调理百味。

451.Saying is one thing and doing another。

说是一回事，做是一回事;说来容易做来难。

452.A secret is too little for one, enough for two, too much for three。

秘密一人知道太少，两个人知道刚刚好，三个人知道就太多了。

453.Seeing is believing。

眼见为实;百闻不如一见。

454.Self-praise is no recommendation。

自我夸奖不可取。

455.Self-preservation is the first law of nature。

保护自己，是自然界最原始的法则;人不为己，天诛地灭。

456.Set a thief to catch a thief。

用小偷去抓小偷。

457.Share and share alike。

合伙则利益均分。

458.Short pleasure, long lament。

欢愉一时，悔恨一世。

459.Show me not the meat but show me the man。

不用看食物，看本人就行。

460.Silence is golden。

沉默是金。

461.Sink or swim。

非浮即沉;成败全靠自己。

462.Six of one and half a dozen of the other。

半斤对八两。

463.Slow and steady wins the race。

慢而稳者得胜。

464.Slow but sure wins the race。

慢而稳者得胜。

465.A slow courtesy is a discourtesy。

迟来的礼貌就是失礼。

466.A small gift brings often a great reward。

送小礼，往往能得大回馈；放小饵，钓大鱼。

467.Small profits, quick returns。

薄利多销。

468.So far, so good。

到目前为止，一切都好。

469.So many men, so many minds。

十人十心；人多意见杂。

470.Soft words win hard heart。

温和的言语能打动铁石心肠；以柔克刚。

471.Some people cannot see the wood for the trees。

见树不见林。

472.Something is better than nothing。

有一点总比没有好；聊胜于无。

473.Soon learnt, soon forgotten。

学得快，忘得快。

474.A sound mind in a sound body。

健全的心灵，在于健全的身体。

475.Spare the rod and spoil the child。

孩子不打不成器。

476.Speak not all you know, do not all you can, believe not all you hear。

话到嘴边留三分，做事之时留一手，听闻之事莫尽信。

477.Speech is silver, silence is golden。

说话是银，沉默是金。

478.The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak。

心有余而力不足；爱莫能助。

479.Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me。

棍棒和石头会打断我的骨头，但言语却伤不了我。

480.Still waters run deep。

静水流深；大智若愚；深藏不漏。

481.A stitch in time saves nine。

一针及时省九针；及时行事，事半功倍。

482.Stolen pleasure are sweetest。

偷来的快乐最甜。

483.The strength of the chain is in the weakest link。

链子的强度如何，在于最弱的一环。

484.Strike while the iron is hot。

打铁趁热；把握时机。

485.A stumble may prevent a fall。

小颠簸可防摔大跤；犯小错可防犯大错。

486.Sweet is the fruit of labour。

劳动的果实最甜美；先苦后乐。

487.The tailor's wife is worst clad。

裁缝师自己的老婆，衣服穿得最破。

488.Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves。

省小钱，成大富；小事注意，大事自成；小事都注意到，大事自然不会有问题。

489.Take it or leave it。

要就拿去，不然就放下；要就要，不要就算了。

490.Take the bull by the horns。

对付公牛得抓其角；不畏艰难。

491.Take the rough with the smooth。

逆来顺受；随遇而安。

492.Take things as they come。

随遇而安；逆来顺受。

493.Take things as you find them。

入乡随俗；随遇而安；逆来顺受。

494.A tale never loses in the telling。

故事相传，有加无减。

495.Talk of the devil and he is sure to appear。

说曹操，曹操就到。

496.Tastes differ。

人人品味不同；人各有所好。

497.That thing which is rare is dear。

物以希为贵。

498.There are tricks in every trade。

各行都有诀窍。

499.There are two sides to every question。

每个问题都有正反两面；凡事皆有利有弊。500.There are wheels within wheels。

幕后有人指使。

Take things as they come。

既来之，则安之。

Talking mends no holes。

空谈无补。

Talk of the devil and he will appear。

说曹操，曹操就到。

Tall trees catch much wind。

树大招风。

Teach others by your example。

躬亲示范。

The best hearts are always the bravest。

无私者无畏。

The best man stumbles。

伟人也有犯错时。

The cat shuts its eyes when stealing。

掩耳盗铃。

The danger past and God forgotten。

过河拆桥。

The darkest hour is nearest the dawn。

黎明前的黑暗。

The darkest place is under the candlestick。

烛台底下最暗。

The devil knows many things because he is old。

老马识途。

The devil sometimes speaks the truth。

魔鬼有时也会说真话。

The die is cast。

木已成舟。

The early bird catches the worm。

早起的鸟儿有虫吃。

The end justifies the means。

只要目的正当，可以不择手段。

The end makes all equal。

死亡面前，人人平等。

The eye is bigger than the belly。

贪多嚼不烂。

The farthest way about is the nearest way home。

抄近路反而绕远路。

The finest diamond must be cut。

玉不琢，不成器。

The fire is the test of gold, adversity of strong man。

烈火验真金，艰难磨意志。

The first step is the only difficulty。

迈出第一步是最艰难的。

The fox knew too much, that's how he lost his tail。

机关算尽太聪明，反误了卿卿性命。

The fox preys farthest from home。

兔子不吃窝边草。

The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean。

坐井观天。

The grass is greener on the other side。

这山望着那山高。

