Monday, June 09, 2008

The Cream of English Proverbs 017

The absent are always in the wrong.
理亏一方总是缺席者。
Description:
此语来自法国谚语“Les absents toujours tort”。两人相争,无论是裁决人还是旁观人总是更愿意谴责不在场的一方。正所谓当面是人背后是鬼。若是小小的过节也无关紧要,人都愿意买个好而不愿意得罪人,也属人之常情。但倘若在法庭上法官由此作出对缺席者的不利裁决,那么他买这个人情所付出的代价就过高了。

The Cream of English Proverbs 016

That which was bitter to endure may be sweet to remember.
艰难的经历,甜美的回忆。
Description:
这句源自拉丁谚语,它充满积极向上的精神。艰难的经历往往难以忘怀,不是因为苦难本身的甜美,而是因为经受苦难、战胜苦难的精神令人难忘。此谚语的寓意还在于,时间可以使平淡的往事如烟而去,但所经历的艰辛却永不褪色,并激励我们面对现实的挫折义无反顾,奋力向前。

The Cream of English Proverbs 015

Live and let live.
自己活也要让别人活。
Description:
这句谚语劝导人们要学会宽容,它可以说是现代人社会生活的行为准则。自己活,是坚持以自我为主,对自己的生活方式可以坚持;让别人活,是对世界多样化的认同,对他人的生活方式则要容忍。

The Cream of English Proverbs 014

Let the world wag.
任凭世事变迁。
Description:
此句谚语中wag一词在古英语中是“推移、变迁”之意,在现代英语中多为“摇摆”之意,因此如译为“让世界摇摆去吧”倒也形象,寥寥数语,表达的却是一种宽广大度的胸怀,抑或还包含着些许的无奈。世界之事又有多少是人力可为的呢?正所谓“Man proposes, God disposes”.顺其自然,潇洒些吧。

The Cream of English Proverbs 013

It needs more skill than I can tell to play the second fiddle well.
首席琴手好做,次席琴手难当。
Description:
此谚语出自英国19世纪著名演说家Charles H.Spurgeon, 原句是一个对句“It needs more skill than I call tell/To play the second fiddle well”。在任何一个地方,一把手相对好做,有自主权。辅助他的助手却要按照他的意志行事又要把事情做好,实属不易。然而即使你“宁为鸡首,不为牛后”,鸡首也只有一个,正如另一个英语谚语所说,“If two men ride on a horse, one must ride behind”。因此还是苦练琴艺,准备好作第二、第三亲手吧。

The Cream of English Proverbs 012

It takes all sorts to make a world.
大千世界,无奇不有。
Description:
世界本来就是多样化的,人类又何尝不是如此。因此当看到别和我们的长相、风俗习惯、为人处事以及观点态度不一样时,无需大惊小怪,应该怀着一颗宽容理解的心去对待。英语中还有一句更为常用的谚语“Live and let live”亦是同理,毕竟,世界之大千奇百怪。七彩世界是天赐的美丽,宽容又是人生的美丽。

The Cream of English Proverbs 011

If each would sweep before his own door, we should have a clean street(city).
家家各把门前扫,整条街道(城市)都会井井有条。
Description:
国人自古就有“各扫门前雪”之说,然而紧随其后者为“莫管他人瓦上霜”。今人多以此讽刺只顾自己不管他人之人与事。也难怪,中国人笃信互助,自私者当诛。然而,西方人的观念却不同,他们看重的是自助,正所谓“自助者天助(God helps those (that) help themselves)”。在他们看来,只要把自己门前雪扫好,他人瓦上霜自由他人去负责。倘若每家都将自己的门前清理干净,那么整条街道自然就干净了。

The Cream of English Proverbs 010

Don't put your finger in the pie.
不要多管闲事。
Description:
欧美人崇尚自主独立,不喜欢别人干涉自己的事务,因而告诫人们不要管闲事的言语、俗语也特别多,如“Mind your own business”,"Don't meddle in others' affairs"等。但是最形象的莫过于这个谚语。把手指放到别人的蛋糕里,谁都讨厌。这句谚语还可以说成“Don't put your finger into others' pie”或“Don't put (poke) your nose into others' pie”。当然后一种说法更叫绝,把手放到别人的蛋糕里就是够让人难以下咽了,何况是鼻子呢。因此,英文又把好打听别人私事、管别人闲事的人说成是“nosy guy”。

The Cream of English Proverbs 009

Don't quarrel with your bread and butter.
不要自砸饭碗。
Description:
这是一句充满实用主义色彩的名言。语言生动形象又不乏哲理。跟自己的奶油面包过不去的人肯定很傻,可有人偏偏这么做。作为个人,做事散漫懈怠,既不愿服从也不会合作;作为人类整体,不知道我们只有一个地球,破坏自己赖以生存的环境,这些不都是吗?

