西洋幽默语录(之七十九)
马细阿尔 (MARTIAL), A.D.40(?)-102(?)
罗马诗人和警句作者
If fame is to come only after death, I am in no hurry for it.
假如名气只有在死后才到来, 我并不急着去追求它.
The wife should be inferior to the husband; that is the only way to insure equality between the two.
老婆的地位应该较次於丈夫; 这是保证两人平等的唯一办法.
汤梅生 (MASSON, Tom), 1866-1934
美国幽默作家和编辑
The best way to study human nature is when nobody else is present.
研究人性最好的办法是当没人在的时候.
In modern wedlock, too many misplace the key.
在现代的婚姻里, 有太多人锁匙放错了地方.
It must be a hard life to be the child of a psychologist.
作为一个心理学家的孩子, 日子一定不好过.
The love game is never called off on account of darkness.
爱情的游戏从不会因为黑暗而取消.
Reputation: what others are not thinking about you.
名誉: 其他人不会想到你的东西.
There are seventy million books in American libraries, but the one you want to read is always out.
美国图书馆有七千万本书, 但你要读的那本总是借出去了.
What if my trousers are shabby and worn; they cover a warm heart.
我的裤子又破又烂又何妨; 它们裹着的是颗温暖的心.
毛姆 (MAUGHAM, William Somerset), 1874-1965
英国小说家和剧作家
American women expect to find in their husband a perfection that English women only hope to find in their butlers.
美国妇女想找的是一个完美的伴侣, 而英国妇女希望找的却是她们的管家.
The degree of a nation’s civilization is marked by its disregard for the necessities of existence.
一个国家的文明程度, 可以其不顾生活必需品为指标.
England seems to me full of people doing things they don’t want to do, because other people expect it of them.
英国在我看来好像有很多人都在做他们不喜欢做的事, 因为其他人希望他们这样做.
Impropriety is the soul of wit.
不按牌理出招是机智的灵魂.
It is a funny thing about life: if you refuse to accept anything but the best you very often get.
人生就是这么有趣: 如果你拒绝接受任何东西, 除了最好的, 你时常会得到它.
Only a mediocre writer is always at his best.
只有平庸的作家往往处在最得意的状态.
To do each day two things one dislikes is a precept I have followed scrupulously: everyday I have got up and I have gone to bed.
每天做两件每个人不喜欢做的事是我认真遵守的箴言: 每天我起身, 和我上床睡觉.
A woman can forgive a man for the harm he does her, but she can never forgive the sacrifices he makes on her account.
一个女人可以原谅一个男人对她的伤害, 但却不能原谅他为她所作的牺牲.
安德列摩罗依斯 (MAUROIS, Andre), 1885-1967
法国自传作者和杂文作者
The only experience teaches us is that experience teaches us nothing.
经验教导我们唯一的一件事是, 经验什么都没教我们.
To have the licence number of one’s automobile as low as possible is a social advantage in America.
一个人的车牌号码越小越好, 在美国是一种社会优势.
威廉麦菲 (McFEE, William), 1881-1966
英国裔美国作家
The world belongs to the Enthusiast who keeps cool.
世界属於头脑冷静的热心人.
