上外英语专业考研不可不读

千丈之堤，以蝼蚁之穴溃；百尺之屋，以突隙之烟焚。

A long dike will collapse because of an ant-hole in it; a tall building will be burned down by a spark from a chimney’s chink.

锲而舍之，朽木不折，锲而不舍，金石可镂。

Carve but give up half way, even a decayed piece of wood will not break; carve without stop, even metal and stone can be engraved.

人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴阳缺，此事古难全。

People have sorrow and joy; they part and meet again. The moon dims or shines; it waxes or wanes. Nothing is perfect, not even

in the olden days.

人之于文学也，犹玉之于琢磨也。

Learning and culture are to a person what polished and grinding

are to jade.

三人行，必有我师焉。择其善者而从之，其不善者而改之。Among any three people walking, I will find something to learn for sure. Their good qualities are to be followed, and their

shortcomings are to be avoided.

士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。仁以为己任，不亦重乎？死而后己，不

亦远乎？

An educated gentleman cannot but be resolute and broad-minded, for he has taken up a heavy responsibility and a long course. Is it not a heavy responsibility, which is to practice benevolence?

Is it not a long course, which will end only with his death?

士之为人，当理不避其难，临患忘利，遗生行义，视死如归。

A moral intellectual is one who escapes no danger in face of truth, discards personal interests in front of disaster, practices righteousness at the expense of life, and looks upon death as going

home.

逝者如斯夫！不舍昼夜。

The passage of time is just like the flow of water, which goes

on day and night.

顺天者存，逆天者亡。

Those who follow the Heaven’s law will survive; those who go

against it will perish.

天将降大任于斯人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，增益其所不能。

When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a great man, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes him to starvation and poverty, harasses him by troubles and setbacks so as to stimulate his spirit, toughen his nature and enhance his abilities.

天生我才必有用。

Heaven has endowed me with talents for eventual use.

天时不如地利，地利不如人和。

Opportunities vouchsafed by Heaven are less important than terrestrial advantages, which in turn are less important than the

unity among people.

天行健，君子以自强不息。

As Heaven’s movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman

ceaselessly strive along.

温故而知新，可以为师矣。

He who by reviewing the old can gain knowledge of the new and is

fit to be a teacher.

物格而后知至，知至而后意诚，意诚而后心正，心正而后身修，身修而后家齐，家齐而后治国，国治而后天下平。

Things investigated, genuine knowledge acquired; genuine knowledge acquired ,thoughts purified; thoughts purified, hearts rectified; hearts rectified, personalities cultivated; personalities cultivated, families regulated; families regulated, the states well governed; the states well governed, the whole world will be in peace and tranquil.

相见时难别亦难。

It is unbearable to meet as well as to depart.

学不可以已。青取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰，水为之，而寒于冰。君子博学而日参省乎己，则知明而行无过矣。

There is never an end to learning. The dye extracted from the

indigo is bluer than the plant; so is the ice colder than the water. By broadly learning and constantly examining himself every day, the gentleman sharpens his awareness and makes fewer mistakes.

学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。

Learning without thinking leads to confusion; thinking without

learning ends in danger.

学而不厌，诲人不倦。

Never be contented with your study; never be impatient with your

teaching.

学如逆水行舟，不进则退。

Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back.

有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎。

It is such a delight to have friends coming from afar.

玉不琢，不成器。人不学，不知义。

As a jade without chiseling will not become a useful object, a man without learning will not know the Way.

欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。

We widen our views three hundred miles by ascending one flight

of stairs. /

Exhausting my eyes to a thousand li further, I am ascending one

more story of the tower.

在天愿做比翼鸟，在地愿为连理枝。

In heaven let us be two birds flying ever together, and on earth two trees with branches interlocked forever.

不登高山，不知天之厚也；不临深渊，不知地之厚也。

One can never be aware of the height of the sky or the depth of the earth, if he does not climb up a high mountain or look down

into a deep abyss.

大道之行也，天下为公。

A public spirit will rule all under the sky when the great Way

prevails.

