译林絮谈

沙枫

一些“虎”字成语的英译

甲寅年，乃是虎年。中国产虎，几千年前已有虎的记载。英国不产虎，有虎的成语实在难找。

中国有虎的成语就多了。例如，赖恬昌选译的“Selected Chinese Sayings”（《成语选译》）就选了有虎的成语十六句之多。

“骑虎难下”——直译为：“It is difficult to get off the back of a tiger”，意译为：“To have or hold a wolf by the ear”。

“九牛二虎”——直译为：“Nine oxen and two tigers”，意译为：“Great strength”，“Herculean”。

“狐假虎威”——直译为：“The fox "borrowing" the awe of the tiger”，意译为：“To assume someone else's authority as one's own”，“To browbeat others by virtue of one's position”，“The ass in the lion's skin”。

“虎父无犬子”——直译为：“A tiger does not produce a dog”，意译为：“A wise goose never lays a tame egg”，“Eagles do not breed doves”。

“虎口余生”——直译为：“A narrow escape from a tiger's mouth”，意译为：“snatched from the jaws of death”。

“虎视眈眈”——直译为：“To glare like a tiger”，意译为：“Covetous”。

“虎头蛇尾”——直译为：“A tiger's head but a serpent's tail”，意译为：“Pretentious beginnings but poor results”，“Ending in smoke”。

“虎尾春冰”——直译为：“The tiger's tail and the ice of spring”，意译为：“To be extremely cautious in a dangerous position”。

“画虎类犬”——直译为：“His drawing of the tiger resembles the dog”，意译为：“Bad imitation”。

“苛政猛于虎”——直译为：“An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger”。

“不入虎穴焉得虎子”——直译为：“If you do not venture into a tiger's den, how can you get the tiger's cub”，意译为：“Nothing venture, nothing gain”。

“三人成虎”——直译为：“Three persons make a tiger”，意译为：“Fiction repeated often enough will be taken for fact”。

“谈虎色变”——直译为：“To turn pale at the mention of the tiger”，意译为：“A burnt child (dreads the fire)”。

“调虎离山”——直译为：“To get a tiger to leave the mountains”，意译为：“To lure the enemy away from his base”。

“为虎作伥”——直译为：“To act as guide to tiger”，意译为：“To hold a candle to the devil”。

“为虎傅翼”——直译为：“To give wings to a tiger”，意译为：“To give courage to evil-doers”。语出《周书寤儆》。