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a bad beginning makes a bad ending. 恶其始者必恶其终。 a bad bush is better than the open field. 有胜于无。 a bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit. 吃亏的和解也比胜诉强。 a bad conscience is a snake in one's heart. 做贼心虚。 a bad custom is like a good cake, better broken than kept. 坏习惯像鲜馅饼，分食要比保存好。 a bad padlock invites a picklock. 开门揖盗。 a bad penny always turns up. a bad thing never dies. 坏事传千年。 a bad workman quarrels with his tools. 拙匠常怨工具差(人笨怨刀钝)。 a bargain is a bargain. 达成的协议不可撕毁。 a beggar's purse is bottomless. 乞丐的钱袋是无底洞。 a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 双鸟在林不如一鸟在手。 a bird is known by its note, and a man by his talk. 闻其歌知其鸟，听其言知其人。 a bird may be known by its song. 什么鸟唱什么歌。 a bit in the morning is better than nothing all day. 略有胜于全无。 a blind man who leans against a wall imagines that it's the boundary of the world. 坐井观天。 a blind man will not thank you for a looking-glass. 秋波送盲，白费痴情。 a book is the same today as it always was and it will never change. 一本好书今天如此，将来也如此，永不改变。 a book that remains shut is but a block. 有书闭卷不阅读，无异是一块木头。 a borrowed cloak does not keep one warm. 借来的斗篷不暖身。 absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it. 相聚爱益切，离别情更深。 a burden of one's choice is not felt. 自己选的担子不嫌重。 a burnt child dreads the fire. 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳。 a candle lights others and consumes itself. 蜡烛焚自身，光亮照别人。 a cat may look at a king. 猫也有权晋见国王。 a cat has nine lives. 猫有九条命。 accidents will happen. 天有不测风云。 a chain is no stronger than its weakest link. 链条的坚固程度取决于它最薄弱的环节。 a change of work is as good as a rest. 调换一下工作是很好的休息。 a cheerful wife is the joy of life. 快乐的妻子是生活的乐事。 a clean hand wants no washing. 身正不怕影子斜。 a clear conscience is a soft pillow. 问心无愧，高枕无忧。 a clear conscience is a sure card. 光明磊落，胜券在握。 a clear conscience laughs at false accusations. 白日不做亏心事，夜半敲门心不惊。 a clear fast is better than a dirty breakfast. 宁为清贫，不为浊富。 a close mouth catches no flies. 病从口入，祸从口出。 a cock is valiant on his own dunghill. 夜郎自大。 a common danger causes common action. 同仇敌忾。 a constant guest is never welcome. 久住非佳宾，常来不欢迎。 a contented mind is perpetual feast. 知足常乐。 a covetous man is good to none but worse to himself. 贪婪的人对别人毫无好处，对自己却坏处更大。 a crafty knave needs no broker. 狡猾的流氓，不需居间人。 a creaking door hangs long on its hinges. 户枢不蠹。 action is the proper fruit of knowledge. 行动是知识的巧果。 actions speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩。 a discontented man knows not where to sit easy. 不满足者坐无宁时。 a disease known is half cured. 病情确诊断，治病好一半。 admonish your friends in private, praise them in public. 在私底下要忠告你的朋友，在公开场合又表扬你的朋友。 a dog will not howl if you beat him with a bone. 骨头打狗狗不叫。 adversity is a good discipline. 苦难是磨练人的好机会。 adversity leads to prosperity. 逆境迎向昌盛。 adversity makes a man wise, not rich. 患难使人聪明，但不能致富。 adversity makes strange bedfellows. 身处逆境不择友。 adversity successfully overcome is the highest glory. 成功地克服困难是最大的光荣。 a fair death honours the whole life. 死得光明，终身荣耀。 a fair face may hide a foul heart. 人不可貌相。 a faithful friend is hard to find. 益友难得。 a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. 吃一堑，长一智。 after dinner sit a while, after supper walk a while. 午饭后要坐，晚饭后要走。 a father is a treasure, a brother is a comfort, but a friend is both. 父亲是财富，兄弟是安慰，朋友兼而有之。 a fault confessed is half redressed. 承认错误，等于改正一半。 affairs that are done by due degrees are soon ended. 事情要安步就班地做，就会很快地做完。 a flow of words is no proof of wisdom. 口若悬河不能作为才智的证明。 a fool always comes short of his reckoning. 愚人常缺算计。 a fool always rushes to the fore. 傻瓜总爱强出头。 a fool and his money are soon parted. 