丹青不知老将近，富贵于我如浮云。

Absorbed in painting, you know not old age is coming; indeed, to me wealth and rank are like clouds scudding.

曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑。

To be part is to be whole; to be bent is to be straight; to be hollow is to be filled; to be worn out is to be renewed; to have little is to have more; to have much is to be confused.

朱子家训

(1) 一粥一饭，当思来之不易。

半丝半缕，恒念物力维艰。

The growing of rice and of grain

Think on whenever you dine;

Remember how silk is obtained

Which keeps you warm and looks fine.

（2）宜未雨而绸缪，勿临渴而掘井。

In periods of drought

Wise birds mend their nest

So when the clouds burst

They snugly may rest;

Never be the fool

Who starts to dig a well in the ground

When he wants a drink of water

And water can't be found.

（3）与肩挑贸易毋占便宜，

与贫苦亲邻须加温恤。

Bargain you not with the traveler who vends; Share of your wealth with your neighbors and friends.

（4）居家戒争讼，讼则终凶；

处世戒多言，言多必失。

Don't take into court your family disputes,

Unpleasant endings emerge from lawsuits;

To comport yourself well in society,

Restrain loose tongue's impropriety.

（5）勿恃权势而凌孤寡；

勿贪口腹而恣杀性。

Use not your bow and arrow

To bully orphan and widow.

Do not dumb animals slaughter at will Your appetite greedy to over fulfill.

（6）乖僻自是，悔悟必多；

颓惰自甘，家园终替。

Egocentric people grow

Much regret and sorrow;

Lazy, slothful people sow

Poverty tomorrow.

（7）施惠勿念；受恩莫忘。

In proclaiming your virtues go slow;

And be mindful of mercy you own.

（8）凡事当留余地，

得意不宜再往。

Leave room for retreat

When trying new feat.

You will try, try in vain

To repeat windfall gain.

（9）人有喜庆，不可生忌妒心；

人有祸患，不可生欣幸心。

Don't envy other's success;

Don't gloat o'er other's distress.

(注：o'er即over，为了译文的音律而采用缩略的形式)

（10）善欲人见，不是真善；

恶恐人知，便是大恶。

To brag of the good you have done

Will never impress anyone.

Personal scandals you try hard to hide

Will soon be known far and wide.

美文妙译

林语堂的Moment in Peking当中描写慈禧太后的句子：

1. The ignorant old woman who ruled for the entire last half of the nineteenth century did more than any other single person to hold back China’s progress. Without her the progressive Emperor

Kuangshu would certainly have gone on with his reforms. To the end, the Emperor, like an eagle deprived of its wings, remained submissive to his aunt. Ignorance added to a strong character was a double curse; stupidity joining hands with stubbornness was

twice stupid.

张振玉先生的译文：

那个愚蠢无知的老太婆统治了19世纪的后50年，使中国不能进步，她可算功劳第一。若没有她，锐意求进的光绪皇帝，一定会进行他的维新大计。光绪皇帝，像个剪去翅膀的苍鹰，一直对他这位大权在握的老伯母必恭必敬，百依百顺。愚而妄，其为祸则加倍地强烈。愚蠢再与刚愎

携手，则愚蠢倍增。

【spoiltcat点评】

最后一句实在是经典。“愚蠢无知”来译ignorant，有点过,因为

ignorant似乎并无“愚蠢”之意。

苍鹰不是一个一个的吧。“必恭必敬”尚可表现出无奈的感觉，“百

依百顺”则不可。

【spoiltcat改译】那个无知的老太婆在19世纪后半叶统治中国整整50年之久。阻止中国进步的第一大功臣，当真非她莫属。若不是她，锐意进取的光绪皇帝，一定能推行他的维新大计。然而自始至终，光绪都慑服于他这位伯母的淫威之下，如一只剪去翅膀的苍鹰。无知而刚愎，其为祸则倍增。愚蠢与顽固携手，便是愚不可耐。

2. All of these disciplines have changed so much in recent years

that I cannot image people climbing over departmental walls and specialty boards so easily. On the other hand, I do envision a time ahead when the clinical science will come to share the same ground in their base of knowledge.

