[转帖] 英语 谚语

dream1999

<p>谚语是民俗文化的结晶，是人类智慧的火花。通过谚语能浏览一下英语国家思想与文化的精华，领略一下语言的精悍与传神。</p>
<p>偶然间，我碰到了这本英语谚语小册子。读完之后，很受启发。我在家园里潜水多年，受益匪浅。愿从此不断上传只言片语，算是微薄的回报吧。</p>
<p>1. A cat may look at a king.猫也有权看国王。</p>
<p>猫和国王本来风马车不相及，可是这句谚语硬硬地把他们扯在一起了。国王威严尊贵，全力至高无上，可专事抓老鼠的猫阿猫瞧你一眼，陛下恐怕也奈何不得吧。倘若有人以权势、地位相轻于你，这句谚语便可派上用场了。万乘之尊尚容猫看，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<font color="#ff0000">单音节词</font>，cat 与king 词义相远，却读音相近，首韵相押。</p>
<p>音节：<font color="#ff0000">音节</font>是读音的基本单位，任何单词的读音，都是分解为一个个音节朗读。在英语中元音特别响亮，一个元音可构成一个音节，一个元音和一个或几个辅音音素结合也可以构成一个音节。一般说来，元音可以构成音节，辅音不响亮，不能构成音节。但英语辅音字母中有 4 个辅音[m]，[n]，[ng]，[l]是响音，它们和辅音音素结合，也可构成音节。它们构成的音节往往出现在词尾，一般是非重读音节。英语的词有一个音节的，两个音节的，多个音节的，一个音节叫<font color="#ff0000">单音节</font>，两个音节叫<font color="#ff0000">双音节</font>，三个音节以上叫<font color="#ff0000">多音节</font>。如：take 拿，ta'ble 桌子，pota'to` 马铃薯，pop`ula'tion 人口，congrat`ula'tion 祝贺。tel'ecommu`nica'tion 电讯 <br/>划分音节的方法：元音是构成音节的主体，辅音是音节的分界线。两辅音之间不管有多少个元音，一般都是一个音节。如：bed 床，bet 打赌，seat 坐位，beat 毒打，beaut 极好的 beau'ty 美。两元音字母之间有一个辅音字母时，辅音字母归后一音节，如：stu'dent 学生，la'bour 劳动。有两个辅音字母时，一个辅音字母归前一音节，一个归后一音节，如：let'ter 信，win'ter 冬天。不能拆分的字母组合按字母组合划分音节。如：fa'ther 父亲，tea'cher 教师。 <br/><br/>1.音节按读音可以分为<font color="#ff0000">开音节</font>和<font color="#ff0000">闭音节</font>。以元音结尾的音节称为开音节,以辅音结尾的音节称为闭音节&nbsp;。 <br/>开音节又可以分为绝对开音节和相对开音节 <br/>(1)<font color="#ff0000"> 绝对开音节</font>：是指一个元音字母后面没有辅音字母而构成的音节，例如：we, hi, yo-yo <br/>(2) <font color="#ff0000">相对开音节</font>：是指一个元音字母后面有一个辅音字母(除r)之外，最后是一个不发音的e构成的音节，如:take, make <br/>在开音节中，这个元音字母发“字母”本身音，例如hi|hai|, use|ju:z| <br/>(3) <font color="#ff0000">闭音节</font>：指元音字母后面有辅音字母(辅音字母r除外)构成的音节，如：leg, cross <br/>2.音节按重读可以分为<font color="#ff0000">重读音节</font>和<font color="#ff0000">非重读音节</font> <br/>重读音节： 指在双音节或多音节词中有一个发音特别响亮的音节，叫重读音节，用重音符号“`”标于相应位置，其他音节为非重读音节，如begin |begin|，单音节词作重读处理，但不标重音符号。 <br/></p>

dream1999

 

 

2. A lion may come to be beholden to a mouse. 狮子可能也要老鼠帮。

狮为兽中之王，鼠乃大自然的下等之民。可《伊索寓言》里偏偏有这么一则故事，说狮子有一天逮了一只老鼠，老鼠对狮子说，“如果你放了我，来日我肯定会报答你。”日后，果然狮子被人付之一绳，果然又是这只老鼠咬断了绳子把他给放了。人活在世上谁不有求于人？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 Lion and the Mouse

 One day a Lion lay asleep in the jungle. A tiny Mouse, running about in the grass and not noticing where he was going, ran over the Lion's head and down his nose.

