希臘神話中的英語(yǔ)典故(5)

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　　21.Cast pearls before swine對(duì)牛彈琴；白費(fèi)好意

　　To Cast pearls before swine的意思是“珍珠頭在豬玀前面”。

　　swine是個(gè)舊詞,書(shū)面詞,即今為pigs,不過(guò)swine單復(fù)同行,本句為復(fù)數(shù)。

　　這個(gè)成語(yǔ)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(gè)國(guó)際性成語(yǔ),常用來(lái)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(gè)成語(yǔ)與漢語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)“明珠按投”相似,但是寓意不同,基本上不對(duì)應(yīng)；按一比喻意義,它相當(dāng)于“對(duì)牛彈琴”,“向驢說(shuō)經(jīng)”“一番好意給狗吃”“狗咬呂洞賓,不識(shí)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(duì)門徒說(shuō):"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(qū)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(jīng)》的影響,sheep和goat在英語(yǔ)中的形象截然不同,前者比喻好人,后者比喻壞人。英語(yǔ)中有關(guān)goat的成語(yǔ),大多貶義。如:to play the goat=play the fool（瞎胡鬧）；to get sb's goat（觸動(dòng)肝火）；等等。《圣經(jīng)》說(shuō)牧羊人要分辨綿羊和山羊,“把綿羊安置右邊,山羊左邊”。據(jù)說(shuō)野山羊常混進(jìn)羊群里,引誘綿羊,故牧養(yǎng)人必須把它們區(qū)分開(kāi)來(lái),以免混淆。

　　由此,人們用to separate the sheep from the goats這個(gè)成語(yǔ),來(lái)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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