本文是借花献佛，出处是中青网，稍加整理得此。
汉语中的俗语很多，我们常常用它们表达丰富的特定信息，可是在翻译的时候有时会因为过于“信”，而把翻译做得令老外一头雾水，从而使翻出的句子不“达”。这同样违背了翻译的原则----“信达雅”。在实际生活中，老外常常也会用到这些俗语的意思，不过他们用到的喻体常常和我们不一样。下面仅举12例，紫色是他们可以接受的翻译，粉色是他们常说的句子。
1. 一桶水摇不响，半桶水响叮当。
A little knowledge /learning can be /is dangerous. 一知半解很危险。
Still water runs deep. 静水深不可测。（静水流深）
He who knows the most sayse the least. 懂得越多的人，反而说得越少。
2. 大智若愚
A truly wise person does not show off his/her ability.
3.水落石出
All secrets may eventually come to light. 所有秘密最后总会曝光。
Eventually, every secret will be disclosed.
4.这山望到那山高
If you stand on a mountain, you feel the distant mountain seems higher than yours.
The grass always looks greener on the other side.
5.烈火见真金，患难见真情
Fire is the test of gold; adversity is the test of friendship.
Liquor brings out a person's true color. 烈酒能显示一个人真正的特色。
Wine reveals a person's true heart.
虽然老外不用“烈火炼真金”的比喻，但有“路遥知马力”的说法：
By a long road, we know a horse's strength; at times of difficulty, we discover a friend's true character.
6.雷声大，雨点小
The thunder roars loudly, but little rain falls.
All we hear is thunder, but no rain falls.
虽然这样直译比较容易理解，但是老外的说法是这样的。
Action speak louder than words.
All we hear is words, but there is no action.
Actions and words should go hand in hand.
An empty barrel makes biggest sound.
7.人不可貌相，海水不可斗量。
A man can not be judged by his appearance, nor can the water in the sea be measured by a bucket.
不过，老外通常的说法是这样的：
We cannot judge a person by appearance only.
You can't judge a book by its cover.
8.口蜜腹剑，笑里藏刀
这句有很多种翻译方法：
with honey on one's lip and murder in one's heart
honey-mouthed but dagged-hearted
下面这句更为直接：
He is an evil man who has a mouth that praises and a hand that kills.
9.少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲
老外没有“学而优则仕”的思想，也不认为功课差将来就会很伤悲。他们劝告子女经常说得是：
Studying/Working hard can lead you to a brighter/more promising future.
Study hard when you are young. It will pay off when you get older. (年轻时好好学习，到老的时候就会觉得学有所值。）
10.学如行舟，不进则退
Learning seems like rowing upstream(逆流）; if one does not advance, one will fall back.
Learning is like rowing against the current(激流), if one does not advance, one will retreat.
更为直接的说法是：
If you don't make progress, you will fall behind.
11.一日为师，终身为父
这句是汉语中的师生关系，翻译如下：
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.
外国人也有表达师生关系的谚语：
Teach others to fish and they will fish for a lifetime. (授人以鱼，不如授人以渔)
Give a man fish, he will have a meal; teach him to fish, he will have food all his life.
12.忠言逆耳，良药苦口
Honest advice may be distasteful to the recipient.
Honest advice is hard to accept.
Truth is a hard pill to swallow.
Truth hurts.
13.近朱者赤，近墨者黑
One takes the behavior of one's company. 一个人的行为往往受到朋友的影响。
One takes on the attributes of one's associates. (attributes复数时是指品质、特性；associtates 指朋友、同事)
简单地说，就是：
Watch the company you keep! 小心叫朋友！
As he who lies with dogs will ride with fleas, how could your son learn anything good by mixing with those people?你儿子跟那些人混在一起，能学出个好来？
posted @ 2007-02-06 11:08
Vさん 阅读(339)
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