英文谚语背后故事

一只猫的生命哲学:The Zen of Cat原来很大的道理不一定需要很难的语言去解释，本文简单地一问一答告诉我们，当身边的人离去时，他们其实活在我们的心里；告诉我们，生命原本是一个无所谓开始更无所谓结束的圆圈；告诉我们，每一段生命的结束都意味着新生命的开始。只要心中还有爱，有思念，我们就可以笑对生死，珍惜人生。——题记 The Man was very sad. He knew that the Cat’s days were numbered.The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done,that he should take the Cat home and make him as comfortable as possible.The man stroked the Cat on his lap and sighed.The Cat opened his eyes, purred and looked up at the Man. A tear rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead.The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed look.“Why do you cry, Man？”the Cat asded.“Because you can’t bear the thought of losing me？ Because you think you can never replace me？”The Man nodded “yes.”“And where do you think I’ll be when I leave you？”the Cat asked. The Man shrugged helplessly. “Close your eyes, Man,” the Cat said. The Man gave him a questioning look, but did as he was told.“What color are my eyes and fur？” the Cat asked. “Your eyes are gold and your fur is a rich, warm brown,” the Man replied.“And where is it that you most often see me？”asked the Cat. “I see you…on the kitchen windowsill watching the birds…on my favorite chair…on my desk lying on the papers I need…on the pillow next to my head at night.” “Then, whenever you wish to see me, all you must do is close your eyes,” said the Cat.“Pick up that piece of string from the floor——there, my ‘toy.’” The Man opened his eyes, then reached over and picked up the string. It was about two feet long and the Cat had been able to entertain himself for hours with it. “Now take each end of the string in one hand,” the Cat ordered. The Man did so.“The end in your left hand is my birth and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together,” the Cat said. The Man complied.“You have made a continuous circle,” said the cat.“Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string？” The Man inspected the string and then shook his head “no.”“Close your eyes again,” the Cat said.“Now lick your hand.” The Man widened his eyes in surprise.“Just do it,” the Cat said.“Lick your hand,think of me in all my familiar places, think about all the pieces of string.”The Man felt foolish, licking his hand, but he did as he was told. He discovered what a cat must know, that licking a paw is very calming and allows one to think more clearly. He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned upward into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to stop,and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed.The Man stroked the warm, brown fur, but the Cat was gone.The Man shut his eyes hard as the tears poured down his face. He saw the Cat on the windowsill, then in his bed, then lying across his important papers. He saw him on the pillow next to his head, saw his bright gold eyes and darkest brown on his nose and ears. He opened his eyes and through his tears looked over at the circle of string he still held clutched in his hand.One day, not long after, there was a new Cat on his lap. She was a lovely calico and white…very different from his earlier beloved Cat and very much the same. 