《红楼梦》熟语英译三十例1.至午后，金桂故意出去，让个空与他二人，薛蟠便拉拉扯扯起来。宝蝉心里也知八九了，也就半推半就。译文：Afterlunch,Chin-kueideliberatelywentouttoclearthecoastforthemboth,andHsuehPanstartedmakingadvancestoPao-chan.Wellawareofthathewanted,sheonlymadeashowofresisting.2.咱们家没人，俗话说的“夯雀儿先飞”，省的临时丢三落四的不齐全，令人晓华（六十七回）译文：Ourfamily’sshort-handedand,astheproverbsays,“Aslowsparrowshouldmakeanearlystart.”Wedon’twanttofind,whenthetimecomes,thatwe’veforgottenthis,thatandtheother,sothatpeoplelaughatus.3.今日林妹妹这五首诗，亦可谓命义新奇，别开生面了。（六十四回）译文：AndthesefiveCousinLinhaswrittentodaycanalsobeconsideredasfreshandoriginal,butgoesasslowlyasunravelingaconcoon?”4.俗话说：病来如山倒，病去如抽丝。译文：Haven’tyouheardthesaying：“Illnesscomesasfastasawallfallingdown,butgoesasslowlyasunravelingaconcoon?”5.姐姐博古通今，色色都知道，怎么连这一出戏的名儿也不知道，就说了这一套。这叫做“负荆请罪”。（三十四）译文：Why,cousin,surelyyouaresufficientlywellversedinancientandmodernliteraturetoknowthetitleofthatopera.Whydoyouhavetodescribeit?It‘scalled“AbjectApologies”.5.虽才干优长，未免贪酷，且侍才侮上，那同寅皆侧目而视。（十五回）译文：Butalthoughhisintelligenceandabilitywereoutstanding,thesequalitieswereunfortunatelyoffsetbyacertaincupidityandharshnessandatendencytousehisintelligenceinordertooutwithissuperiors;allofwhichcausedhisfellowofficialstocastenviousglancesinhisdirection.7.说着，就自己举手，左右开弓，自己打了一顿嘴巴子。（六十八回）译文：Heraisedhishandsandslappedhimselfonbothcheeks.8.我们没事评论起来，你们这几个，都是百里跳不出一个来的。妙在个人有个人的好处。译文：Whenwehavenothingtodobutgossip,wealwaysagreethateachsingleoneofyougirlsisoneinahundred.Andthewonderfulthingisthateachoneofyouhasherowngoodqualities.9.自古嫦娥爱少年。（四十七回）译文：Fromofold,youngnymphshavepreferredyouthtoage.10.子系中山狼，得志便猖狂。（五回）译文：Pairedwithabrutelikethewolfintheoldfable,Whoonhissaviourturnedwhenhewasable.11.紫鹃飞红了脸，笑道：“姨太太真是个倚老卖老的！”（五十七回）译文：Tzu-chuanflushedandflashedback,“You’represumingonyourage,madam!”12.怎么能雅俗共赏才好。（五十四回）译文：Let’sfindsomethingthathighbrowsandlowbrowsalikecanenjoy.13.如今就打赵姨娘屋里起了脏来也容易，我只怕又伤着好人的体面：别人都不必管，只这一个人，岂不又生气？我可怜的是她，不肯为“打老鼠伤了玉瓶儿。”（六十一回）译文：ActuallyIcouldeasilyfindtheevidenceinConcubineChao’srooms,butIwasafraidthatwouldmakeanothergoodpersonloseface.Otherpeoplewouldn’tmind,butshe’dcertainlybeangry.IwasherthatIwasthinkingof.Ididn’twanttosmashajadevasetocatcharat.14.也没见我们这位呆爷，“听见风儿就是雨”，往后怎么好？（五十七回）译文：Ihaveneverseensuchsimpletonasouryoungmaster,theayshecatchesatshadows.What’stobecomeofhim?15.可知俗话说：“天下无难事，只怕有心人。”（四十九回）译文：Astheproverbsays,“Alldifficulitiesonearthcanbeovercomeifmenbutgiventheirmindstoit.”16.天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。（十一回）译文：Stormsgatherwithoutwarninginnature,andbadluckbefallsmenovernight.17.田舍之家，齑盐布帛，得遂天伦之乐；今虽富贵，骨肉分离，终无意趣。（十八回）译文：Simplefarmerswholiveonpicklesanddressinhomespunatleastknowthejoysoffamilyliketogether.WhatpleasurecanItakeinhighrankandluxurywhenweareseparatedlikethis?18.俗话说：“随乡入乡”，到了你这里，自然把这金...