笨蛋难聚财。 a fool attempting to be witty is an object of profoundest pity. 蠢人装聪明，实在最可怜。 a fool can ask more questions than seven wise men can answer. 一愚发问，七智结舌。 a fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in seven years. 愚者所问，智者难答。 a fool may give a wise man counsel. 愚者千虑，必有一得。 a fool may throw a stone into a well which a hundred wise men cannot pull out. 一愚所失，百智难回。 a fool knows more in his own house than a wise man in another. 一个蠢材在他自己家里所知的事比一个聪明人在别人家里所知的事要多。 a fool's bolt may sometimes hit the mark. 愚者千虑，必有一得。 a fool's heart dances on his lips. 愚人心坦荡，挂在嘴唇上。 a fox may grow grey, but never good. 狐狸会变，但本性难移。 a friend exaggerates a man's virtue, an enemy his crimes. 朋友宣扬人的美德，敌人夸大人的罪过。 a friend in court is better than a penny in purse. 曩中有钱，不如朝中有友。 a friend in need is a friend indeed. 患难朋友才是真朋友。 a friend is a second self. 朋友是另一个我。 a friend is best found in adversity. 患难见真友。 a friend is never known till a man have need. 不到患难时，永远不能认识真正的朋友。 a friend is not so soon gotten as lost. 交友慢，失友快。 a friend to everybody is a friend to nobody. 广交友，无深交。 a friend without faults will never be found. 没有缺点的朋友是永远找不到的。 after a storm comes a calm. 否极泰来。 after black clouds, clear weather. 否极泰来。 after death, the doctor. 放马后炮。 after dinner comes the reckoning. 吃喝玩乐，该付代价。 after dinner sit a while; after supper walk a mile. 午餐之后坐片刻，晚饭之后走一里。 after meat, mustard. 雨后送伞。 a full belly counsels well. 衣食足而后知荣辱。 a full cup must be carried steadily. 杯满盈，须持稳。 a good anvil does not fear the hammer. 好砧不怕锤。 a good appetite is a good sauce. 饥不择食。 a good beginning is half the battle. 首战告捷等于一半胜利。 a good beginning makes a good ending. 善始者必善其终。 a good book is a best friend who never turns his back upon us. 一本好书，莫逆之交。 a good book is a light to the soul. 好书一本，照亮xīn líng。 a good conscience is a continual feast. 白日不做亏心事，夜半敲门心不惊。 a good conscience is a soft pillow. 白日不做亏心事，夜半敲门心不惊。 a good dog deserves a good bone. 有劳得奖。 a good example is the best sermon. 身教胜似言教。 a good face is a letter of recommendation. 好的相貌就是一封推荐的介绍信。 a good face needs no paint. 美貌无需擦脂抹粉。 a good fame is better than a good face. 好的名望胜于好的相貌。 a good friend is my nearest relation. 良友如近亲。 a good head and an industrious hand are worth gold in any land. 聪明脑袋勤劳手，走遍天下贵如金。 a good healthy body is worth more a crown in gold. 健康的身体贵于黄金铸成的皇冠。 a good heart cant's lie. 有仁心者不说谎话。 a good heart conquers ill fortune. 善心克厄运。 a good horse cannot be of a bad colour. 良马的毛色不会差。 a good horse often needs a good spur. 好马常要好靴刺。 a good marksman may miss. 智者千虑，必有一失。 a good maxim is never out of season. 至理名言不会过时。 a good medicine tastes bitter. 良药苦口，忠言逆耳。 a good name is better than riches. 好名誉胜过有财富。 a good name is earlier lost than won. 失去美名易，得到美名难。 a good name is sooner lost than won. 美誉难得而易失。 a good name keeps lustre in the dark. 好的名声在黑暗中也会光芒四射。 a good neighbour is better than a bother in the next village. 远亲不如近邻。 a good surgeon must have an eagle's eye, a lion's heart, and a lady's hand. 出色的外科医生必须心明眼亮和有一双灵巧的手。 a good tale is none the worse for being twice told. 好故事百听不厌。 a good tongue is a good weapon. 伶俐的口齿是一种锐利的武器。 a good wife makes a good husband. 有好妻子就有好丈夫。 a good winter brings a good summer. 瑞雪兆丰年。 a great talker is a great liar. 最会饶舌的人也是最会说谎的人。 a great ship asks deep water. 巨轮寻深水而航行。 a guilty conscience is a self-accuser. 做贼心虚，良心自诛。 a guilty conscience needs no accuser. 贼胆心虚。 a handful of common sense is worth bushel of learning. 一点小常识常胜过很多有价值的学问。 a happy heart makes a blooming visage. 心花怒放，笑逐颜开。 a hasty man is seldom out of trouble. 性急难免出岔子。 a heavy purse makes a light heart. 腰包钱财足，心境自然宽。 a heavy snow promise a good harvest. 瑞雪兆丰年。