男人非常伤心。他知道猫余下的日子不多了。医生说已经没得治了，他只能把猫带回家，并尽可能地让他在剩下的时间里过得舒服些。男人把猫放在腿上，叹了口气。猫睁开眼睛，呼噜呼噜地叫着，抬眼看了看男人。一滴眼泪从男人的脸颊边滑落，落在了猫的额头上。猫有点不高兴地看了他一眼。“你哭个什么啊，伙计？”猫问道，“因为你无法承受将要失去我的念头？因为你认为永远都没有什么能代替我？”男人点了点头。“是啊。”“那么你认为我离开你以后，会到什么地方去了呢？”猫问道。男人无望地耸了耸肩。“闭上眼睛吧，伙计，”猫说。男人疑惑地看了他一眼，但还是听话地闭上了眼睛。“我的眼睛和毛皮是什么颜色的？”猫问。“你的眼睛是金色的，你的毛皮是浓郁而温暖的褐色的。”男人回答道。“那你最常在什么地方见到我呢？”猫问。“我经常见到你……在厨房地窗台上看鸟……在我最喜欢的椅子上……躺在桌子上我需要用的文件上……晚上睡在我脑袋边的枕头上。”“那么，无论什么时候你想见我，你只要闭上你的眼睛就可以了。”猫说。“把地上的那段绳子捡起来——那里，我的‘玩具’。”男人睁开眼睛，伸手捡起了绳子。绳子大约有两英尺（约0.6米）长，猫曾经能够玩着绳子自娱自乐一玩就是几个小时。“现在用两只手捏住绳子的两端。”猫命令道。男人照做了。“你左手捏着的那端就是我的出生，而右手的那端就是我的死亡。现在把两端连在一起。”猫说道。男人又照做了。“你做出了一个连贯的圆圈，”猫说，“这个绳子上的任意一点同其他点有什么不同吗？比绳子的其他部分更好或者更差吗？”男人审视着那根绳子，然后摇了摇头。“没有。”“再次闭上你的眼睛，”猫说，“现在舔舔你的手。”男人惊讶地睁大了眼睛。“照我说的做吧，”猫说。“舔舔你的手，想想我在所有我熟悉的地方，想想所有的绳子。”要舔自己的手，男人觉得很蠢，不过他还是照做了。他发现了猫所知道的秘密——舔爪子能让你平静下来，并让你能够思考得更加清楚。他继续舔着，他的嘴角开始上翘，好多天来第一次露出了微笑。他等待着猫叫停，可是没等到，于是他睁开了眼睛。猫的眼睛已经闭上了。他摸了摸猫温暖的褐色皮毛，可是猫已经去了。男人用力地闭上了眼睛，泪如泉涌。他看到猫蹲在窗台上，然后是他的床上，然后躺在他的重要文件上。他看到猫在他脑袋边的枕头上，看到他明亮的金黄色的眼睛还有鼻子和耳朵上深褐色的毛发。他睁开眼睛，透过泪水看向他依然捏在手里的绳圈。不久以后的某一天，他的膝上有了一只新的猫咪。她是一只可爱的白色花斑猫——与之前那只他深爱的猫是那么的不同，然而又是那么的相同。

1、The friendship of a gentleman is insipid as water君子之交淡如水2、A friend is never known till a man has need.需要之时方知友。3、A faithful friend is the medicine of life.真诚的朋友如一剂生活的良药。4、What is a friend? A single soul dewlling in two bodies. 朋友是什么？两幅躯壳拥有同一个灵魂。5、No man is the whole of himself; his friends are the rest of him. 任何人自己都不是完整的；他的朋友是他的其余部分。

1.An Apple of Discord争斗之源；不和之因；祸根 An Apple of Discord直译为“纠纷的苹果”，出自荷马史诗Iliad中的希腊神话故事 传说希腊阿耳戈英雄(Argonaut)珀琉斯(Peleus)和爱琴海海神涅柔斯的女儿西蒂斯(Thetis)在珀利翁山举行婚礼，大摆宴席。 他们邀请了奥林匹斯上(Olympus)的诸神参加喜筵，不知是有意还是无心，惟独没有邀请掌管争执的女神厄里斯(Eris)。这位女神恼羞成怒，决定在这次喜筵上制造不和。于是，她不请自来，并悄悄在筵席上放了一个金苹果，上面镌刻着“属于最美者”几个字。天后赫拉(Hera)，智慧女神雅典娜(Athena)、爱与美之神阿芙罗狄蒂(Aphrodite)，都自以为最美，应得金苹果，获得“最美者”称号。她们争执不下，闹到众神之父宙斯(Zeus)那里，但宙斯碍于难言之隐，不愿偏袒任何一方，就要她们去找特洛伊的王子帕里斯(Paris)评判。三位女神为了获得金苹果，都各自私许帕里斯以某种好处：赫拉许给他以广袤国土和掌握富饶财宝的权利，雅典娜许以文武全才和胜利的荣誉，阿芙罗狄蒂则许他成为世界上最美艳女子的丈夫。年青的帕里斯在富贵、荣誉和美女之间选择了后者，便把金苹果判给爱与美之神。为此，赫拉和雅典娜怀恨帕里斯，连带也憎恨整个特洛伊人。后来阿芙罗狄蒂为了履行诺言，帮助帕里斯拐走了斯巴达国王墨涅俄斯的王后---绝世美女海伦(Helen)，从而引起了历时10年的特洛伊战争。不和女神厄里斯丢下的那个苹果，不仅成了天上3位女神之间不和的根源，而且也成为了人间2个民族之间战争的起因。因此，在英语中产生了an apple of discord这个成语，常用来比喻any subject of disagreement and contention;the root of the trouble;dispute等意义 这个成语最初为公元2世纪时的古罗马历史学家马克•朱里•尤斯丁(Marcus Juninus Justinus)所使用，后来广泛的流传到欧洲许多语言中去，成为了一个国际性成语。 eg: He throwing us an apple of discord,we soon quarrelled again. The dispute about inheriting estate formed an apple of discord between them. This problem seems to be an apple of discord between the Soviet union and the USA.2.The Heel of Achilles 亦作The Achilles' Heel唯一弱点；薄弱环节；要害 The Heel of Achilles直译是“阿基里斯的脚踵”，是个在欧洲广泛流行的国际性成语。它源自荷马史诗Iliad中的希腊神话故事。 阿基里斯是希腊联军里最英勇善战的骁将，也是荷马史诗Iliad里的主要人物之一。传说他是希腊密耳弥多涅斯人的国王珀琉斯和海神的女儿西蒂斯所生的儿子。阿基里斯瓜瓜坠地以后，母亲想使儿子健壮永生，把他放在火里锻炼，又捏着他的脚踵倒浸在冥河(Styx)圣水里浸泡。