來自聖經的英文成語（一）

2022年02月09日

聖經在英語世界影響深遠，好比中文世界的四書五經。很多英文的成語都出自聖經，報章和日常交談都會用到。就算你沒有興趣要研究宗教，多少都要知道一下這些典故，才能明白別人的話。以下選了八個常見的英文成語。

1. The Writing On The Wall

已經寫在牆上的字（但以理書5:5）
意思：噩運已經註定了
出處：在巴比倫王飲宴的時候，宮殿的牆上突然有隻手出現，寫下了幾個字，預告巴比倫王朝的覆滅。當日凌晨波斯王居魯士偷襲得手，攻破了巴比倫。

例句：Tier two is already killing London pubs’ ability to trade, but moving into tier three would truly be the writing on the wall for many more of the capital’s local. (Morning Advertiser)

2. There Is Nothing New Under The Sun

太陽底下無新事（傳道書1:9）
意思：世事都是歷史重演。
出處：所羅門王的金句。

例句：There is nothing new under the sun for China. No company can do business in China without submitting to the agenda of the communist regime. (Commentary Box Sports)

3. Pride Comes Before A Fall

人心高氣傲就會跌倒。（箴言16:18）
出處：所羅門王的金句。

例句：Of all the current generation of political leaders, President Macron is the most glaring example of this characteristic. And, as we all know, pride comes before a fall. (Daily Mail)

4. By The Skin Of Your Teeth

只剩牙的皮（約伯記19:20）
意思：險過剃頭，幾乎要死
出處：約伯病得要死，灰心失望時的跟朋友的對話

例句：Driver spared jail ‘by the skin of your teeth’ after smashing into cyclist and fleeing the scene. (Sunderland Echo)

5. The Lion’s Den

獅子坑（但以理書6:12）
意思：四面受敵，陷入困境
出處：先知但以理被敵人誣告，於是被判刑，被扔進有很多獅子的坑裡，但他奇蹟地生還出來。

例句：His decision to enter what it calls the “lion’s den” of Brussels – for the first time since he became prime minister – is a huge gamble. (BBC)

6. At The Eleventh Hour

第11小時（馬太福音20:9）
意思：要做一些事的最後機會。11小時相等於下午5點，還有1小時收工。
出處：耶穌講的一個比喻，有些人一早開始工作，另一些人到最後一刻才有機會。

例句：At the eleventh hour, the EU is bringing new elements into the negotiation. A breakthrough is still possible in the next few days but that prospect is receding. (BBC)

7. To Fall By The Wayside

落在路旁的種子（路加福音8:5）
意思：丟失的東西。沒有結果的付出。
出處：耶穌講的一個比喻，撒種的人到處撒種，有些落在路旁的種子是不會長大和結實的。

例句：The election is not over yet, says Mike, but – win or lose – the Trump coalition will not allow his agenda to fall by the wayside. (BBC)

8. Casting Pearls Before Swine

把珍珠扔到豬面前（馬太福音7:6）
意思：把有價值的東西給那些不懂珍惜、不識貨的人

例句：Dr. Blake said warning the public against influenza was like ‘casting pearls before swine,’” The Sun wrote. “The public, he said, would not take precautions until the disease was in its midst, and then it was too late. (The Baltimore Sun)

來自聖經的成語自然不只這麼少，下次再繼續跟大家分享。