The Lion awoke with a loud roar, and down came his paw over the little Mouse. The great beast was about to open his huge jaws to swallow the tiny creature when "Pardon me, O King, I beg of you," cried the frightened Mouse. "If you will only forgive me this time, I shall never forget your kindness. I meant no harm and I certainly didn't want to disturb Your Majesty. If you will spare my life, perhaps I may be able to do you a good turn, too."

The Lion began to laugh, and he laughed and laughed. "How could a tiny creature like you ever do anything to help me? And he shook with laughter.

"Oh well," he shrugged, looking down at the frightened Mouse, "you're not so much of a meal anyway." He took his paw off the poor little prisoner and the Mouse quickly scampered away.

Some time after this, some hunters, trying to capture the Lion alive so they could carry him to their king, set up rope nets in the jungle. The Lion, who was hunting for some food, fell into the trap. Her roared and thrashed about trying to free himself but with every move he made, the ropes bound him tighter.

The unhappy Lion feared he could never escape, and her roared pitifully. His thunderous bellows echoed through the jungle. The tiny Mouse, scurrying about far away, heard the Lion's roars. "That may be there very Lion who once freed me," he said, remembering his promise. And he ran to see whether he could help.

Discovering the sad state the Lion was in, the Mouse said to him, "Stop, stop! You must not roar. If you make so much noise, the hunters will come and capture you . I'll get you out of this trap."

With his sharp little teeth the Mouse gnawed at the ropes until they broke. When the Lion had stepped out of the net and was free once more, the Mouse said, "Now, was I not right?"

"Thank you, good Mouse," said the Lion gently. "You did help me even though I am big and you are so little. I see now that kindness is always worth while."

Moral of the story: Even the strong sometimes need the friendship of the weak.

dream1999

 

3. Accidents will happen in the best-regulated families. 家规再严也难免意外事。

语出英国小说家司各特。Accidents 乃天力所致而非人之明可预料。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相似！只不过司各特的这句名言沿用至今已渐渐淡化了“families”之意，主要用来说明组织再严密，管理再严格的地方也会出漏子这个道理。“families”一词甚至语境用于其他词替换。

Sir Walter Scott was a novelist, poet, historian, and biographer who is often considered the inventor of historical novel. He began his literary career writing narrative poetry and editing multi-volume editions of John Dryden and Jonathan Swift. In 1814, he turned his attention to writing novels, and his first one, Waverley, was an immediate success. He followed up with a series of novels that, like Waverley, were set in his native Scotland and vividly depicted characters from all segments of Scottish society, the most popular of which is Ivanhoe, a story set in the 12th Century.

dream1999

4.   An empty sack cannot stand upright. 空袋子站不直。

这是一句明白无误又有点傻气的大实话，却又不乏寓意。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，没的吃只能去偷去抢。此语中透出的对贫穷的蔑视与几个世纪以前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。

补充几条关于“empty”的谚语

1. The empty vessels make the greatest sound .
满瓶不响，半瓶咣当。

2. Better an empty purse than an empty head.

宁可钱袋瘪，不要脑袋空。

3. He who gives fair words feeds you with an empty spoon

巧言令色，本性难移

4. Empty hands no hawk allure.

空手不能诱鹰来。

5. Better small fish than empty dish.

盘中小鱼胜无鱼

6. He that is full of himself is very empty.

自满之人腹内空。

7. An empty purse frightens many friends.

囊中无分文，亲友不上门。

dream1999

 

Art is long, life is short. 人生有限，学海无涯。人生短暂，艺术永恒。

这句谚语充分体现了英语语言发展的魅力。此语出自古罗马的医生，被尊称为西方医学之父的希波克克拉底。本意是说人生有限，医术无涯。Art 一词在过去的英语中多指某一种技艺，而演变成现代英语还可以指艺术，虽然“技艺”之意还在用。因此，后人多以此谈论艺术。美国著名诗人朗费罗就在诗中引用此谚语赞叹艺术永恒的魅力。

希波克拉底誓言

The Oath of Medicine

I swear by Apollo the physician, and Asclepius, and Hygieia and Panacea and all the gods and goddesses as my witnesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this contract:

To hold him who taught me this art equally dear to me as my parents, to be a partner in life with him, and to fulfill his needs when required; to look upon his offspring as equals to my own siblings, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or contract; and that by the set rules, lectures, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to students bound by this contract and having sworn this Oath to the law of medicine, but to no others.