因此阿基里斯浑身象钢筋铁骨，刀枪不入，只有脚踵部位被母亲的手捏住，没有沾到冥河圣水，成为他的唯一要害。在特洛伊战争中，阿基里斯骁勇无敌，所向披靡，杀死了特洛伊主将，著名英雄赫克托耳(Hector)，而特洛伊的任何武器都无法伤害他的身躯。后来，太阳神(Apollo)把阿基里斯的弱点告诉了特洛伊王子帕里斯，阿基里斯终于被帕里斯诱到城门口，用暗箭射中他的脚踵，负伤而死。 因此，the heel of Achilles,也称the Achilles' heel，常用以表示a weak point in something that is otherwise without fault;the weakest spot等意思。 eg:The shortage of fortitude is his heel of Achilles. His Achilles' heel was his pride--he would get very angry if anyone criticized his work.3.Helen of Troy3.Helen of Troy 直译"特洛伊的海伦"，源自源自荷马史诗Iliad中的希腊神话故事。 Helen是希腊的绝世佳人，美艳无比，嫁给希腊南部邦城斯巴达国王墨涅俄斯(Menelaus)为妻。后来，特洛伊王子帕里斯奉命出事希腊，在斯巴达国王那里做客，他在爱与美之神阿芙罗狄蒂的帮助下，趁着墨涅俄斯外出之际，诱走海伦，还带走了很多财宝 此事激起了希腊各部族的公愤，墨涅俄斯发誓说，宁死也要夺回海轮，报仇雪恨。为此，在希腊各城邦英雄的赞助下，调集十万大军和1180条战船，组成了希腊联军，公推墨涅俄斯的哥哥阿枷门农(Agamemnon)为联军统帅，浩浩荡荡，跨海东征，攻打特洛伊城，企图用武力夺回海轮。双方大战10年，死伤无数，许多英雄战死在沙场。甚至连奥林匹斯山的众神也分成2个阵营，有些支持希腊人，有些帮助特洛伊人，，彼此展开了一场持久的恶斗。最后希腊联军采用足智多谋的奥德修斯(Odusseus)的“木马计”，里应外合才攻陷了特洛伊。希腊人进城后，大肆杀戮，帕里斯王子也被杀死，特洛伊的妇女、儿童全部沦为奴隶。特洛伊城被掠夺一空，烧成了一片灰烬。战争结实后，希腊将士带着大量战利品回到希腊，墨涅俄斯抢回了美貌的海轮重返故土。这就是特洛伊战争的起因和结局。正是由于海轮，使特洛伊遭到毁灭的悲剧，真所谓“倾国倾城”，由此产生了Helen of Troy这个成语。 特洛伊战争的真实性，已为19世纪德国考古学家谢里曼在迈锡尼发掘和考证古代特洛伊古城废墟所证实。至于特洛伊城被毁的真正原因，虽然众说纷纭，但肯定决不是为了一个美女而爆发这场战争的，与其说是为了争夺海轮而打了起来，毋宁说是为了争夺该地区的商业霸权和抢劫财宝而引起战争的。所谓“特洛伊的海伦”，实质上是财富和商业霸权的化身。中国历史上也有过“妲己亡商”，“西施沼吴”等传说，以及唐明皇因宠杨贵妃而招致“安史之乱”，吴三桂“冲冠一怒为红颜”等说法。汉语中有个“倾国倾城”的成语（语出《汉书•外戚传》：‘一顾倾人城，再顾倾人国’。）这里的“倾”字一语双光，既可指美艳非凡，令人倾倒；也可纸倾覆邦国。其含义与Helen of troy十分近似。 在现代英语中，Helen of Troy这个成语，除了表示a beautiful girl or woman;a beauty who ruins her country等意义外，还可以用来表示a terrible disaster brought by sb or sth you like best的意思。 eg:It is unfair that historians always attribute the fall of kingdoms to Helen of Troy. She didn't think of the beautiful umbrella bought the day before should become a Helen of Troy in her family.Because of this she and her husband quarreled for a long time.4.The Trojan Horse木马计；暗藏的危险；奸细 The Trojan Horse直译"特洛伊木马"，是个国际性成语，在世界各主要语言中都有。来自拉丁语equns Trojanus.这个成语甚至还进入到汉语词汇中，**同志在《矛盾论》中，谈到《水浒传》中宋江三打祝家庄时，就用了“木马计”这个典故。 这个成语出自荷马史诗《奥德赛》。希腊人和特洛伊人交战10年之久，胜负未决。最后，希腊著名的英雄奥德修斯(Odusseus)想出了一个木马计，用木头做了一匹巨马，放在特洛伊城外。全体希腊将士伪装撤退，乘船隐藏在附近的海湾里，而奥德修斯率领20名勇士事先藏进妈肚。特洛伊人误认为希腊人已经败退，大开城门，看到城外的巨大木马，以为这是希腊人敬神的礼物，就把它当作战利品拖进城来，大摆宴席，欢庆胜利。到了半夜，特洛伊人好梦正在酣，毫无戒备的时候，藏在木马里的希腊英雄们都爬了出来，打开城门，发出信号，与附近海湾里返回的希腊大军里应外合，一举摧毁了特洛伊城。 因此，The Trojan Horse经过不断引用而成为一个广泛流传的成语，常用来比喻the hidden danger;the covert wreckers（内奸）;to engage in underhand activities等的意义。 eg:The superpowers are always sending the Trojan horses to many countries in the world. They are defeated only because of the Trojan horse in their country. Greek Gift(s)阴谋害人的礼物；黄鼠狼拜年，不安好心 Greek Gift(s)直译是“希腊人的礼物”，出自荷马史诗《奥德赛》以及古罗马杰出诗人维吉尔(Publius Virgilius Maro,公元前70-前19年)的史诗《伊尼特》(Aeneis)中关于特洛伊城陷落经过的叙述。 据《奥德赛》卷8记述：许多特洛伊人对如何处置希腊人留下的大木马展开了辩论，“他们有三种主张：有的主张用无情的铜矛刺透中空的木马；有的主张把它仍到岩石上；有的主张让它留在那里作为京观，来使天神喜悦”。结果是后一说占优势，把那匹木马拖进城里来，终于遭到了亡国之灾。 维吉尔的史诗《伊尼特》，写的是特洛伊被希腊攻陷后，王子伊尼斯从混乱中携家属出走，经由西西里、迦太基到达意大利，在各地漂泊流亡的情况。史诗第2卷便是伊尼斯关于特洛伊城陷落经过的叙述，其中情节除了模拟荷马史诗的描述外，还做了更详细的补充。当特洛伊人要把大木马拖进城的时候，祭司拉奥孔(Laocoon)劝说不要接受希腊人留下的东西。