《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：After lunch, Chin-kuei deliberately went out to clear the coast for them both, and Hsueh Pan started making advances to Pao-chan. Well aware of that he wanted, she only made a show of resisting.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：Our family’s short-handed and, as the proverb says, “A slow sparrow should make an early start.”We don’t want to find, when the time comes, that we’ve forgotten this, that and the other, so that people laugh at us.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：And these five Cousin Lin has written today can also be considered as fresh and original, but goes as slowly as unraveling a concoon?”4. 俗话说：病来如山倒，病去如抽丝。
译文：Haven’t you heard the saying：“Illness comes as fast as a wall falling down, but goes as slowly as unraveling a concoon?”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, surely you are sufficiently well versed in ancient and modern literature to know the title of that opera. Why do you have to describe it? It ‘s called “Abject Apologies”.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：But although his intelligence and ability were outstanding, these qualities were unfortunately offset by a certain cupidity and harshness and a tendency to use his intelligence in order to outwit his superiors; all of which caused his fellow officials to cast envious glances in his direction.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：He raised his hands and slapped himself on both cheeks.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：When we have nothing to do but gossip, we always agree that each single one of you girls is one in a hundred. And the wonderful thing is that each one of you has her own good qualities.9. 自古嫦娥爱少年。
（四十七回）译文：From of old, young nymphs have preferred youth to age.10. 子系中山狼，得志便猖狂。
（五回）译文：Paired with a brute like the wolf in the old fable, Who on his saviour turned when he was able.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-chuan flushed and flashed back, “You’re presuming on your age, madam!”12. 怎么能雅俗共赏才好。
（五十四回）译文：Let’s find something that highbrows and lowbrows alike can enjoy.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：Actually I could easily find the evidence in Concubine Chao’s rooms, but I was afraid that would make another good person lose face. Other people wouldn’t mind, but she’d certainly be angry. I was her that I was thinking of. I didn’t want to smash a jade vase to catch a rat.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：I have never seen such simpleton as our young master, the ays he catches at shadows. What’s to become of him?15. 可知俗话说：“天下无难事，只怕有心人。
”（四十九回）译文：As the proverb says, “All difficulities on earth can be overcome if men but given their minds to it.”16. 天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。
（十一回）译文：Storms gather without warning in nature, and bad luck befalls men overnight.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：Simple farmers who live on pickles and dress in homespun at least know the joys of family like together. What pleasure can I take in high rank and luxury when we are separated like this?18. 俗话说：“随乡入乡”，到了你这里，自然把这金珠玉宝贬为俗器了。
（四十一回）译文：But “other countries, other ways”, you know. When I enter your domain, I naturally adopt your standards and look on gold, jewels and jade as common, vulgar things.19. 如今我们家赫赫扬扬，已将百载，一日倘或“乐极生悲”，若应了那句“树倒猢狲散”的俗语，岂不虚称了一世诗书旧族了。
（十三回）译文：Our house has now enjoyed nearly a century of dazzling success. Suppose one day “joy at its height engenders sorrow.”And suppose that, in the words of another proverb, “When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.”Will not our reputation as one of the great cultured households of the age then turn into a hollow mockery?20. 一时的欢乐，万不可忘了那“盛宴必散”的俗语。
（十三回）译文：Whatever happens don’t forget the proverb, “Even the grandest feast must have an end.”21. 俗语说：“拼着一身剐，敢把皇帝拉下马”，他穷疯了的人，什么事都不出来？（六十八回）译文：As the proverb says, “One who will risk being sliced to pieces dare unsaddle the Emperor.”A man so desperately poor will go to any lengths.22. 姑娘们天天山珍海味的，也吃腻了，吃个野菜儿，也算我们的穷心。
（三十九回）译文：You young ladies must be tired of the delicacies you eat every day, and you may care to try our country fare. This is just our poor way of show-ing our gratitude.23．倒也“三从四德”的，只是这贤惠也太过分了。
（四十七回）译文：Quite a model of wifely submission and virtue, aren’t you? Only you carry this obedience too far.24. 今既入了这园，再遇见湘云、香菱、芳、蕊一干女子，所谓“人以类聚，物以群分”，二语不错。
（六十三回）译文：Coming here now and meeting Hsiang-yun, Hsiang-ling, Fang-kuan, Jui-kuan and other girls, it was a genuine case of “like attracts like”or “birds of a feather flock together”.25. 正是俗话说得好, “清官难断家务事”, 此时正是“公婆难断床帏事了。