书城外语汉英英语谚语手册
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第14章 方 法 Methods (2)

积少成多。集腋成裘。聚沙成丘。从小事做起才能成大器。团结就是力量。

A whole bushel of wheat is made up of single grains.

Drop by drop fills the tub.

Drop by drop the tub is filled.

Drop by drop the oceans are filled; stone by stone the walls are built.

Every little counts.

Every little helps.

Every little makes a mickle.

Little and often fills the purse.

Many little makes a mickle; many sands will sink a ship.

Many a small makes a great.

Many drops make a shower.

Many a pickle makes a muckle.

既来之,则安之。

Let’s cross the bridge when we come to it.

既然花钱雇了人,不必自己动手做。

Why keep a dog and bark yourself?

即使当时不喜欢,也要写下爱你的人的忠告。

Write down the advice of him who loves you, though you like it not at present.

见好就收。适可而止。过犹不及。

A little more breaks a horse’s back.

A little wind kindles, much puts out the fire.

Go farther and fare worse.

It is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back.

The last straw breaks the camel’s back.

There is a mean in all things.

You may / could go father and fare worse.

You may have too much of a good thing.

Bind the sack before it be full.

The last drop makes the cup run over.

Too much breaks the sack.

When play is best it is time to leave.

Overdone is worse than undone.

见树不见林。

Cannot see the wood for the trees.

He / Some people cannot see the wood for the trees.

You cannot see the city for the houses.

You cannot see the wood for trees.

奖惩分明。

Put / Set the saddle on the right horse.

Put the shoe on the right foot.

(错怪了人。

Put the saddle on the wrong horse.)

捷足先登。

Early bird gets the worm.

He that runs fastest gets the ring.

It is the early bird that catches the worm.

The cow that’s first up gets the first of the dew.

The early bird catches / gets the worm.

It’s the early bird that catches the worm.

The first in the oat has the choice of oars.

The foremost dog catches the hare.

The person who arrives, acts early will probably succeed.

Who first comes to the mill first grinds.

捷足先登者可随心所欲。

He that comes first to the hill may sit where he will.

解铃还须系铃人。

It is better for the doer to undo what he has done.

The same hand that gave must heal the wound.

解决问题要抓关键。

To put a finger on the right spot.

今日事今日做,明日可能障碍多。

Work today, for you know not how much you may be hindered toomorow.

静观其变。

Wait and see.

久等必有一得。

He that can stay obtains.

酒好不用挂招牌。货好无需作广告。

Good wine needs no bush.

举棋不定时,不妨将一军。

When in doubt, play trumps.

举一反三。

Draw inference about other cases from one instance.

The sack is known by the sample.

距离产生美。

Mountains look beautiful from a distance.

距离产生魅力。

Distance lends enchantment to the view.

距离增进敬意。

Respect is greater from a distance.

看画要远看,观战要远站。

Look at painting and fighting from a distance.

Look upon a picture and a battle at a very great distance.

看见远的却看不见近的。眼前发生许多事,有些我们并不知。

Much water runs / goes by the ill that the miller knows not of.

空谈难成交。

Bare words, no bargain.

Bare words make no good bargain.

空谈无济于事。

Talking mends no holes.

快刀斩乱麻,否则要被扎。

He who handles a nettle tenderly is soonest stung.

窥一斑而知全豹。

From a single instance infer the whole.

From one learn all.

From one you may judge of the whole.

One may see day at a little whole.

We recognize a Hercules(大力士)form by the size of the foot.

You may know by a handful the whole sack.

劳民伤财,无功而返。

You have dived deep into the water and have brought up a potsherd(陶瓷碎片).

量体裁衣。

Fit the appetite to the dishes and dress to the figure.

两害相权择其轻。

Better eye sore than all blind.

Better one-eyed than stone-blind.

Better to have one eye than be blind altogether.

Of two evils choose the less / the least.

Of two evils, the less is always to be chosen.

两害之间无选择。

Between two evils ‘tis not worth choosing.

量力而行。

A man can do no more than he can.

An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.

Attempt nothing beyond your strength.

Take no more on you than you’re able to bear.

Undertake no more than you can take.

聊胜于无。

A bit in the morning is better than nothing all day.

A crust is better than no bread.

A bad bush is better than the open field.

A little is better than non.

Anything is better than nothing.

Better some of a pudding than none of a pie.

Better small fish than an empty dish.

Half a loaf is better than no bread.

Something is better than nothing.

The half is more than the whole.

聊胜于无。一只脚胜过两把拐杖。

One foot is better than two crutches.

了如指掌。

Know something like the palm of one’s hand.

留得青山在,不怕没柴烧。

He who fights and run away may live to fight another day.

If I have lost the ring, yet the fingers are still here.

鲁莽比无知对我们更有害。

Want of care does us more harm than want of knowledge.

马后炮,为时已晚。

It is too late for the bird to scream when it is caught.

It is too late to cast anchor when the ship is on the rock.

It is too late to come with the water when the house is burnt down.

It is too late to husband when all is spent.

It is too late to spare when the bottom is bare.

It is too late to shut / lock the stable-door when / after the horse is stolen.

慢工出细活。

Soft fire makes sweet malt.

慢声细语更有说服力。

Soft words are hard arguments.

忙乱肯定出差错。

What is kone in a hurry is never done well.

没有金刚钻,别揽瓷器活。

He that goes barefoot must not plant thorns.

Raise no more devils than you can lay.

Raise no more spirits than you can conjure down.

没有手段就是放弃了目的。

He that desires honor is not worthy of honor.

没有一劳永逸的办法。

There is no solution which holds good all the time.

每个人都认为自己最不容易。

Every horse thinks his own pack heaviest.

Every horse thinks his sack heaviest.

每个人都有缺点。

Even / Every bean has its black.

每个人都有自己看问题的方式。

Everyone thinks in his way.

每件事情开始时就要考虑后果。

In every beginning think of the end.

磨刀不费砍柴功。

The work won’t be delayed while you’re sharpening.

拿不准时,就先别干。

When in doubt do nowt.

When in doubt leave out.

宁和明白人打顿架,不和糊涂人说句话。

If a donkey brays at you, don’t bray at him.

Never bray at an ass.

攀登陡山,首先慢步。

To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first.

抛砖引玉。

Throw out a minnow to catch a whale.

庖丁解牛(厨师杀牛),不在力气,而在于游刃有余。

Sticking goes not by strength, but by guiding of the gully.

平均分享。

Share and share alike.

千钧一发。

Great weights hang on small wires.

千里之行,始于足下。

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

A road of a thousand miles begins with one step.

A thousand mile trip begins with one step.

He that climbs a ladder must begin at the first step.

He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom.

High buildings have low foundations.

If you want / wish to reach the highest, begin at the lowest.

Step after step the ladder is ascended.

The longest journey tarts with a single step.

千篇一律就会枯燥无味。

Butter to butter is no relish(美味).

牵一发而动全身。