他说：“我怕希腊人，即使他们来送礼”这句话后来成了一句拉丁谚语：“Timeo Danaos,et dona ferenteso."（原文的达奈人Danaos，即泛指希腊各部族人）译成英语就是：I fear the Greeks ,even when bringing gifts.其简化形式就是Greek Gifts.可惜特洛伊人不听拉奥孔的警告，把木马作为战利品拖进城里。木马里藏着希腊的精锐部队，给特洛伊人带来了屠杀和灭亡。由此，Greek gift成为一个成语，表示a gift with some sinister purposes of the enemy;one given with intent to harm;a gift sent inorder to murder sb等意思，按其形象意义，这个成语相当与英语的俚谚：When the fox preaches,take care of your geese；也与汉语“黄鼠狼给鸡拜年--不安好心”十分类似 eg:He is always buying you expensive clothes,I'm afraid they are Greek gifts for you. Comrades,be on guard against the Greek gifts! To meet Waterloo（倒霉，受毁灭性打击，灭顶之灾） 滑铁卢是一代天骄拿破仑遭受残败的地方。遭遇滑铁卢，对一个人来说，后果不堪设想。无怪据说二战期间，在准备诺曼底反攻时，温斯顿•丘吉尔和随员冒雨去某地开会，其随员因路滑而摔了一跤，脱口说一句“To meet Waterloo！”丘吉尔竟联想到拿破仑兵败滑铁卢的典故，恼怒地斥责他：“胡说！我要去凯旋门呢！” It's Greek to me．（我不知道） 英国人一般都不懂希腊语。这句话的直译是：对于我这是希腊语。自然是不明白的意思。 Greek Kalends（幽默，诙谐方式表达的永远不） Kalends是罗马日历的第一天。古希腊不用罗马日历，永远不会有这一天。 Castle in Spain（西班牙城堡，幻想，梦想。相当于汉语中的空中楼阁） 中世纪某一时期，西班牙是一个颇富浪漫色彩的国家，这句成语是和Castle in air（空中城堡）相齐名的。 Set the Thames on fire（火烧泰晤士河，这是何等伟大的壮举） 但是这句成语经常是反其义应用，指那些人对某事只是夸下海口，而不是真正想去做。 From China to Peru（从中国到秘鲁） 它的意义非常明白，指从世界的这一边到世界的那一边，相当于汉语的远隔重洋。 Between Scylla and Charybdis（锡拉和卡津布迪斯之间———在两个同样危险的事物之间：一个人逃出一种危险，而又落入另一种危险） 锡拉是传说中生活在意大利岩石的怪兽，卡津布迪斯是住在海峡中一端经常产生旋涡的另一个怪兽。水手为了躲避其中一个的危害，而常又落入另一个灾难。意大利这一方的海角叫凯尼斯（Caenys），西西里岛那一方的海角叫皮罗鲁姆（Pelorum）。 Spoil Egyptians（掠夺埃及———迫使敌人提供自己所需要的东西） 源于圣经：上帝答应摩西，埃及人必须借给以色列他们所需要的东西。 Do in Rome as Romans Do（在罗马，就按罗马人的方式办） 和我们的入乡随俗的意思一样。 Carry Coals to Newcastle（把煤送到纽卡斯尔）

The Dog in the Manger出自《伊索寓言》(Aesop's Fables)，有一篇狗站马槽的故事，说的是一头狗躺在堆满稻草的马槽里，狗是不吃草的动物，而当马或牛一走进稻草时，这头狗却朝着马，牛狂哮，不准食草动物享用。 因此，“狗站马槽”就成了一个家喻户晓的成语而进入英语中，常用来比喻a person who prevents others from enjoying sth that is useless to himself; a churlish fellow who will neither use a thing himself nor let others use it，讽刺那些占据说职位或某些物质却不做事的人。 The Dog in the Manger is a fable attributed to Aesop, concerning a dog who one afternoon lay down to sleep in the manger. On being awoken, he ferociously kept the cattle in the farm from eating the hay on which he chose to sleep, even though he was unable to eat it himself, leading an ox to mutter the moral of the fable: People often begrudge others what they cannot enjoy themselves. The phrase is proverbial, referring to people who prevent others from having something that they themselves have no use for. A typical example is the child who discards a toy — until a sibling tries to play with it. Then the first child becomes possessive about something they no longer wanted. A twist on the story was used by Charles Schulz in a "Peanuts" strip, in which Lucy van Pelt acquires a baseball card of Charlie Brown's favorite player, and she refuses to give it to him. After he leaves disconsolately, she decides she doesn't really like the card that well, and throws it away. In Spanish, the story is called El Perro del Hortelano, or The Vegetable Gardener's Dog. The metaphor is also attributed to Jesus in The Gospel of Thomas by comparing the dog with the Pharisees.

