研究生英语翻译-Proverbs.doc

Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more.-author-date研究生英语翻译-ProverbsProverbProverb     Proverbs are the popular sayings that brighten so much Latin American talk, the boiled-down wisdom that you are as apt to hear from professors as from peasants, from beggars as from elegants. Brief and colorful, they more often than not carry a sting. 谚语是种通俗用语，它们能为拉美人的言谈增添不少亮色。你随处可以触摸到这种浓缩的智慧，可以是从教授那里，也可以从农夫那里，可以是从乞丐那里，也可以从贵妇那里。在既简洁又生动的同时，它们往往还是“带着刺”的。When a neighbors dismally unattractive daughter announced her engagement, Imelda remarked, “you know what they say, Senora: Theres no pot so ugly it cant find a lid.” And when her son-in-law blustered about how he was going to get even with the boss who had docked his pay, Imelda fixed him with a cold eye and said, “Little fish does not eat big fish.” 听说邻居的那位其貌不扬的女儿宣布订婚时，伊梅尔达说：“太太，您知道大伙儿是怎么说的吗：再丑的罐也不愁配个盖儿。”当她的女婿当初吹嘘着他要如何报复扣他工资的老板时，伊梅尔达冷冷地盯着他说：“小鱼吃不了大鱼。”One afternoon, I heard Imelda and her daughter arguing in the kitchen. Her daughter had quarreled with her husbands parents, and Imelda was insisting that she apologize to them. Her daughter objected. “But, Mama, I just cant swallow them, not even with honey. They talk so big until we need something; then theyre too poor. So today, when they wouldnt even lend us enough to pay for a new bed, all I did was say something that Ive heard you say a hundred times: If so grand, why so poor? If so poor, why so grand?”一天下午我听见伊梅尔达和她女儿在厨房吵架。原来她的女儿跟她公公婆婆吵架了，伊梅尔达坚持女儿应该向他们道歉。但是她女儿反对道：“但是，妈妈，我即使嘴里含着蜂蜜也忍受不了他们。他们老是吹牛，但是当我们想买点东西时，他们又说穷了。今天，他们甚至不愿借钱给我们买张新床，而我所说的只是我从你那里听到了一百遍的话：既然那么阔，干吗要叫穷？既然那么穷，干吗摆阔气？” “Impertinent!” snorted Imelda. “Have I not also taught you, What the tongue says, the neck pay for? I will not have it said that I would never teach my daughter proper respect for her elders. And before you go to beg their pardon, change those trousers for a dress. You know how mother-in-law feels about pants on a woman. She always says, What was hatched a hen must not try to be a rooster!”“无礼！”伊梅尔达哼了一声，“难道我没教过你吗，舌头闯祸，脖子遭殃？我可不愿被人说我没教过女儿要尊重长辈。在你去乞求他们的原谅之前，把裤子换掉，穿上裙子。你也知道你婆婆是怎么看待女人穿男式长裤的。她经常说，孵出来是母鸡就别冒充是公鸡！” Her daughter made one or more try. “But Mama, you often say, If the saint is annoyed, dont pray to him until he gets over it. Cant I leave it for tomorrow?”她的女儿又嚷嚷了一声，“妈，但是你经常说，如果圣人恼怒了，在他消气前就不要向他祈祷。我能不能明天再去啊？”“No, no and no! Remember: If the dose is nasty, swallow it fast. You know, my child, you did wrong. But, A gift is the key to open the door closed against you. I have a cake in the oven that I was making for the Senoras dinner, I will explain to the Senora. Now, dear, hurry home and make yourself pretty in your pink dress. By the time you get back, I will have the cake ready for you to take to your mother-in-law. She will be so pleased that she may make your father-in-law pay for the bed. Remember: One hand washes the other, but together they wash the face.”“不行，绝对不行！你给我记住：药越是苦，越要快服。孩子，你也知道，这次是你不对。不过呢，礼物是打开把你关在外面的门的钥匙。我炉里烤着一个蛋糕，本来是给太太晚餐吃的。待会儿我会向太太解释的。你现在赶紧回家，穿上那条粉红的裙子，把自己打扮得漂漂亮亮的。等你从家回来时，蛋糕就烤好了，你把它带去给你婆婆。这样她就会高兴了，还会让你公公给你们买新床呢。记住：手要相互洗，脸要双手洗。”-