15.Nice guys finish last. 意思是:好人吃虧。(guy=person)這與另壹句諺語相似:Nice(honest)people get short end of stick.(get short end of stick=not treated fairly); 也有老外說:(You)never give a sucker an even break.(妳從不給老實人公平待遇)(even break=fair dial;sucker是指老實或易受騙的人),就是「好人受欺」。
16. A small spark makes a great fire. 這與另壹句警語:「It takes one small spark to start a forest fire.」意義相同。 也就是我們所說的「星星之火,可以燎原」。其實也可以說是:A trifle may, often cause great disaster.(小事也會引起大災難)。
17. Out of sight, out of mind!意思是:看不見,心就不會想(煩惱)。 也就是咱們所謂「眼不見為凈」。也有人說是:「Long absent, soon forgotten」或「Seldom seen, soon forgotten.」「見得少,忘得快」或是「時間會沖淡感情」。說白些,就是:If you don’t see it, you just forget about it.
18. Treat others as you want to be treated. 意思是說:妳想別人怎樣對待妳,妳就要怎樣對待別人。或者說:Treat others as you want others to treat you,也可以說:Do unto others as you would have others(them)do unto you.(unto 是古體的介系詞=to)這與咱們所說的「己所不欲,勿施於人」意思相似。
19. There is no place like home. 意思是:沒有壹個地方像自己的家那麽好。 還有其他說法:East, West, home is best或Home, sweet home!或是No place is as desirable as home. 這就像中國人所說的「金窩銀窩,不如自己的狗窩。」 (home是指經過裝飾過而有人住的溫暖的家,而house可能只是空空沒人住過的房子)
20. Actions speak louder than words. 照字面意思是:行動比言語更響亮(有效)。 換句話說:采取行動要比高談闊論好(It is better to take action than just to talk about it.)即「事實勝於雄辯」。www.examw.com
21. The pot calls(或calling)the kettle black. 意思是:鍋嫌水壺黑。 此外,還有類似的諺語:All cats are(或look)black(或gray)in the dark.或者We are in the same boat.也就是說:大家彼此彼此(We are all equal或We are in the same situation。就像「五十步笑百步」或「烏鴉笑豬黑」。
22. Champagne tastes on a beer budget. 意思是說:只有喝啤酒的預算,卻有喝香檳酒的愛好。 也就是指壹些人花錢超出自己的能力。(Some people spend more money than they can afford.)或Some people live beyond their means.這不就是「打腫臉充胖子」嗎?
23. It never rains, but it pours. 照字面意思:不是微微細雨,而是大雨傾盆。 也就是說:壞事接二連三的降臨 (The bad thing come in succession.) 這與咱們所謂的「禍不單行」或「屋漏偏逢連夜雨,船破又逢對頭風」意思相似。
24. One picture is worth a thousand words. 意思是:壹張畫(或照片)勝過壹千字的描寫。如同中國人所說的「百聞不如壹見」。(Seeing is better than hearing a hundred times.) (註意:Words are worth a thousands pictures.,又是指壹篇文章描寫得十分生動)
25. A slip of tongue cannot be recalled.意思是:(不小心)說漏了嘴,是收不回來的。或者說:One word once let go can not be recalled. 這都是勸人說話要謹慎負責。即「壹言既出,駟馬難追」。
26. You cannot make filet mignon out of chopped liver. 意思是:妳不能從品質差的肉,制造品質高的肉。filet mignon 是法國小牛排,是 high quality of meat ,而 chopped liver 是指品質差的肉,這裏的 liver 未必是動物的肝臟,說白些,就是:Something with good quality can not be made with cheap material. 這與咱們所說的「朽木不可雕也」,頗有相似。
27. a chip off (或 of) the old block. 照字面說:木頭中的壹個碎片。 這與另外兩句諺語相似:「Like father, like son.」(相貌性格等酷似父親的兒子)「As the old cock crows, so crow the young.」(老公雞在叫,小公雞也跟著叫)(動詞時態:crow, crowed(或crew), crowed)因為孩子多半是模仿父母的(Children generally imitate their parents.)(多半指男性)這就是咱們所謂的「有其父必有其子」。
28. Make hay while the sun shines. 意思是:曬草要趁陽光好。 這與另壹句「seize the day」(把握今朝)= carpe diem 是拉丁文,意義相近。就是「行事要趁機會好」(make the most of an opportunity)。
29. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. 就是所謂「愚者倉促,智者小心」的意思,勸人不可輕舉妄動。(Don‘t jump without thinking.)
30. Judge not lest ye(=you)be judged.這句話是勸人不可批評別人。 (Don’t criticize others.)因為妳如果批評別人,那麽別人也會批評妳。(If you criticize others, you‘ll expect others to criticize you!)