第七章 美国人最常用英语谚语《英语自学笔记》I卷 English self-study notes

第七章 美国人最常用英语谚语 The most common English proverbs used by Americans

出走的娜拉：挪威戏剧家易卜生《玩偶之家》的主人公。她本是一个思想单纯、满足于家庭幸福的少妇，但丈夫海尔茂仅仅把她当作一个玩偶。后来，娜拉看清了丈夫自私卑鄙的本性。觉醒后的娜拉在圣诞节的深夜毅然离开了“玩偶之家”。后多形容那些反抗丈夫的家庭专制，追求自己独立人格和幸福的女人。 （1）勤奋、意志与成功 Diligence, will and success 鲁滨孙和星期五：出自《鲁滨孙漂流记》。鲁滨孙乘船去非洲时在海上遇到风暴，漂流到一个孤岛上，整整生活了28年，并养成了一种对任何事情都不失望的精神。他在孤岛上的第24个年头的一个星期五，在海里救起了一个“野人”，并为其取名“星期五”。3年后，二人逃离孤岛。鲁滨孙回到英国并成为巨富。后来，人们就常用“鲁滨孙和星期五”，来批评那些企图脱离社会的幻想。 Where there is a will, there is a way. 有志者事竟成。 No pains, no gains. 没有付出就没有收获。 Constant dripping wears away a stone. 水滴石穿，绳锯木断。 Care and diligence bring luck. 谨慎和勤奋才能抓住机遇。 Genius is nothing but labor anddiligence. 天才不过是勤奋而已。 Great hopes make great man. 伟大的抱负造就伟大的人物。 Industry is the parent of success. 勤奋是成功之母。 No rose without a thorn. 没有不带刺的玫瑰。 There is no royal road to learning. 书山有路勤为径，学海无涯苦作舟。 No way is impossible to courage. 勇者无惧。 （2）学习方法与态度 Learning methods and attitudes 山姆大叔：1812年美英战争时期，纽约州一位诚实能干的肉类包装商被人们亲切地称为山姆大叔。他担任纽约州和新泽西州的军需检验员。碰巧山姆大叔(Uncle Sam)的缩写与美国的缩写(U.S)相同，于是人们就管美国叫“山姆大叔”。美国人把山姆大叔诚实可靠、吃苦耐劳以及爱国主义精神视为自己民族的骄傲和共有的品质。1961年，美国国会正式承认山姆大叔为美国的民族象征。 Success belongs to the persevering. 坚持就是胜利。 The finest diamond must be cut. 玉不琢，不成器。 Adversity makes a man wise, not rich. 逆境出人才。 Practice makes perfect. 熟能生巧。 It is never too old to learn. 活到老，学到老。 Readingis to the mind while exercise to the body. 读书健脑，运动强身。 A man becomes learned by askingquestions. 不耻下问才能有学问。 Learn and live. 活着，为了学习。 Knowledge starts with practice. 实践出真知。 Books and friends should be few butgood. 读书如交友，应求少而精。 Complacency is the enemy of study. 学习的敌人是自己的满足。 Knowledge makes humble; ignorance makesproud. 知识使人谦虚，无知使人傲慢。 Knowledge advances by steps and not byleaps. 知识只能循序渐进，不能跃进。 A man can do no more than he can. 凡事都应量力而行。 A man cannot spin and reel at the sametime. 一心不能二用。 Easier said than done. 说得容易，做得难。 All things are difficult before theyare easy. 凡事总是由难而易。 It is the first step that coststroublesome. 万事开头难。 Man proposes, god disposes. 谋事在人，成事在天。 （3）健康与心态 Health and Mindset 斯芬克斯之迷：斯芬克斯是希腊神话中以隐谜害人的怪物。他对俄底浦斯的提问是，有一种生物，早晨用四只脚走路，当午用两只脚走路，傍晚用三只脚走路。这是什么？俄底浦斯回答是“人”，他猜中了，斯芬克斯羞愧地跳下悬崖摔死了。比喻复杂、神秘、难于了解的问题。 An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 一天一苹果，不用请医生。 Prevention is better than cure. 预防胜于治疗。 All work and no play makes Jack a dullboy. 只工作,不玩耍,聪明小伙也变傻。 Health is not valued till sicknesscomes. 病时方知健康可贵。 A close mouth catches no flies. 病从口入。 A good medicine tastes bitter. 良药苦口。 Good health is over wealth. 健康是最大的财富。 Happiness lies first of all in health. 幸福首先在于健康。 Cheerfulness is health; its opposite,melancholy, is disease. 欢乐就是健康,忧郁就是病痛。 （4）品行与操守 Character and Integrity 凤凰：希腊神话中的一种鸟。据说，凤凰每五百年自焚一次，再从灰烬里恢复青春。故凤凰象征永恒、再生。 Honesty is the best policy. 诚实不欺为上策。 Respect yourself, or no one else willrespect you. 要人尊敬，必须自重。 Patience is the best remedy. 忍耐是良药。 One good turn deserves another. 行善积德。 He knows most who speaks least. 大智若愚。 A still tongue makes a wise head. 寡言者智。 A candle lights others and consumesitself. 