原译：

所有这些学科在近年来变化如此之大，我真难以想象我们何以能够容易地跨越科学的高墙和不同的专业舞台。但是，我确能预见，有朝一日名临床学科能在其知识基础上共享一席。

【spoiltcat点评】

此译妙在“共享一席”。“如此之大”，句子有欧化之嫌。“何以能够……”，似乎含有“已经跨越，只是原因未知”的意思，而原文中是否定性的预见，觉得这种跨越不太可能。要“跨越”“高墙”恐怕确实非一般人所能，且“跨越”与“舞台”搭配也有些勉强。【spoiltcat改译】所有这些学科在近年发生了深刻的变化，能否轻易翻越科学的高墙和不同的专业舞台，我着实难以想象。但是，我确能预见，有朝一日各临床学科能在其知识基础上共享一席。

PS：这段话是从一篇关于医学的文章里选出来的，所以“临床学科”似

乎可以接受。

3. The stage of mental comfort to which they had arrived at this hour was one wherein their souls expanded beyond their skins, and spread their personalities warmly through the room. (from Tess

of the D’urberveilles)

张谷若先生的译文：

他们那时所达到的欢畅阶段是：神游身外，脱却形骸，满眼生花，满室

生春。

【spoiltcat点评】

“神游身外，脱却形骸，满眼生花，满室生春”堪称神来之笔。“所达

到的欢畅阶段”令人费解。

【spoiltcat改译】彼时彼刻，他们心情欢畅，简直是神游身外，脱却

形骸，满眼生花，满室生春。

4. I lost myself in the author’s world. And when finally I put

it down, my mind was totally refreshed.

原译：我完全沉浸在作者笔下的世界里，不得自知身在何处了。最后放下书来时，我倦意全消，身心为之一爽。

【spoiltcat点评】

译者用笔精妙，实在不容我不折服。粗读之下，本觉“我完全沉浸在作者笔下的世界里，不得自知身在何处了”用24个字来译原文“I lost myself in the author’s world”区区7个字，罗嗦太甚，想加修改，

却无从动笔。佩服。

5. Illness brought her a strange restlessness and made her all the more eager to cling to life and squeeze from it the last drop of happiness. It made her envy health, but it also made her sentimental over a leaf that the wind had blown into her room. 原译：这种病使她特别敏感不安，她越发急切于抓住人生不放，似乎是

要把人生的甜蜜幸福挤到最后的一滴而后已。这病使她多么羡慕人家的健康，也使她多愁善感，见一叶飘零，随风入室，便愁绪满怀，无以自

解。

【spoiltcat点评】

“见一叶飘零，随风入室，便愁绪满怀，无以自解”译笔绝佳。【spoiltcat改译】说来也怪，缠绵病榻，使她特别焦躁不安，她越发急切地抓住人生不放，欲将人生的幸福榨到最后一滴而后已。这病使她无比艳羡人家的健康，也使她多愁善感，见一叶飘零，随风入室，便愁

绪满怀，无以自解。

6. That tiny catch in my old friend’s voice dissolved whatever stood between me and my sorrow. My torrents of grief were unleashed. 原译：我的老朋友的说话声微微哽塞却让我的心堤决口了，悲哀的大潮

汹涌奔腾而来。

【spoiltcat点评】

此译妙在对介词between的处理。“我的”二字多余，去掉。原文似乎

并无转折之意。

【spoiltcat改译】

老朋友的声音微微哽塞，却让我的心堤决口了，悲哀的大潮汹涌奔腾而

来。

7. For those who do not know it, happiness is a problem, and for

those who do know it, happiness is a mystery.

在未得安乐的人，求之而不可得，在已得安乐之人，又不知其来之所自。

【spoiltcat点评】

英文是林语堂在译作Six Chapters of a Floating Life （《浮生六记》的Preface中关于幸福的妙语。汉语同样出自林的手笔，虽非严格的对

译，但同样精彩。

8. Bright red costumes, with hats, shoes, and stockings to match, are to be all the craze in the Spring. Smart women will have to be careful not to yawn in the streets in case some shortsighted person is on his way to post a letter.

