01. faith will move mountains
定义: [谚语]信心足以移山.
例句: Faith will move mountains. Just believe in yourself, you can do it! (信心足以移山. 只要相信自己, 你就能做到!)
02. marry in haste, repent at leisure
定义: [谚语]仓促结婚, 后悔无穷.
例句: She's only known him for three months! You know what they say – marry in haste, repent at leisure. (她才认识他三个月! 常言道 – 仓促结婚, 后悔无穷)
03. if you don't mind, it doesn't matter
定义: [谚语]如果你不在意, 它就不重要.
例句: If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. In the other words, age is just a number and there isn't any age limit to do a great work which can make a difference. (如果你不在意,它就不重要. 换言之, 年龄只是一个数字, 做一件可以给社会带来重大兴革的伟大事业并没有任何年龄限制)
04. if you can't do the time, don't do the crime
定义: [谚语]如果你不想坐牢或受罚, 就不要犯法或犯错.
例句: "Yikes, I just heard Tom is going to prison for eight years for committing burglary." "I have no sympathy for him. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime." ("哎呀,我刚听说汤姆因入室行窃被判服刑八年." "我不同情他. 不想坐牢, 就不要犯法.")
05. if you can't lick them, join them
定义: [谚语]你如果斗不过他们的话, 那就加入他们.
例句: "I thought you said you'd never join social media." "Yeah, but everybody else has, so if you can't lick them, join them." ("我记得你说过你永远不会加入社交媒体." "我是说过这句话, 可是大家都加入了社交媒体, 所以你斗不过他们的话, 那就加入他们.")
06. if it's not broke, don't fix it
定义: [谚语]如果它没坏, 就不要修它.
例句: "We don't really need to implement these ridiculous changes, do we? Our current method is working just fine." "Right. If it it's broke, don't fix it." ("我们真的没必要实施这些毫无意义的改变, 是吗? 我们目前的工作方式进行得很顺利." "是的. 如果它没坏, 就没必要修理.")
07. if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride
定义: [谚语]假如希望可以成真, 连最可怜的乞丐都可以得到想要的一切东西. (注: 意指只是希望是没用的, 你必须要诉诸行动)
例句: "I just wish I earned a little bit more money than I do now." "Well, if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride." ("我真希望我能赚的比现在多一点钱." "可是, 你光希望是没用的, 你必须要诉诸行动才行.")
08. if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is
定义: [谚语]假如某事完美得不像真的, 它就不是真的.
例句: "The car looks like it's in pristine condition. Can you believe they want to sell it for just $2,000?" "I don't know, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is." ("这辆车看起来还像崭新的. 你会相信他们只卖两千美元吗?" "我可不是这么想, 假如这辆车完美得不像真的, 它就不是真的")
09. forewarned is forearmed
定义: [谚语]有备则无患. (注: 因为先得警告便可以预先准备)
例句: Forewarned is forearmed; just so you know, the boss is in a really foul mood today. (有备则无患; 好叫你们知道, 老板今天心情很不好)
10. if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain
定义: [谚语]凡事不可一成不变. (注: 意指假如一个办法行不通就要变通办法去解决问题)
例句: Since you can't come here for the holiday, I'll go to your house – if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain. (既然这次假期你不能来我们这边过,那我就去你家过吧– 既然大山不走向穆罕默德, 穆罕默德只好走向大山)
11. don't throw the baby out with the bathwater
定义: [谚语]别不分青红皂白全盘否定或拒绝.
例句: Why are we scrapping the entire project? Come on, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater! (为什么我们要放弃整个项目? 拜托, 别不分青红皂白全盘否定整套项目啊!)
12. don't cross that bridge till you come to it
定义: [谚语]别急于烦恼未发生的问题.
例句: I'm not sure why you're so concerned about how to write a thesis for your degree. It's over a year away, so don't cross that bridge until you come to it! (我不知道你为什么如此关心如何写学位论文. 你还有一年多的时间, 所以到了时候你再准备还来得及!)
13. don't cut off your nose to spite your face
定义: [谚语]别跟自己过不去; 别意气用事, 日后要后悔的.
例句: I know you're mad at your parents, but running away is only going to make your own life harder. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. (我知道你生你父母的气, 但离家出走只会让你自己过着更加艰辛. 别意气用事, 跟自己过不去)
14. don't do anything I wouldn't do
定义: [谚语]别意气用事; 别乱来; 别惹麻烦.
例句: "OK, Dad, Tom and I are heading off to the camp site. See you on Sunday!" "Have fun! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" ("好了, 爸爸, 汤姆和我要去露营区了. 星期天见!" "玩得开心! 别乱来或惹麻烦!")
15. don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you
定义: [谚语]别没事找事. (注: 原译为别去找麻烦直到麻烦来找你)
例句: "That dog looks like it could be mean. We should go scare it off." "No way, leave it alone! Don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you!" ("那只狗看起来很凶. 我们应该去把它吓跑." "不行, 别惹它! 别没事找事!")
16. don't count your chickens before they hatch
定义: [谚语]别言之过早, 事情还未定案.
例句: When my mom heard that I was preparing my campaign before even being nominated, she warned me, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch." (当我妈妈听说我在被提名之前就在准备竞选活动时, 她警告我, "事情还未定案之前, 别言之过早.")
17. experience is the best teacher
定义: [谚语]经验是最好的老师; 经验比理论还更宝贵; 前事不忘后事之师.
例句: I don't care how many books you read about how to run a business; experience is the best teacher. (我不管你读了多少关于如何经营企业的书籍; 经验比理论还更宝贵)
18. discretion is the better part of valor
定义: [谚语]谨慎即大勇; 谨慎比勇敢还重要.
例句: "Dad, can I go hang gliding with my friends?" "No! Discretion is the better part of valor, and I'd rather have them call you chicken than risk your life." ("爸爸，我可以和朋友们一起去滑翔吗?" "不行! 谨慎即大勇, 我宁愿让他们叫你胆小鬼也不愿你拿你的生命去冒险.")
悬挂式滑翔
19. empty vessels make (the) most noise
定义: [谚语]半瓶醋响叮当, 无知的人爱高谈阔论.
例句: I suspect Tom is not very smart. He chatters constantly, and as they say, empty vessels make the most noise. (我怀疑汤姆脑袋不怎么灵光. 他喋喋不休, 有如俗话说的一样, 半瓶醋响叮当)
20. don't change horses in midstream
定义: [谚语]危机中更换计划或领导人属不智行为. (注: 不要中途换人或中途变卦)
例句: I'm really not confident in the strength of my essay, but I guess I just have to see this one through at this point. I don't feel comfortable changing horses in midstream. (我对自己论文的质量真的没什么信心, 但我想我现在还是把这篇文章写完再说. 我觉得在中途变卦是不妥当的)