A friend is easier lost than found.得朋友难，失朋友易。 A joke never gains an enemy but loses a friend. 戏谑不能化敌为友，只能使人失去朋友。Between friends all is common.朋友之间不分彼此。The friendship of a gentleman is insipid as water.君子之交淡如水。A faithful friend is the medicine of life. 真诚的朋友如一剂生活的良药。 What is a friend? A single soul dewlling in two bodies. 朋友是什么？两幅躯壳拥有同一个灵魂。 A friend is never known till a man has need. 需要之时方知友。 No man is the whole of himself; his friends are the rest of him. 任何人自己都不是完整的；他的朋友是他的其余部分。

我给贴谚语，由来你可以照着汉语找A bad beginning makes a bad ending.不善始者不善终。 A bad thing never dies.遗臭万年。 A bad workman always blames his tools.不会撑船怪河弯。 A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush.一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。 A boaster and a liar are cousins-german.吹牛与说谎本是同宗。 A bully is always a coward.色厉内荏。 A burden of one's choice is not felt.爱挑的担子不嫌重。 A candle lights others and consumes itself.蜡烛照亮别人，却毁灭了自己。 A cat has 9 lives.猫有九条命。 A cat may look at a king.人人平等。 A close mouth catches no flies.病从口入。 A constant guest is never welcome.常客令人厌。 Actions speak louder than words.事实胜于雄辩。 Adversity leads to prosperity.穷则思变。 Adversity makes a man wise, not rich.逆境出人才。 A fair death honors the whole life.死得其所，流芳百世。 A faithful friend is hard to find.知音难觅。 A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.吃一堑，长一智。 A fox may grow gray, but never good.江山易改，本性难移。 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 friend is never known till a man has need.需要之时方知友。 A friend without faults will never be found.没有十全十美的朋友。 'After you' is good manners.“您先请”是礼貌。 A good beginning is half done.良好的开端是成功的一半。 A good beginning makes a good ending.善始者善终。 A good book is a good friend.好书如挚友。 A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever.一本好书，相伴一生。 A good conscience is a soft pillow.不做亏心事，不怕鬼叫门。 A good fame is better than a good face.美名胜过美貌。 A good husband makes a good wife.夫善则妻贤。 A good medicine tastes bitter.良药苦口。 A good wife health is a man's best wealth.妻贤身体好是男人最大的财富。 A great talker is a great liar.说大话者多谎言。 A hedge between keeps friendship green.君子之交淡如水。 A joke never gains an enemy but loses a friend.戏谑不能化敌为友，只能使人失去朋友。 A leopard cannot change its spots.积习难改。 A liar is not believed when he speaks the truth.说谎者即使讲真话也没人相信。 A light heart lives long.静以修身。 A little body often harbors a great soul.浓缩的都是精品。 A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.一知半解，自欺欺人。 A little pot is soon hot.狗肚子盛不得四两油。 All are brave when the enemy flies.敌人逃窜时，人人都成了勇士。 All good things come to an end.天下没有不散的筵席。 All rivers run into sea.海纳百川。 All roads lead to Rome.条条大路通罗马。 All that ends well is well.结果好，就一切都好。 All that glitters is not gold.闪光的不一定都是金子。 All things are difficult before they are easy.凡事总是由难而易。 All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.只会用功不玩耍，聪明孩子也变傻。 A man becomes learned by asking questions.不耻下问才能有学问。 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 same time.一心不能二用。 A man is known by his friends.什么人交什么朋友。 A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.光说空话不做事，犹如花园光长刺。 A man without money is no man at all.一分钱难倒英雄汉。 A merry heart goes all the way.心旷神怡，事事顺利。 A miss is as good as a mile.失之毫厘，差之千里。 A mother's love never changes.母爱永恒。 An apple a day keeps the doctor away.一天一苹果，不用请医生。 A new broom sweeps clean.新官上任三把火。 An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.以眼还眼，以牙还牙。 An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening.一日之计在于晨。 An old dog cannot learn new tricks.老狗学不出新把戏。 An ounce of luck is better than a pound of wisdom.聪明才智，不如运气。 An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.预防为主，治疗为辅。 A rolling stone gathers no moss.滚石不生苔，转业不聚财。 As a man sows, so he shall reap.种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。 A single flower does not make a spring.一花独放不是春，百花齐放春满园。 A snow year, a rich year.瑞雪兆丰年。 A sound mind in a sound body.健全的精神寓于健康的身体。 A still tongue makes a wise head.寡言者智。 A stitch in time saves nine.小洞不补，大洞吃苦。 A straight foot is not afraid of a crooked shoe.身正不怕影子斜。 A wise head makes a close mouth.真人不露相，露相非真人。 A word spoken is past recalling.