The greatest talkers are always least doers。

语言的巨人总是行动的矮子。

The higher up, the greater the fall。

爬得高，摔得惨。

The leopard cannot change its spots。

本性难移。

The more noble, the more humble。

人越高尚，越谦虚。

The more wit, the less courage。

初生牛犊不怕虎。

The outsider sees the most of the game。

旁观者清。

The pen is mightier than the sword。

笔能杀人。

The pot calls the kettle black。

五十步笑百步。

There are spots in the sun。

太阳也有黑点。

There are two sides to every question。

问题皆有两面。

There is a skeleton in the cupboard。

家家有本难念的经。

There is kindness to be found everywhere。

人间处处有温情。

There is no general rule without some exception。

任何法规均有例外。

There is no medicine against death。

没有长生不老药。

There is no place like home。

金窝银窝不如咱的狗窝。

There is no royal road to learning。

书山有路勤为径，学海无涯苦作舟。

The style is the man。

字如其人。

The tongue is not steel, yet it cuts。

人言可畏。

The water that bears the boat is the same that swallows it up。

水能载舟，亦能覆舟。

The wise man knows he knows nothing, the fool thinks he knows all。

清者自清，浊者自浊。

The wolf has a winning game when the shepherds quarrel。

螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后。

The world is a ladder for some to go up and others to go down。

世界如阶梯，有人上有人下。

The world is but a little place, after all。

海内存知己，天涯若比邻。

Think twice before you do。

三思而后行。

Things at the worst will mend。

否极泰来。

Time and tide wait for no man。

时不我待。

Time cures all things。

时间是医治一切创伤的良药。

Time flies。

光阴似箭。

Time is money。

时间就是金钱。

Time lost cannot be won again。

时光流逝，不可复得。

Time past cannot be called back again。

时间不能倒流。

Time tries all。

路遥知马力，日久见人心。

Tit for tat is fair play。

人不犯我，我不犯人；人若犯我，我必犯人。

To err is human。

人非圣贤，孰能无过。

To know everything is to know nothing。

什么都知道，一如什么都不知道。

To know oneself is true progress。

人贵有自知之明。

Tomorrow never comes。

我生待明日，万事成蹉跎。

Too much familiarity breeds contempt。

过分熟悉会使人互不服气。

Too much knowledge makes the head bald。

学问太多催人老。

Too much liberty spills all。

自由放任，一事无成。

Too much praise is a burden。

过多夸奖，反成负担。

To save time is to lengthen life。

节约时间就是延长生命。

Touch pitch, and you will be defiled。

常在河边走，哪有不湿鞋。

Troubles never come singly。

福无双至，祸不单行。

Truth never grows old。

真理永存。

Turn over a new leaf。

洗心革面，改过自新。

Two dogs strive for a bone, and a third runs away with it。

鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利。

Two heads are better than one。

一个好汉三个帮。

Two of a trade seldom agree。

同行是冤家。

Two wrongs do not make a right。

别人错了，不等于你对了。

Unity is strength。

团结就是力量。

Unpleasant advice is a good medicine。

忠言逆耳利于行。

Until all is over one's ambition never dies。

不到黄河心不死。

Venture a small fish to catch a great one。

吃小亏占大便宜。

Virtue is fairer far than beauty。

美德远远胜过美貌。

Walls have ears。

小心隔墙有耳。

Wash your dirty linen at home。

家丑不可外扬。

Water dropping day by day wears the hardest rock away。

滴水穿石。

Wealth is nothing without health。

失去健康，钱再多也没用。

We know not what is good until we have lost it。

好东西，失去了才明白。

Well begun is half done。

好的开始，是成功的一半。

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry。

井干方知水可贵。

We shall never have friends if we expect to find them without fault。

欲求完美无缺的朋友必然成为孤家寡人。

We should never remember the benefits we have offered nor forget the favor

received。

自己的好事别去提，别人的恩惠要铭记。

Wet behind the ears。

乳臭未干。

Whatever you do, do with all your might。

不管做什么，都要一心一意。

What is learned in the cradle is carried to the grave。

儿时所学，终生难忘。

What's done cannot be undone。

生米煮成熟饭了。

What's lost is lost。

失者不可复得。

What we do willingly is easy。

愿者不难。

When in Rome, do as the Romans do。

入国问禁，入乡随俗。

When everybody's somebody then nobody's anybody。

人人都伟大，世间没豪杰。

When sorrow is asleep, wake it not。

伤心旧事别重提。

When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions。

新仇旧恨，齐上心头。

When the fox preaches, take care of your geese。

黄鼠狼给鸡拜年，没安好心。

When wine is in truth, wit is out。

酒后吐真言。

Where there is a will, there is a way。

有志者事竟成。

Where there is life, there is hope。

留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。

Where there is smoke, there is fire。

事出有因。