經典趣味諺語的中英文兩譯

·一日為師，終身為父

有這樣的譯法：

He who teaches me for one day is my father for life.

If you are my teacher for even one day，you will be my teacher （mentor） all my life.

He who teaches me may be considered my father-figure for life.

這幾種譯法意思都是“老師即使對我只有一天的教誨，也會讓我一生都受用不盡。”外國人也有他們表達師生關係的諺語，如：

Teach others to fish and they will fish for a lifetime.（授人以魚，不如授人以漁）

Give a man fish，he will have a meal； teach him to fish，he will have food all his life.

·忠言逆耳，良藥苦口

有人譯成：

Faithful words are contrary to the ears； good medicine tastes bitter to the mouth.

也有人反譯為：

Bitter words are medicine； sweet words bring illness.

Good advice often jars on the ears； bitter pills have good effects.

這些説法，老外也會“一知半解”，不如直接一點説成：

Honest advice may be distasteful to the recipient.

Honest advice is hard to accept.

Truth is a hard pill to swallow.

更簡單的説就是：

Truth hurts.

·近墨者黑，近朱者赤

有人直譯為：

one who stays near vermilion gets stained red，and one who stays near ink gets stained black.（vermilion 是硃砂或鮮紅色的意思）

也有人譯成：

When you touch black，you become black；when you touch red，you become red.

這種説法，恐怕老外一時無法理解真正含意。不過他們倒有這麼説：

One takes the behavior of one’s company. （一個人的'行為，往往受到朋友的影響。） 或

One takes on the attributes of one’s associates. （attributes 複數時是指品質、特性；associates 指朋友、同事）

簡單的説，就是：

Watch the company you keep！（小心交朋友！）

或者也可以説成：

As he who lies with dogs will ride with fleas，how could your son learn anything good by mixing with those people？ （你兒子跟那些人混在一起，能學出個好來？）