Famous English Sayings

1. Famous English Sayings

2. Man proposes， God disposes. • It is a sin to steal a pin. • Honesty is the best policy. • If you play with fire, you get burnt. • Fire is a good servant but a bad master. • Revenge is a dish that could be eaten cold. • 很形象的一句谚语。所有的菜肴都必须趁热吃，唯独revenge是个例外。“君子报仇，十年未晚。” • There is no smoke without fire. • 无风不起浪，有水才行船。任何事情的发生都是有前兆的，虽然说是“坐得船头稳，不怕浪来颠”（相似的西谚是“Do right and fear no man.”），但风起于青萍之末，一只蝴蝶扇动翅膀就可能引起大洋彼岸的一场大风暴。做人、谋事，谨慎为佳。

3. Every dog has its day. （又作All dogs have their days.） • 这里的day，是指opportunities， 即成功的机会；而dog 则泛指那些地位低下、似乎没有出息的人。 • If you lie down with dogs，you will get up with fleas.这是一句很经典的谚语，也就是我们中文里说的“近朱者赤，近墨者黑”。 • It is easy to find a stick to beat a dog. • 人非圣贤，孰能无过。有些小人，自己抱残守缺，不干实事，却挖空心思，找别人的缺点和麻烦。欲加之罪，何患无辞？ • You can‘t teach old dogs new tricks. • 人老了思想容易僵化，对新生事物很难接受。 • Lightning never strikes the same place twice. • “闪电从不打同一个地方”，与我们说的“福无双至，祸不单行”恰恰相反，这也是差异的一个有趣的体现。

4. One swallow does not make a summer. • swallow 是燕子。西谚说，一只燕子飞来不能代表夏天的来临。 • Pain past is pleasure. • 过去的痛苦就是快乐。无论多么艰难一定要咬牙冲过去，将来回忆起来一定甜蜜无比。 • While there is life, there is hope. • 有生命就有希望/留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。 • Wisdom in the mind is better than money in the hand. • 脑中有知识，胜过手中有金钱。 • Storms make trees take deeper roots. • 风暴使树木深深扎根。感激敌人，感激挫折 • Nothing is impossible for a willing heart. • 心之所愿，无所不成。 • The shortest answer is doing. • 最简单的回答就是干。

5. All things are difficult before they are easy. • 凡事必先难后易。放弃投机取巧的幻想。 • Great hopes make great man. • 伟大的理想造就伟大的人。 • God helps those who help themselves. • 天助自助者。 • East or west, home is best. • 东好西好，还是家里最好。 • Two heads are better than one. • 三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮。 • Good company on the road is the shortest cut. • 行路有良伴就是捷径。 • Constant dropping wears the stone. • 滴水穿石。 • Misfortunes never come alone/single. • 祸不单行。

6. Misfortunes tell us what fortune is. • 不经灾祸不知福。 • Better late than never. • 迟做总比不做好；晚来总比不来好。 • It‘s never too late to mend. • 过而能改，善莫大焉；亡羊补牢，犹未晚也。 • Thing is worth doing is worth doing well. • （如果事情值得做，就值得做好。） • Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. • （无热情成就不了伟业。） • Lifeless, faultless. • （只有死人才不犯错误。） • From small beginning come great things. • （伟大始于渺小。）

7. One today is worth two tomorrows. • 一个今天胜似两个明天。 • Truth never fears investigation. • 事实从来不怕调查。 • The tongue is boneless but it breaks bones. • 舌无骨却能折断骨。 • A bold attempt is half success. • 勇敢的尝试是成功的一半。 • Knowing something of everything and everything of something. • 通百艺而专一长。 • Good advice is beyond all price. • 忠告是无价宝。

8. Don't tell tales out of school.  • 不要背后论人是非长短。 • Drumming is not the way to catch a hare. • 空话连篇于事无补。 • Easier said than done. • 知易行难。 • Empty vessels make the most sound. • 半壶水响叮当。 • Every cock crows on his own dunghill. 每个处于安逸环境中的人，都可以自夸其勇。 • Example is better no precept. 身教重于言教。 • Fair words butter no parsnips. 空言于事无补。 • Fair words fill not the belly. 漂亮话填不饱肚子。

9. First think, and then speak. • 三思而后言。 • Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down. • 千秋功业非坐而可得。 • From words to deeds is a great space. • 说来容易做到难。 • A good name is sooner lost than won. • 好名声得之难，失之易。 • A good tale is none the worse for being told twice. • 好故事百听不厌。 • The greatest talkers are the least doers. • 夸夸其谈者干得最少。/理论的巨人，行动的矮子。

10. Harp not for ever on the same string. • 勿老调重谈。 • Hear much ，speak little. • 多听少说。 • He cannot speak well that cannot hold his tongue. • 越是不会讲话的人，越是口若悬河。 • He that promises too much，means nothing. • 轻诺必寡信。 • He who denies all confesses all. • 欲盖弥彰。 • Advice when most needed is least heeded. • 忠言逆耳。 • Avoid a questioner, for he is also a tattler. • 好问是非者，恰是是非之人。

11. Barking dogs seldom bite. /A bully is always a coward. • 色厉内荏。 • Better the foot slip than the tongue trip. • 宁肯失足，不要失言。 • The bird is known by his note， the man by his words. • 闻音知鸟，闻言知人。 • Cast not the first stone. • 切莫首先指责别人。 • Children should be seen and not heard. • 童者应视其行，而勿信其言。 • Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. • 害人反害已。 • Dead men tell no tales. • 死无对证。

12. Deeds, not words. • 莫坐而论道，应身体力行。 • Do as I say, not as I do. • 依其言而行事，勿观其行而仿之。 • Do as you would be done by. • 已所不欲者勿施于人。 • Don't cry before you are hurt. • 不要危险未来先喊娘。 • Don't cry stinking fish. • 不要妄自菲薄。 • Don't make yourself a mouse, or the cat will eat you. • 不要自贬身价，以免被人看轻。 • Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs. • 莫班门弄斧。

13. A bad beginning makes a bad ending. • 不善始者不善终。 • A bad thing never dies. • 遗臭万年。 • A bad workman always blames his tools. • 不会撑船怪河弯。 • A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush. • 一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。 • A burden of one's choice is not felt. • 爱挑的担子不嫌重。 • A candle lights others and consumes itself. • 蜡烛照亮别人，却毁灭了自己。