英汉互译中的谚语巧合（1）

　　Corresponding English and Chinese proverbs and phrases（1）

　　1.After meat, mustard; after death, doctor .

　　雨后送伞

　　Explanation: this describes a situation where assistance or comfort is given

　　when it is too late.

　　Example: just as I had cancelled my application to go abroad, I had a

　　promise of money for my fare. It was a case of after death, the doctor.

　　2. After praising the wine they sell us vinegar.

　　挂羊头卖狗肉

　　Explanation: to offer to give or sell something that is inferior to what you

　　claim it to be.

　　Example: that fellow completely misled us about what he was capable of

　　doing. After praising the wine, he sold us vinegar.

　　3. All is over but the shouting.

　　大势已去

　　Explanation: finally decided¹ or won; brought to the end; not able to be

　　changed.

　　Example: after Bill’s touch down, the game is all over but shouting.

　　4. All lay load on the willing horse.

　　人善被人欺，马善被人骑

　　Explanation: a willing horse is someone who is always doing things for

　　others. Very often the implication is that others impose on him.

　　Examples: the trouble is you're too good-natured and people take advantage

　　of it. all lay load on the willing horse. You will have to learn to refuse

　　people who ask too much.

　　5.anger and haste hinder good counsel.

　　小不忍则乱大谋

　　Explanation: one can not act wisely when one is angry or in a hurry.

　　Example: you should calm down before you decide the next move. Anger and

　　haste hinder good counsel.

　　6. As poor as a church mouse

　　一贫如洗

　　Explanation: to be exceedingly poor, having barely to live upon.

　　Example: he has a large family, and is poor as a church mouse.

　　Note: a church is one of the few buildings that contain no food.

　　7. A word spoken is past recalling.

　　一言既出，驷马难追

　　Explanation: the harm done by a careless word can not easily undo².

　　Example: for the rest of his life he regretted what he had said, but a word

　　spoken is past recalling and he knew he could never repair the damage of

　　that moment of harshness.

　　NOW, TRY YOUR HAND ON THE FOLLOWING:（根据解释，试试翻译下面的谚语）

　　Love is blind.

　　beauty is a matter of individual taste and judgment³. This is often used of a

　　person whose judgment is affected⁴ by love or infatuation.

　　Better to die in glory than live in dishonor.

　　if one has the choice between living in shame and degradation⁵ and dying in

　　glory, it is better to die.

　　Birds of a feather flock together.

　　people who are alike often become friend or are together: if you are often

　　with certain people, you may be their friends or like them.

　　Blood, toil⁶, tears and sweat.

　　said of a person bending oneself to a task and exerting all efforts in the

　　performance of one duty.

　　Calamity⁷ is man true touchstone.

　　the most telling test of a man ability and worth comes when he has to face

　　great difficulties.

　　Clean conscience laughs at false accusation⁸.

　　a person who knows he has done no wrong is morally stronger than those who

　　falsely accuse him are.

　　Cry over spilt milk.

　　to cry or complain about something that has already happened

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

3 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 degradation   

n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变

参考例句：

• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。
• Gambling is always coupled with degradation.赌博总是与堕落相联系。

6 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

7 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

8 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。