蜡烛照亮别人，却毁灭了自己。 He is not fit to command others thatcannot command himself. 正人须先正己。 He who makes constant complaint getslittle compassion. 经常诉苦，没人同情。 Do as you would be done by. 己所不欲，勿施于人。 （5）金钱与财富 Money and Wealth 奥吉亚斯的牛圈：出自希腊神话。奥吉亚斯是海神的儿子，他养了无数的牛，粪秽堆积如山。比喻累积成堆或肮脏腐败的难以解决的问题。 Gold will not buy anything. 黄金不能买尽一切。 The chief aim of man is not to get money. 人的主要目的并不是赚钱。 The money the miser hoards will do himno good. 守财奴积财，对自己毫无好处。 What is wealth good for, if it bringsmelancholy? 财富如带忧郁来，有了财富有何用？ Wealth makes worship. 财富能使人拜倒。 Please the eye and plague the heart. 贪图一时快活，必然留下隐祸。 Penny wise, pound foolish. 贪小便宜吃大亏。 （6）珍惜时光 Cherish your time 布利丹毛驴：出自14世纪法国哲学家布利丹的寓言。有一头饥饿毛驴站在两捆同样的干草之间，居然不知吃那边的干草才好，结果饿死了。比喻那些优柔寡断的人。 Time flies. 光阴似箭。 Time and tide wait for no man. 时不我待。 To save time is to lengthen life. 节约时间就是延长生命。 Time stays not the fool’s leisure. 时间不等闲逛的傻瓜。 Lost years are worse than lost dollars. 失去时光金不换。 Time is money. 时间就是金钱。 Time has wings. 光阴去如飞。 Time lost cannot be won again. 时光一去不复返。 （7）择友与友谊 Choosing Friends and Friendship 黑马：源于赛马场的俚语，指外表并不起眼，赛马时出人意料地夺魁的马匹，并非指马的毛色。1861年当时既无名气又无资历的阿伯拉罕。林肯当选为美国16任总统，因而曾被人们称为"黑马式的总统"。比喻实力或价值难以预测的人、物。 Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚，人以群分。 A man is known by his friends. 什么人交什么朋友。 Keep good men company and you shall beof the number. 近朱者赤，近墨者黑。 A friend in need is a friend indeed. 患难见真情。 A friend is easier lost than found. 得朋友难，失朋友易。 A faithful friend is hard to find. 知音难觅。 A friend is never known till a man has need. 需要之时方知友。 Misfortune tests the sincerity offriends. 患难见真情。 Pride goes before, and shame comesafter. 骄傲使人落后。 （8）常理与法则 Common sense and rules 鳄鱼的眼泪：西方传说，鳄鱼非常阴险狡猾，当它诱捕到猎物时，一边贪婪地吞噬，一边假惺惺地流泪。喻指虚假的眼泪，伪装的同情。后引申为一面伤害别人，一面装出悲天悯人的阴险狡诈之徒。 A good beginning is half done. 良好的开端是成功的一半。 Don’t put off till tomorrow what shouldbe done today. 今日事，今日毕。 Fact speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩。 Failure is the mother of success. 失败是成功之母。 A bird in the hand is worth than two inthe bush. 一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。 Seeing is believing. 眼见为实。 Still water run deep. 静水流深。 Strike the iron while it is hot. 趁热打铁。 When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 入乡随俗。 Look before you leap. 摸清情况再行动。 Experience must be bought. 吃一堑，长一智。 Make hay while the sun shines. 良机勿失。 He who does not advance loses ground. 逆水行舟，不进则退。 Every day is not Sunday. 好景不常在。 Every advantage has its disadvantage. 有利必有弊。 Every man has his faults. 金无足赤，人无完人。 Four eyes see more than two. 集思广益。 He laughs best who laughs last. 谁笑到最后，谁笑得最好。 The farthest way about is the nearestway home. 抄近路反而绕远路。 Take things as they come. 既来之，则安之。 Every man is the architect of his ownfortune. 自己的命运自己掌握。 The early bird catches the worm. 早起的鸟儿有虫吃。 It is no use crying over spilt milk. 覆水难收。 Don’t trouble trouble until troubletroubles you. 不要自找麻烦。 Don’t try to teach your grandmother tosuck eggs. 不要班门弄斧。 He is happy that thinks himself so. 自乐者常乐。 Content is better than riches. 知足者常乐。