Biblical idioms in English
英语中的圣经习语
An idiom is a group of words or an expression whose meaning is not straightforward, because it often cannot be understood by looking at the meanings of the separate words.
习语是分开看其中每个单词的意思经常不能理解其含义的隐晦的词组或表达。
In other words, its meaning can be very different from the apparent meanings of its components.
换句话说,习语表达的含义可能和字面意义完全不同。
Idioms often use a number of words to represent a single object, person or concept, among other things,
习语通常用许多其它的词来象征另一种特定的事物、人或者观点。
and unless you recognize an idiom when it is being used, it is easily to misunderstand what you read or hear spoken.
除非你认出某处使用了习语,否则会很容易误解你所看到或听到的内容。
There are many idioms in English, and quite a few of them come from the Bible.
英语里有很多习语,其中大部分摘自《圣经》。
The Bible was first written in Hebrew and Greek, both of which use many idioms.
《圣经》最初是用希伯来语和希腊语书写,这两种版本都包含了不少习语。
This means that since the Bible was translated into English centuries ago,
这就意味着自从数世纪前《圣经》被译成英语,
many Hebrew or Greek idioms have become part of the English language.
许多希伯来和希腊习语就已经转化成为英语语言的一部分。
However, many idioms have either lost their original meanings or have only a vague or loose connection with them now.
然而,许多习语现在要么已经失去了原意,要么已经偏离了原意。
For example, "by and by" now means "before long", but in the Bible, it was used to mean "immediately".
例如,“by and by”现在意为“不久以后”,而在圣经中,它过去的含义则是“立即,马上”。