一言既出，驷马难追。 A year's plan starts with spring.一年之计在于春。 A young idler, an old beggar.少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。 Bad news has wings.好事不出门，坏事传千里。 Barking dogs seldom bite.吠犬不咬人。 Beauty lies in the love's eyes.情人眼里出西施。 Be swift to hear, slow to speak.听宜敏捷，言宜缓行。 Better late than never.不怕慢，单怕站。 Better to ask the way than go astray.问路总比迷路好。 Between friends all is common.朋友之间不分彼此。 Birds of a feather flock together.物以类聚，人以群分。 Blood is thicker than water.血浓于水。 Blood will have blood.血债血偿。 Books and friends should be few but good.读书如交友，应求少而精。 Business is business.公事公办。 Business is the salt of life.事业是人生的第一需要。 By reading we enrich the mind, by conversation we polish it.读书使人充实，交谈使人精明。 Cannot see the wood for the trees.一叶障目，不见泰山。 Care and diligence bring luck.谨慎和勤奋才能抓住机遇。 Caution is the parent of safety.小心驶得万年船。 Cheats never prosper.骗人发不了财。 Children are what the mothers are.耳濡目染，身教言传。 Choose an author as you choose a friend.择书如择友。 Come what may, heaven won't fall.做你的吧，天塌不下来。 Complacency is the enemy of study.学习的敌人是自己的满足。 Confidence in yourself is the first step on the road to success.自信是走向成功的第一步。 Constant dripping wears away a stone.水滴石穿，绳锯木断。 Content is better than riches.知足者常乐。 Count one's chickens before they are hatched.蛋未孵先数雏。 Courtesy on one side only lasts not long.来而不往非礼也。 Creep before you walk.循序渐进。 Cry for the moon.海底捞月。 Custom is a second nature.习惯是后天养成的。 Custom makes all things easy.有个好习惯，事事皆不难。 Diamond cuts diamond.强中自有强中手。 Do as the Romans do.入乡随俗。 Do as you would be done by.己所不欲，勿施于人。 Doing is better than saying.与其挂在嘴上，不如落实在行动上。 Do it now.机不可失，时不再来。 Do nothing by halves.凡事不可半途而废。 Don't claim to know what you don't know.不要不懂装懂。 Don't have too many irons in the fire.不要揽事过多。 Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.不要小题大做。 Don't put off till tomorrow what should be done today.今日事，今日毕。 Don't put the cart before the horse.不要本末倒置。 Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.不要自找麻烦。 Don't try to teach your grandmother to suck eggs.不要班门弄斧。 Do well and have well.善有善报。 Each bird love to hear himself sing.孤芳自赏。 Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.早睡早起身体好。 Easier said than done.说得容易，做得难。 Easy come, easy go.来也匆匆，去也匆匆。 Eat to live, but not live to eat.人吃饭是为了活着，但活着不是为了吃饭。 Empty vessels make the greatest sound.实磨无声空磨响，满瓶不动半瓶摇。 Envy has no holidays.忌妒之人无宁日。 Even Homer sometimes nods.智者千虑，必有一失。 Even reckoning makes long friends.亲兄弟，明算账。 Every advantage has its disadvantage.有利必有弊。 Everybody's business is nobody's business.人人负责，等于没人负责。 Every day is not Sunday.好景不常在。 Every dog has his day.谁都有得意的时候。 Every door may be shut, but death's door.人生在世，唯死难逃。 Every heart has its own sorrow.各人有各人的苦恼。 Every little helps a mickle.聚沙成塔，集腋成裘。 Every man for himself, and the devil takes the hindmost.人不为己，天诛地灭。 Every man has his faults.金无足赤，人无完人。 Every man has his hobbyhorse.萝卜青菜，各有所爱。 Every man has his weak side.人人都有弱点。 Every man is the architect of his own fortune.自己的命运自己掌握。 Every minute counts.分秒必争。 Every mother's child is handsome.孩子是自己的好。 Every potter praises hit pot.王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸。 Everything is good when new, but friends when old.东西是新的好，朋友是老的亲。 Example is better then percept.说一遍，不如做一遍。 Experience is the father of wisdom and memory the mother.经验是智慧之父，记忆是智慧之母。 Experience must be bought.吃一堑，长一智。 Fact speak louder than words.事实胜于雄辩。 Failure is the mother of success.失败是成功之母。 False friends are worse than bitter enemies.明枪易躲，暗箭难防。 Far from eye, far from heart.眼不见，心不烦。 Far water does not put out near fire.远水救不了近火。 Faults are thick where love is thin.一朝情意淡，样样不顺眼。 Fear always springs from ignorance.恐惧源于无知。 Fields have eyes, and woods have ears.隔墙有耳。 Fire and water have no mercy.水火无情。 Fire is a good servant but a bad master.火是一把双刃剑。 First come, first served.先来后到。 First impressions are half the battle.初次见面，印象最深。 First think and then speak.先想后说。 Fools grow without watering.朽木不可雕。 Fool's haste is no speed.欲速则不达。 Fools has fortune.呆人有呆福。 Fools learn nothing from wise men, but wise men learn much from fools.愚者不学无术，智者不耻下问。 