原译：鲜红的时装，再配上与之相配的帽子、鞋子和袜子，是春日的时髦打扮。可是聪明的女子得小心一点，别在街头打哈欠，以防目光近视

者正在去邮寄信件。

【spoiltcat点评】

原文幽默可喜，译文却多有谬误。Smart women译为“聪明的女子”不合逻辑，难道不聪明的女子就不用小心了吗？其实smart除了有“聪明”的意思之外，还有“漂亮的，时髦的”等意。“目光近视者”是赘言，“近视”本身就是指眼睛不好使啊，好像没有听说过手脚近视的吧。当然也有“思想近视”，不过那只是引申的说法。on his way译成“正

在去”，也是憨直得可爱。

【spoiltcat改译】鲜红的衣服，加上配套的帽子和鞋袜，是春日的流行装束。不过时髦女郎们可得小心一点，别在街头打哈欠，要是碰上近

视眼准备寄信就大事不妙了。

9. I am never at a loss for a word; Pitt is never at a loss for

the word.

我总可以滔滔不绝，而皮特却总是字字珠玑。

【spoiltcat点评】

说这句话的是英国18世纪大演说家Charles James Fox，但他认为其对手William Pitt比他更出色。“滔滔不绝”与“字字珠玑”对比来译“a word”和“the word”的区别，甚妙。

10. Though translation may be like old wine in new bottles or a wom an in man’s clothing, the results can be both tasteful and

alive.

原译：虽然一篇译文可以像置于新瓶中的老酒，或似身着男装的女子，但是，酒仍不失其甘醇，而女子仍风韵不减。

【spoiltcat点评】

此译应该算是比较出色，不过有失精炼。

【spoiltcat改译】译文犹如新瓶装旧酒，女子着男装，酒固然不失其

甘醇，女子也风韵不减。

----摘自《新世纪英汉翻译教程>

英汉谚语互译中的一些巧合

1.After meat, mustard; after death, doctor .

雨后送伞

Explanation: this describes a situation where assistance or comfort is given when it is too late.

Example: just as I had cancelled my application to go abroad,

I had a promise of money for my fare. It was a case of after death,

the doctor.

2. After praising the wine they sell us vinegar.

挂羊头卖狗肉

Explanation: to offer to give or sell something that is inferior to what you claim it to be.

Example: that fellow completely mislead us about what he was capable of doing. After praising the wine, he sold us vinegar.

3. All is over but the shouting.

大势已去

Explanation: finally decided or won; brought to the end; not

able to be changed.

Example: after Bill’s touch down, the game is all over but

shouting.

4. All lay load on the willing horse.

人善被人欺，马善被人骑

Explanation: a willing horse is someone who is always doing things for others. Very often the implication is that others

impose on him.

Examples: the trouble is you‘re too good-natured and people take advantage of it. all lay load on the willing horse. You will have to learn to refuse people who ask too much.

5.anger and haste hinder good counsel.

小不忍则乱大谋

Explanation: one can not act wisely when one is angry or in

a hurry.

Example: you should calm down before you decide the next move.

Anger and haste hinder good counsel.

6. As poor as a church mouse

一贫如洗

Explanation: to be exceedingly poor, having barely to live

upon.

Example: he has a large family, and is poor as a church mouse.

Note: a church is one of the few buildings that contain no

food.

7. A word spoken is past recalling.

一言既出，驷马难追

Explanation: the harm done by a careless word can not easily

undo.

Example: for the rest of his life he regretted what he had said, but a word spoken is past recalling and he knew he could never repair the damage of that moment of harshness.

1.World is but a little place, after all.

天涯原咫尺，到处可逢君

Explanation: it is used when a person meets someone he knows or is in someway connected with him in a place where he would never

have expected to do so.

Example: Who would have thought I would bump into an old schoolmate on a trek up Mount Tai. The world is but a little place after all.

2. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

入乡随俗

Explanation: conform to the manners and customs of those amongst

whom you live.

Example: I know you have egg and bacon for breakfast at home, but now you are on the Continent you will do as the Romans do and take

coffee and rolls.

