七条被误传千年的俗语的英译

时间：2024-05-07

毛里林

2018年2月12日，笔者去爬岳麓山，结识了几位湖南大学的非洲留学生。笔者倒是想与他们用英语交流，可他们却坚持用汉语与我交流，偶尔还飚出长沙方言。更令人意外的是，其中一位甚至问我“三个女人一台戏（Something is bound to happen when several women get together）”是什么意思，我当时不知所措，一时半会儿还真回答不上来。

的确，随着中国倡导的“一带一路”不断向世界各地“延伸”，中国对世界经济的影响力越来越大，越来越多的海外朋友渴望学习汉语，了解中国的语言文化，其中包括汉语的格言、警句和俗语等。中国俗语源远流长，其中不乏经典之语。然而，有些经典之句居然被误传了千百年，并且成为了俗语里名副其实的精髓，人们亦称其为谚语（proverb）。这些俗语恐怕连国人都不一定知道其来历，就更别说外国朋友了。基于此，笔者在此谈谈七条被误传但是却耐人寻味的中国俗语的英译。

1. 嫁鸡随鸡，嫁狗随狗

原本是“嫁乞随乞，嫁叟随叟”，源自明代小说家冯梦龙纂辑的小说集《醒世恒言》里的《卖油郎独占花魁》，意思是“不论丈夫性格如何，都要温顺”，其实就是“一个女人即使嫁给乞丐或者是年龄大的人，也要随其生活一辈子”。因此，此句的翻译是：A woman follows her husband no matter what his lot is. / A woman follows her husband no matter what he is.

例如：Now that youve got married， you should mould your lifestyle after that of your husband. 既然你已结婚，那就嫁鸡随鸡，嫁狗随狗吧。

As a proverb goes， a woman follows her husband no matter what he is. 有句谚语说，嫁鸡随鸡，嫁狗随狗。

2. 三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮

起初是“三个臭裨将，顶个诸葛亮”，“皮匠”即“裨将”的谐音，裨将在古代就是“副将”。这句话的意思是“三个副将的智慧合起来能顶一个足智多谋的诸葛亮”，比喻“人多智多，有事经大家商量就能想出好办法”。因此，此语的翻译是：Four eyes see more than two. / The intelligence of the masses certainly exceeds that of the wisest individual. / Two people would do better than one. / Two wits are better than one.

例如：Two groups working together can make more achievements in that four eyes see more than two. 三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮；两个组一起工作能取得更多的成绩。

Now you have to accept the view that the intelligence of the masses certainly exceeds that of the wisest individual. 你现在必须得接受“三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮”的观点。

3. 不见棺材不落泪

原为“不见亲棺不落泪”，其产生与明代兰陵笑笑生所著的奇书《金瓶梅词话》第九十八回的语句有关，意思是“一个人只有见了亲人的棺材才落泪”，并不是见了任何棺材都会落泪，比喻“不到彻底失败的时候不肯罢休”。因此，本句的翻译是：Be unconvinced until faced with grim reality. / Refuse to be convinced until one is faced with grim reality. / Say “die” only at the sight of the gallows（绞刑架）. / Until all is over， ones ambition never dies.

例如：Jackson is a man who says “die” only at the sight of the gallows. 杰克逊是一个不见棺材不落泪的人。

It is just her personality to refuse to be convinced until she is faced with grim reality. 不见棺材不落泪正好是她的个性写照。

4. 不到黄河心不死

蓝本是“不到乌江心不死”，出自明代学者凌初的《初刻拍案惊奇》第十五卷，书中写道：“你不到乌江心不死，今已到了乌江，这心原也该死了。”此俗语比喻“不达目的，誓不罢休”，或者“不到实在无路可走的境地不肯死心”。因此，该俗语的翻译是：Ambition never dies until there is no way out. / Never come back until there is a dead end. / Never give up until you reach your goal.

例如：I made it at last because I never gave up until I reached my goal. 因为我总是坚持不到黄河心不死，最终就把事儿办成了。

Tom has the precept that ambition never dies until there is no way out. 湯姆的箴言是：不到黄河心不死。

5. 舍不得孩子套不住狼

原本是“舍不得鞋子套不住狼”，在川渝一带的方言里，“鞋”的发音是“hai”，故误传。这句俗语的意思是“真要打到狼，就不要怕跑很多路，要跑很多路就不要怕费鞋”。该俗语的翻译是：One can hardly expect to accomplish a major task if he is not willing to take risks. / People cant make an omelette without breaking eggs.

例如：One can hardly expect to accomplish a major task if he is not willing to take risks，which is known to us all. 我们大家都明白“舍不得孩子套不住狼”的道理。

She persuaded me to accept the view that people cant make an omelette without breaking eggs. 她说服我接受了“舍不得孩子套不住狼”的觀点。

6. 无毒不丈夫

起初是“量小非君子，无度不丈夫”，出自南宋以后儒家学者们纂辑而成的幼儿开蒙读物《名贤集》，该读物分为四言集、五言集、六言集和七言集。“量小非君子，无度不丈夫”源自其中的五言集，意思是“一个男人应该有包容他人、不拘小节、宽宏大量的品质，才能称为君子”。后来误传成“无毒不丈夫”，指“要成就大事业必须手段毒辣或技高一筹”。因此，该语句的翻译是：He who cannot resort to violent treachery when it is necessary is not a true man. / Ruthlessness is the mark of a truly great man. / To be somebody requires ruthlessness. / A real man lacks not in venom（恶毒）.

例如：Young as he is， he knows the real meaning of the proverb： Ruthlessness is the mark of a truly great man.虽然他年轻，但却懂得谚语“无毒不丈夫”的真正含义。

As an informer， he firmly believes that he who cannot resort to violent treachery when it is necessary is not a true man. 作为一名密探，他坚信无毒不丈夫。