I will use those dietary regimens which will benefit my patients according to my greatest ability and judgment, and I will do no harm or injustice to them.

I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

In purity and according to divine law will I carry out my life and my art.

I will not use the knife, even upon those suffering from stones, but I will leave this to those who are trained in this craft.

Into whatever homes I go, I will enter them for the benefit of the sick, avoiding any voluntary act of impropriety or corruption, including the seduction of women or men, whether they are free men or slaves.

Whatever I see or hear in the lives of my patients, whether in connection with my professional practice or not, which ought not to be spoken of outside, I will keep secret, as considering all such things to be private.

So long as I maintain this Oath faithfully and without corruption, may it be granted to me to partake of life fully and the practice of my art, gaining the respect of all men for all time. However, should I transgress this Oath and violate it, may the opposite be my fate.

我要遵守誓约，矢忠不渝。对传授我医术的老师，我要像父母一样敬重，并作为终身的职业。对我的儿子、老师的儿子以及我的门徒，我要悉心传授医学知识。我要竭尽全力，采取我认为有利于病人的医疗措施，不能给病人带来痛苦与危害。我不把毒药给任何人，也决不授意别人使用它。我要清清白白地行医和生活。无论进入谁家，只是为了治病，不为所欲为，不接受贿赂，不勾引异性。对看到或听到不应外传的私生活，我决不泄露。如果我能严格遵守上面誓言时，请求神祗让我的生命与医术得到无上光荣；如果我违被誓言，天地鬼神一起将我雷击致死。

 

 

 

 

A salm of Life---朗费罗

A Psalm of Life

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solenm main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

人 生 颂

享利.沃兹渥斯.朗费罗

别用悲切的诗句对我唱：
“人生只是虚幻的梦一场！”
因为昏睡的灵魂已死亡，
而事物不是看来那模样。

人生多真切！它决非虚度！
一抔黄土哪里会是它归宿；
“你来自泥尘，得重归泥尘。”
这话所指的并不是灵魂。

我们命定的终点和道路，
既不是享乐，也不是悲苦；
行动吧；要让每一个明天
看我们比今天走得更远。

学艺费光阴，时日去匆忙，
任我们的心勇敢又坚强，
却依然像那蒙住的丧鼓——
敲打着哀乐走向那坟墓。

在风云世界的广阔战场，
在人生征途的野宿营帐，
别像默默的牛羊任驱赶！
要争做英雄，能征善战！

将来再美好也别空指望！
让死的过去把死的埋葬！
干吧，在活着的此刻就干！
胸内有红心，头顶有上苍！

伟人的生平向我们指出：
我们能使此生超群脱俗——
一朝逝去，时间的沙滩上
将留下我们的脚印行行。

在庄严的生活之海航行，
也许有兄弟会遭遇不幸，
会因为航船沉没而绝望——
但见那脚印，又变得顽强。

就让我们振奋，行动起来，
凭着对付任何命运的胸怀；
不断去收获，不断去追求，
学会劳动，也要学会等候。

COMMENTS:

《人生颂》是西方第一首译为汉语的诗歌，由清咸丰年间户部尚书董恂以七言诗的形式率先译出。之后，新的译文相继不绝，有旧体，有新体，有格律体，也有自由体，在中国流传之广，虽不致妇稚皆知，却也颇有名声，稍懂点西方文学的人大概没有不知道的。这首诗之所以如此首受人青睐，与它乐观向上的思想内容及娴熟完美的表现技巧是分不开的。它节奏明快，音韵自然，读起来琅朗朗上口，适合大多数人的欣赏趣味。译文出自黄杲炘，略有修改。