希臘神話中的英語典故(5)
21.Cast pearls before swine對牛彈琴；白費好意
To Cast pearls before swine的意思是“珍珠頭在豬玀前面”。
swine是個舊詞,書面詞,即今為pigs,不過swine單復同行,本句為復數。
這個成語源自《新約。馬太福音》第7章:“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,neither cast ye your pearls before swine,lest they trample them under their feet,and turn again and rend you”。由于to cast pearls efore swine,比喻確切,在后世不斷引用中而成為一個國際性成語,常用來表示to offer sth valuable or beautiful to those who can't appreciate it；to give what is precious to those who are unable to understand its value等意思,含有輕蔑嘲笑色彩。按其字面意義,這個成語與漢語成語“明珠按投”相似,但是寓意不同,基本上不對應；按一比喻意義,它相當于“對牛彈琴”,“向驢說經”“一番好意給狗吃”“狗咬呂洞賓,不識好人心”等。
She read them Shakespeare,but it was casting pearls before swine
I won't waste good advice on John any more because he never listens to it.I won't cast pearls before swine.
……and when I let the upper floor to Cap'en Cuttle,oh i do a thankless thing,and cast pearls before swine
22.a wolf in sheep's clothing批著羊皮的狼；貌善心惡的人
耶穌在加利利一帶傳道布教,收了很多信徒。有一天,他對門徒說:"Beware of false prophets,which come to you in sheep's clothing,but inwardly they are ravening wolves"
eg:Mrs.Martin trusted the lawyer until she realized that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing
One who teaches morality and practises immorality is a wolf in lamb's skine
23.separate the sheep from the goats區別好壞,分清良莠
《新約。馬太福音》記述:“And before him shall be gathered all nations:and he shall separate them one from another,as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats”
由于《圣經》的影響,sheep和goat在英語中的形象截然不同,前者比喻好人,后者比喻壞人。英語中有關goat的成語,大多貶義。如:to play the goat=play the fool（瞎胡鬧）；to get sb's goat（觸動肝火） ；等等?！妒ソ洝氛f牧羊人要分辨綿羊和山羊,“把綿羊安置右邊,山羊左邊”。據說野山羊?；爝M羊群里,引誘綿羊,故牧養人必須把它們區分開來,以免混淆。
由此,人們用to separate the sheep from the goats這個成語,來比喻to separate the good from the wicked； to divide good or useful people from bad or useless
eg:We'll go through the list of members,and separate the sheep from the goats
Have faith in me,please.I can separate the sheep from the goats
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