The Cream of English Proverbs 008

Death is the great leveler.
死亡使众生品等。
Description:
西方社会哲学崇尚人人平等,但是只要人活着,绝对意义上的平等是没有的。而在死亡面前却无高低贵贱之分。可谓“黄泉路上无贵贱”(Death spares neither smal nor great)。此谚语还在于提醒人们不要过分追逐身外之物,毕竟如另一谚语所言,“It will be all the same a hundred years hence”。

The Cream of English Proverbs 007

Dead men tell no tales.
死人不会泄密。
Description:
tell tales在此不是“讲故事”,而是“告密、泄漏秘密”之意。人死了谁还能说话?这个道理无人不知。但是“因为人死了就不会泄密了”,所以“最好敲掉他们的脑袋”(英国17世纪剧作家威尔逊语)未免就过分带毒了。如果说“Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead”是三箴其口者的格言,那么“Dead men tell not tales”则是杀人灭口者的赌咒。

The Cream of English Proverbs 006

A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country and in his own house.
先知不无光荣,只要不在故乡。
Description:
这句谚语源自《圣经》。先知乃圣人也,其名望在故乡却不如在他乡,这又是什么道理?并非是先知们在外普渡众生,在家胡作非为,而是家乡的人们从小看到大,了解他们的一言一行,一举一动,因而在他们眼中先知的神秘与神圣当然无存,真可谓生活中的伟人无异与凡人。

The Cream of English Proverbs 005

Art is long, life is short
人生有限,学海无涯。/人生短暂,艺术永恒。
Description:
这句谚语充分体现了英语语言发展的魅力。此语出自过罗马的医生,被尊为西方医学之父的希波克拉底。本意是说人生有限,医术无限 。art一词在过去的英语里是多指某一门技艺,而演变成现代英语还可指艺术,虽然“技艺”之意还在用。因此,后人多以此谈论艺术。美国著名私人浪费罗就曾在诗中引用此谚语赞叹艺术永恒的魅力。

The Cream of English Proverbs 004

An empty sack cannot stand upright.
空袋子站不直。
Description:
这是一句明白无误又有点冒傻气的大实话,却不乏寓意。空空的袋子只能瘫在地上,那么空着肚子的人呢?可谓人穷志短,人是铁,饭是钢,没得吃就只得去偷去抢。此语中透出的贫穷的蔑视与几个世纪以来西洋文化中对贫穷与道德的联系同源。“Poverty is the root of all evils”更是明确无误地说明了这一点。当然英语也有“Poverty is not a crime”,“Poverty is a pain, but not a shame”这样的谚语。毕竟没有对立就难称文化。

The Cream of English Proverbs 003

Accidents will happen in the best-regulated families.
家规再严也难免意外事。
Description:
语出英国小说家司各特。accidents乃天力所至而非人之明可逆料,不然就不叫“意外”了。家规严能律子女之言行却难控制人的思想,对家外之事更是鞭长莫及。曹雪芹老先生有言,“训有方,保不定日后作强梁。”中西两句名言道理何等地相似!只不过司各特的这句名言沿用至今已渐渐地淡化了“families”之意,主要用来说明组织再严谨,管理再严格的地方也会出漏子这个道理。“families”一词甚至可根据语境用其他词替换。

The Cream of English Proverbs 002

A lion may come to be beholden to a mouse.
狮子也可能要老鼠帮。
Description:
狮子为兽中之王,鼠乃大自然下等公民。可《伊索寓言》里偏偏有这么一则故事,说狮子一天逮了一只老鼠,老鼠对狮子说,“如果你把我放了,来日我肯定报答你”。日后果然狮子被人付之以绳,果然又是这只老鼠咬断了绳子把他给放了。人活世上谁不有求于人?人世沉浮,今日为君,明日为寇。能饶人处且饶人,能积德时多积德,落难之时才不至于呼天不应喊地不灵。

The Cream of English Proverbs 001

A cat may look at king.
猫也有权看国王。
Description:
猫和国王本来风马牛不相及,可是这句谚语确硬硬地把他们扯在了一起,国王威严尊贵,权利至高无上,可是专事抓耗子的阿猫瞧您一眼,陛下也奈何不得,倘若有人以权势、地位相轻于你,这句谚语便可派上用场了。完成至尊尚容猫看,你又算得上哪根葱?这句古老的英国谚语简洁精悍,朗朗上口。所有的词都是单音节词cat与king词义相远,却读音相近,首韵相押。

Country Star Darryl Worley Rediscovers Himself

By Larry LondonWashington08 August 2007Darryl Worley's album "Here and Now" takes his music in a new musical direction with songs about good times and living life to its fulllest. That new attitude is a throwback to his days playing local clubs and dances in his hometown of Pyburn, Tennessee.He is also more willing to express himself as he did in the video for "Nothing' But a Love Thang." "I wasn't divorced yet at the time. We decided to do kind of a steamy[sexy] video -- not too carried away. It got pretty steamy, and my wife kind of freaked out[go upset] about it. My mom wasn't that crazy about the video either."Despite his growing fame, Worley's root remain firmly planted in southern Tennessee. His charitable organization, The Darryl Worley Foundation, support local and national charities, while his annual fundraiser, the Tennessee River Run, promotes the area he calls home. "When I first started this business, I told my management , 'One of my dreams is to someday be successful enough in what I'm doing, to maybe have a big show back home, like the June Jam or whatever -- those big mainstay shows -- and do it for charity, bring all the proceeds and let it help those from my local area where I grew up."Worley has enjoyed greate success on the country music charts including three number one songs.As he takes his music in a new direction, he feels the best is yet to come, "I have grown a lot. I think we've spent a lot of time... I think everyone spends a lot of time worrying about things that you really can't control. I think for the most part, we just go along for the ride, I just get comfortable in my seat, and watch it all unfold."