李明月

諺語(yǔ)是語(yǔ)言的精華，是人類智慧的結(jié)晶。英語(yǔ)諺語(yǔ)不僅短小精悍、簡(jiǎn)潔明快、對(duì)稱美觀、寓意深刻，而且常常使用雙聲、疊韻、重復(fù)、對(duì)仗、排比等聲音和諧與韻律優(yōu)美的豐富多彩的修辭手段，以達(dá)到順口入耳、通俗易懂、生動(dòng)有力、滑稽有趣的目的，令人忍俊不禁、拍案驚絕，給人以美的享受。

辯證法告訴我們，任何事物都是對(duì)立統(tǒng)一的，浩如煙海的英語(yǔ)諺語(yǔ)當(dāng)然也不例外。正如All roads lead to Rome.（條條大道通羅馬或殊途同歸）一樣，許多諺語(yǔ)從不同角度共同闡釋同一個(gè)道理，這是英語(yǔ)諺語(yǔ)統(tǒng)一的一面。請(qǐng)看下列各例：

1. All things are difficult before they are easy.

Every beginning is hard.

The first step is the only difficulty.

萬(wàn)事開頭難。

2. No pains，no gains.

Sow nothing，reap nothing.

Nothing to be got without pains.

不勞無(wú)獲。

3. Misfortunes never come singly.

An evil chance seldom comes alone.

One misfortune comes on the neck of another.

禍不單行。

4. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Poverty tries friends.

A friend is never known till a man has need.

患難識(shí)摯友。

5. Easy come，easy go.

Quickly come，quickly go.

Come with the mind，go with the water.

來(lái)得容易，去得快。

6. A good marksman may miss.

Even Homer sometimes nods.

A wise man may sometimes take counsel of a fool.

智者千慮，必有一失。

7. Where there is a will，there is a way.

Will is power.

He who wills success is half way to it.

有志者，事竟成。

8. Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.

Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.

Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind to it.

世上無(wú)難事，只怕有心人。

同時(shí)，由于諺語(yǔ)所產(chǎn)生的具體條件、使用場(chǎng)合，以及人們的思想傾向等方面存在差異或不同，因此有些諺語(yǔ)又自相矛盾，顯示英語(yǔ)諺語(yǔ)對(duì)立的一面。所以又有了這樣一條諺語(yǔ)：Proverbs contradict each other，that is the wisdom of mankind.（諺語(yǔ)相互矛盾，這就是人類的智慧）。請(qǐng)看下述各例：

1.A good horse should be seldom spurred.響鼓不用重錘。

A good horse often needs a good spur.響鼓也要重錘敲。

2. Fine feathers make fine birds.人靠衣裳馬靠鞍。（或：鳥美美在羽毛。）

Fine feathers do not make fine birds.人美不在衣裳。（或：鳥美不在羽毛。）

3. Dirty linen should be washed at home.家丑不可外揚(yáng)。

Wash ones linen in public.當(dāng)眾揚(yáng)家丑。

4. （One is） Never too old to learn.活到老，學(xué)到老。

An old dog will learn no new tricks.

或：You cant teach an old dog new tricks.人老不學(xué)藝。（或：人過(guò)四十不學(xué)藝。）

5. Two heads are better than one.三個(gè)臭皮匠，賽過(guò)諸葛亮。

Too many cooks spoil the broth.廚子多了燒壞湯。（或：人多反而壞事。）

或：Everybodys business is nobodys business.三個(gè)和尚沒(méi)水吃。

6. Look before you leap.三思而后行。

He who hesitates is lost.當(dāng)斷不斷，必受其患。

或：There is no time like the present.機(jī)不可失，時(shí)不再來(lái)。

7. The face is the index of the heart.面孔是心靈的標(biāo)志。（或：心中有事，顯形于色。）

The face is no index to the heart.面孔不是心靈的標(biāo)志。（或：知人知面不知心。）

8. The worst is behind.最壞的在后頭。

（隱含You may go farther and face worse.見好就收吧。）

The best is behind.最好的在后邊。

（隱含There is a good time coming.好的日子就要到了啦。）

事實(shí)上，我們的老祖宗在漢語(yǔ)中同樣給我們后人留下了不少遺訓(xùn)。這樣的遺訓(xùn)或?yàn)槿颂幨赖脑瓌t或法則太多，而它們往往也是相互矛盾或常常要打架的。比如說(shuō)，老祖宗諄諄教導(dǎo)我們，一個(gè)人應(yīng)該“見義勇為”或“路見不平，拔刀相助”，但同時(shí)又告誡我們“少管閑事”、“各人自掃門前雪，休管他家瓦上霜”。那么我們?cè)撛趺崔k，是管還是不管？