职场口语一学就会：使用谚语表达的训导(5)

你帮助我，我也帮助你。

Can you do me a big favor?

(你能帮我一个大忙吗?)

You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

(你帮助我，我也帮助你。)

scratch my back “挠我后背”。直译是“如果你给我挠后背， 我也会给你挠后背”。

You do me a favor, I'll return it in kind.

in kind “用同样的东西(回报)”。

You do for me, I'll do for you.

沉默是金。

I won't say a word.

(我一句话也不会说。)

Good. Silence is golden.

(对。沉默是金。)

谚语。

Silence is priceless.

priceless “非常贵重的”。

Silence is important.

important “重要的”、 “关键的”。

这笔账总是要算的。

Someone's going to pay for this.

(这笔账总是要算的。)

Definitely not me.

(绝对不会算到我头上。)

中文里的这个说法既可以指金钱上的事也可以不是， 英语也一样。“账”用了pay for来表示。

definitely “明确地”。

Someone will have to resolve this.

(这个问题总要有人去解决的。)

Someone is going to be held responsible for this.

总会有人要对此负责的。)

(

不可胜之则从之。

What should we do now?

(现在我们该怎么办?)

If you can't beat them, join them.

(不可胜之则从之。)

beat “打败”。美国常用的习语， 直译是“如果你打不过他们， 那就加入他们”。

If you can't beat them, you should join them.

Join them if you can't beat them.

熟能生巧。

Why do I have to keep doing the same thing?

(为什么我必须老是重复干同样的事情?)

Practice makes perfect.

(熟能生巧。)

直译是“练习会使(手艺)精湛”。

You improve with practice.

improve “提高”。

Repetition leads to mastery.

repetition “重复”。lead to ... “导致……”。mastery “熟练”。

开始总是最关键的。

This new project is taking up all my time.

(这个新项目占了我所有的时间。)

The beginning is always the most critical time.

(开始总是最关键的。)

take up “花(时间)”。

critical “重大的”。

It's always most critical in the beginning.

The beginning is always the most important.