3. What you lose on the swings you get back on the roundabouts.

失之东隅，收之桑榆

Explanation: a rough way of starting a law of average; if you have bad luck on one day you have good on another; if one venture results in loss try a fresh one---it may succeed.

Example: he may always possess merits which make up for everything;

if he loses on the swings, he may win on the roundabouts.

4.What are the odds so long as you are happy.

知足者常乐

Explanation: what does anything else matter if a person is happy.

Example: you complain so much, but you have a good family, parents, health, and money. What’s the odd so long as you’re happy.

5．Entertain an angel unawares.

有眼不识泰山

Explanation: to receive a great personage as a guest without

knowing his merits.

Example: in the course of evening someone informed her that she was entertaining an angel unawares, in the shape of a composer

of the greatest promise

6.every dog has his day .

是人皆有出头日

Explanation: fortune comes to each in turn Example: they say that every dog has his day; but mine seems a

very long time coming.

7.every potter praises his own pot.

王婆买瓜，自卖自夸

8.good wine needs no bush

酒香不怕巷子深

9.A fool may give a wise man counsel.

三个臭皮匠,顶个诸葛亮.

Complications on U.S. Road to War

【参考译文】美国在求战之路上面临纷繁芜杂的局面

【注释】complication,“使情况更加复杂或困难的事物”：A further complication was Fred's refusal to travel by air.更麻烦的是弗雷德不肯坐飞机。而复数形式的complications,是“并发症”的意思，如：Complications set in, and the patient died.病人因

出现并发症而死亡。

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - On the verge of war in Iraq, the Bush administration finds its goals complicated by its own uncompromising approach as it builds a legacy that could do long-term damage to NATO, the United Nations and U.S. leadership,

diplomats and analysts say.

【参考译文】华盛顿(路透社)-外交官和分析人士表示，在对伊开战一触即发之际，布什政府发现这一目标已被自身毫不退让的行事方式弄得错综复杂起来，而此时美国政府的所做所为会对北约、联合国和美

国的领导地位造成长期的损害。

【注释】on the verge of:在某事即将发生之际。类似的表达还有on the brink of, on the edge of, on the threshold of, on the point of (doing something). uncompromising,“不妥协的,不让步的,强硬的”：uncompromising stand/beliefs,坚定的立场/信仰。legacy,“遗产，遗留物”，这里是着眼于对日后的影响，所以用了这个字眼。

Such criticism, made in the heat of rhetorical struggle over Iraq policy and vigorously rejected by administration officials, could well be revised if war against Baghdad is quick and

reasonably successful.

【参考译文】值此围绕对伊政策各方展开激烈的唇枪舌剑之际，类似这样的批评遭到政府官员的强烈反对，不过倘若战争进展迅速且战果显著，也许就会有另一番迥然不同的评论。

【注释】heat,“the most intense or active stage，最强烈或最活跃的阶段”：He tried to take the heat out of the situation.他竭力让局面缓和下来。rhetorical,“辞藻华丽的，虚夸的”：Don't be so rhetorical - just tell us what you mean in plain English.不要这么夸张，就用平实的英语告诉我们你的意思。相应的名词形式是rhetoric,“浮夸之词，华丽辞藻”：The politician's speech was full of empty rhetoric.这位政治家的演讲满是空洞无物的华丽言辞。

But as it works to maximize world support in the countdown to military action against Saddam Hussein and to isolate North Korea, the United States finds itself nearly as much on the defensive as the "axis of evil" regimes it seeks to curtail.

【参考译文】不过，正当美国在针对萨达姆-侯赛因的军事行动倒计时中努力争取最大限度的国际支持和孤立朝鲜的时候，美国发觉自己几乎和它所寻求削弱的“邪恶轴心”政权一样处于防守态势。

【注释】maximize,“使最大化”，其反义词是minimize,“使最小化”。countdown,“倒计时”，引申为“准备工作，准备过程”，这里的翻译还是采用了形象的“倒计时”，注意这个词常和介词to连用。on the defensive ,“expecting to be attacked or criticized进行