Forbidden fruit is sweet.禁果格外香。 Fortune favors those who use their judgement.机遇偏爱善断之人。 Fortune knocks once at least at every man's gate.风水轮流转。 Four eyes see more than two.集思广益。 Friends agree best at distance.朋友之间也会保持距离。 Friends are thieves of time.朋友是时间的窃贼。 Friends must part.再好的朋友也有分手的时候。 Genius is nothing but labor and diligence.天才不过是勤奋而已。 Give a dog a bad name and hang him.众口铄金，积毁销骨。 God helps those who help themselves.自助者天助。 Gold will not buy anything.黄金并非万能。 Good for good is natural, good for evil is manly.以德报德是常理，以德报怨大丈夫。 Good health is over wealth.健康是最大的财富。 Good medicine for health tastes bitter to the mouth.良药苦口利于病。 Good watch prevents misfortune.谨慎消灾。 Great barkers are no biters.好狗不挡道。 Great hopes make great man.伟大的抱负造就伟大的人物。 Great minds think alike.英雄所见略同。 Great men have great faults.英雄犯大错误。 Great men's sons seldom do well.富不过三代。 Great trees are good for nothing but shade.大树底下好乘凉。 Great wits have short memories.贵人多忘事。 Greedy folks have long arms.心贪手长。 Guilty consciences make men cowards.做贼心虚。 Habit cures habit.心病还需心药医。 Handsome is he who does handsomely.行为漂亮才算美。 Happiness takes no account of time.欢乐不觉时光过。 Happy is he who owes nothing.要想活得痛快，身上不能背债。 Happy is the man who learns from the misfortunes of others.吸取他人教训，自己才会走运。 Harm set, harm get.害人害己。 Hasty love, soon cold.一见钟情难维久。 Health is better than wealth.健康胜过财富。 Health is happiness.健康就是幸福。 Hear all parties.兼听则明。 Heaven never helps the man who will not act.自己不动，叫天何用。 He is a fool that forgets himself.愚者忘乎所以。 He is a good friend that speaks well of us behind our backs.背后说好话，才是真朋友。 He is a wise man who speaks little.聪明不是挂在嘴上。 He is lifeless that is faultless.只有死人才不犯错误。 He is not fit to command others that cannot command himself.正人先正己。 He is not laughed at that laughs at himself first.自嘲者不会让人见笑。 He is wise that is honest.诚实者最明智。 He knows most who speaks least.大智若愚。 He laughs best who laughs last.谁笑到最后，谁笑得最好。 He sets the fox to keep the geese.引狼入室。 He that climbs high falls heavily.爬得越高，摔得越重。 He that will not work shall not eat.不劳动者不得食。 He who does not advance loses ground.逆水行舟，不进则退。 He who makes constant complaint gets little compassion.经常诉苦，没人同情。 He who makes no mistakes makes nothing.想不犯错误，就一事无成。 He who risks nothing gains nothing.收获与风险并存。 History repeats itself.历史往往重演。 Honesty is the best policy.做人诚信为本。 Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.抱最好的愿望，做最坏的打算。 I cannot be your friend and your flatterer too.朋友不能阿谀奉承。 If a man deceives me once, shame on him, if he deceives me twice, shame on me.上当一回头，再多就可耻。 If you make yourself an ass, don't complain if people ride you.人善被人欺，马善被人骑。 If your ears glow, someone is talking of you.耳朵发烧，有人念叨。 If you run after two hares, you will catch neither.脚踏两条船，必定落空。 If you sell the cow, you sell her milk too.杀鸡取卵。 If you venture nothing, you will have nothing.不入虎穴，焉得虎子。 If you want knowledge, you must toil for it.要想求知，就得吃苦。 Industry is the parent of success.勤奋是成功之母。 It is better to die when life is a disgrace.宁为玉碎，不为瓦全。 It is easier to get money than to keep it.挣钱容易攒钱难。 It is easy to be wise after the event.事后诸葛亮好当。 It is easy to open a shop but hard to keep it always open.创业容易守业难。 It is hard to please all.众口难调。 It is never too old to learn.活到老，学到老。 It is no use crying over spilt milk.覆水难收。 It is the first step that costs troublesome.万事开头难。 It is the unforeseen that always happens.天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。 It is too late to grieve when the chance is past.坐失良机，后悔已迟。 It never rains but it pours.不鸣则已，一鸣惊人。 It takes three generations to make a gentleman.十年树木，百年树人。 Jack of all trades and master of none.门门精通，样样稀松。 Judge not from appearances.人不可貌相，海不可斗量。 Justice has long arms.天网恢恢，疏而不漏。 Keep good men company and you shall be of the number.近朱者赤，近墨者黑。 Kill two birds with one stone.一箭双雕。 Kings go mad, and the people suffer for it.君王发狂，百姓遭殃。 Kings have long arms.普天之下，莫非王土。 Knowledge is power.知识就是力量。 Knowledge makes humble, ignorance makes proud.博学使人谦逊，无知使人骄傲。 Learn and live.活着，为了学习。 Learning makes a good man better and ill man worse.好人越学越好，坏人越学越坏。 Learn not and know not.不学无术。 