Proverbs-英语谚语

short well- known saying that states a general truth or gives advice.精练的俗语，或为普遍道理或为劝诫语

Proverbs are concise, vivid and common short sentences which be used and passed on orally. They are the summing up of the experience in the production struggle and the social life and the crystal of wisdom. From these we can find that English and Chinese proverbs enjoy the similar origin: they both originate from people’s daily life and experience. Specifically speaking, they both come from folk life, mythology, literary works and from other languages.

2.1.1 Originating from folk life

Proverbs are the summary of people’s daily life and experience, and closely related to the practice of people’s life and w ork, revealing a universal truth from details so as to enlighten people. There are many proverbs originated from folk life. They are created by working people, such as farmers, workmen, hunters, businessmen, army-men and so on. They use familiar terms that were associated with their own fields. The fox said the grapes were sour. (It means that one said something is bad when one cannot get it.)

Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man. It tells people that reading, conference and writing can make a person learned, sharp and precise.

The four great works: The Pilgrimage to the West, The Three Kingdoms, A Dream of Red Mansions and The Marsh Rebellion are the most popular classics in China.

温故而知新。(By studying the old one learns something new )---《论语》三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮。(Three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang the master---the wisdom of the masses exceeds that of the wisest individual.)---《三国演义》( The Three Kingdoms)

三十六计,走为上计。(Of the thirty-six stratagems, the best is running away.)---《水浒传》(The Marsh Rebellion)

谋事在人,成事在天。(Man proposes; God disposes.)---《红楼梦》(A Dream of Red Mansions)

说曹操,曹操到。(Talk of the devil and he is sure to appear.) ---《三国演义》( The Three Kingdoms)

―吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸‖is from ―The grapes are sour.‖

―谁笑到最后，谁笑得最好‖is from ―He who laughs last laughs best.‖

―条条大路通罗马‖is from ―All roads lead to Rome.‖

春雨贵如油。（Rain during spring time is precious as oil.）

种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。（As a pan sows, so shall he reap.）

人勤地不懒。(If man is diligent, soil is not idle.)

瑞雪兆丰年。(A snow year, a rich year.)

一粒下地, 万粒归仓。(From one grain sown into the earth, one thousand grains will spring.)

前人种树, 后人乘凉。(Ancestors plant trees while descendants enjoy the cool under the tree shade—enjoying the fruits of labor of one’s ancestors.)

只许州官放火,不许百姓点灯。(The magistrates are free to burn down houses, while the common people are forbidden even to light lamps. –The powerful can do what they want, the weak are not allowed to do anything.)

朱门酒肉臭,路有冻死骨。(Behind the red doors meat and wine go to waste while out on the roads lie the bones of the frozen.)

嫁鸡随鸡,嫁狗随狗。(Marry a cock and follow the cock, marry a dog and follow the dog. —Follow the man you marry, be he fowl or cur.)

平时不烧香,临时抱佛脚。(Never burning incense when all is well, but clasping Buddha’s feet in a n emergency.)

跑得了和尚,跑不了庙。(The monk may run away, but the temple can’t run with him. —A fugitive must belong to some place that can provide clues.)

泥菩萨过河,自身难保。(Like a clay idol fording a river --hardly able to save one.)

放下屠刀,立地成佛。(The butcher who lays down his knife at once becomes a Buddha.)

―以眼还眼，以牙还牙‖is from ―An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.‖―谁笑到最后，谁笑得最好‖is from ―He who laughs last laughs best.‖

―吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸‖is from ―Sour grapes‖ and so on.

―Distant water cannot quench a fire nearby‖ is from ―远水解不了近火‖―Don’t climb a tree to look for fish.‖ is from ―勿缘木求鱼。‖

―Take away fuel, take away flame.‖ is from ―扬汤止沸，不如釜底抽薪。‖―The truth by incessant endeavors.‖ is from ―愚者千虑，必有一得。‖—《史记》（Records of the Historian）

―Better return home and make a net than long for fish by the waterside.‖ is from ―临渊而捕鱼，不如退而结网。‖—《汉书》（History of the Han Dynasty）