Learn to walk before you run.先学走，再学跑。 Let bygones be bygones.过去的就让它过去吧。 Let sleeping dogs lie.别惹麻烦。 Let the cat out of the bag.泄漏天机。 Lies can never changes fact.谎言终究是谎言。 Lies have short legs.谎言站不长。 Life is but a span.人生苦短。 Life is half spent before we know what it is.人过半生，方知天命。 Life is not all roses.人生并不是康庄大道。 Life without a friend is death.没有朋友，虽生犹死。 Like a rat in a hole.瓮中之鳖。 Like author, like book.文如其人。 Like father, like son.有其父必有其子。 Like for like.一报还一报。 Like knows like.惺惺相惜。 Like mother, like daughter.有其母必有其女。 Like teacher, like pupil.什么样的老师教什么样的学生。 Like tree, like fruit.羊毛出在羊身上。 Little things amuse little minds.小人无大志。 Look before you leap.摸清情况再行动。 Lookers-on see more than players.当局者迷，旁观者清。 Losers are always in the wrong.胜者为王，败者为寇。 Lost time is never found again.岁月既往，一去不回。 Love at first sight.一见钟情。 Love cannot be compelled.爱情不能强求。 Love is blind.爱情是盲目的。 Love is full of trouble.爱情充满烦恼。 Love is never without jealousy.没有妒忌就没有爱情。 Love me, love my dog.爱屋及乌。 Make hay while the sun shines.良机勿失。 Make your enemy your friend.化敌为友。 Man is the soul of the universe.人是万物之灵。 Man proposes, God disposes.谋事在人，成事在天。 Many hands make light work.众人拾柴火焰高。 Many heads are better than one.三个臭皮匠，赛过诸葛亮。 Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there.有心栽花花不发，无心插柳柳成荫。 Measure for measure.针锋相对。 Misfortunes never come alone.祸不单行。 Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends.患难见真情。 Money isn't everything.钱不是万能的。 Murder will out.纸包不住火。 My son is my son till he has got him a wife, but my daughter is my daughter all the days of her life.儿子婚前是儿子，女儿终生是女儿。 Nature is the true law.天行有常，不为尧存，不为桀亡。 Necessity is the mother of invention.需要是发明的动力。 Never fish in trouble water.不要混水摸鱼。 Never judge from appearances.不可以貌取人。 Never say die.永不言败。 Never too old to learn, never too late to turn.亡羊补牢，为时未晚。 New wine in old bottles.旧瓶装新酒。 No cross, no crown.不经历风雨，怎么见彩虹。 No garden without its weeds.没有不长草的园子。 No living man all things can.世上没有万事通。 No man can do two things at once.一心不可二用。 No man is born wise or learned.没有生而知之者。 No man is content.人心不足蛇吞象。 No man is wise at all times.聪明一世，糊涂一时。 None are so blind as those who won't see.视而不见。 None are so deaf as those who won't hear.充耳不闻。 No news is good news.没有消息就是好消息。 No one can call back yesterday.昨日不会重现。 No pains, no gains.没有付出就没有收获。 No pleasure without pain.没有苦就没有乐。 No rose without a thorn.没有不带刺的玫瑰。 No sweet without sweat.先苦后甜。 No smoke without fire.无风不起浪。 Nothing brave, nothing have.不入虎穴，焉得虎子。 Nothing dries sooner than a tear.眼泪干得最快。 Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind to it.世上无难事，只怕有心人。 Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.世上无难事，只要肯登攀。 Nothing seek, nothing find.没有追求就没有收获。 Nothing is so necessary for travelers as languages.外出旅行，语言最要紧。 Nothing is to be got without pains but poverty.世上唯有贫穷可以不劳而获。 Not to advance is to go back.不进则退。 Not to know what happened before one was born is always to be a child.不懂世故，幼稚可笑。 No way is impossible to courage.勇者无惧。 Obedience is the first duty of a soldier.军人以服从命令为天职。 Observation is the best teacher.观察是最好的老师。 Offense is the best defense.进攻是最好的防御。 Old friends and old wines are best.陈酒味醇，老友情深。 Old sin makes new shame.一失足成千古恨。 Once a man and twice a child.一次老，两次小。 Once a thief, always a thief.偷盗一次，做贼一世。 Once bitten, twice shy.一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳。 One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy.一个和尚挑水喝，两个和尚抬水喝，三个和尚没水喝。 One cannot put back the clock.时钟不能倒转。 One eyewitness is better than ten hearsays.百闻不如一见。 One false move may lose the game.一着不慎，满盘皆输。 One good turn deserves another.行善积德。 One hour today is worth two tomorrow.争分夺秒效率高。 One man's fault is other man's lesson.前车之鉴。 One never loses anything by politeness.讲礼貌不吃亏。 One swallow does not make a summer.一燕不成夏。 One's words reflect one's thinking.言为心声。 Out of debt, out of danger.无债一身轻。 Out of office, out of danger.无官一身轻。 Out of sight, out of mind.眼不见，心为静。 Patience is the best remedy.忍耐是良药。 Penny wise, pound foolish.贪小便宜吃大亏。 Plain dealing is praised more than practiced.正大光明者，说到的多，做到的少。 Please the eye and plague the heart.贪图一时快活，必