看故事学英语：塞翁失马
2012-05-07 00:05:00
【成语来源】
blessing or bane
塞翁失马
Near China's northern borders lived a man called Sai Weng. He raised a lot of horses.
战国时期，靠近北部边城，住着一个姓塞老人, 他养了许多马。
One day, he lost one of his horses. Everyone commiserated with him.
一天，他的一匹走失了，人们听说这件事，跑来安慰他。
"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said Sai Weng.
塞翁说：“没准会带来什么福气呢。”
After a few months, his horse came back, leading a fine horse from the north.
过了几个月，丢失的马不仅自己回了家，还带回一匹匈奴的骏马。
Everyone congratulated him.
所有人都来祝贺塞翁。
"Perhaps this may turn out to be a cause of misfortune," said Sai Weng.
塞翁反而说：“这或许会带来不幸呢。”
Since he was well-off and kept good horses, his son became fond of riding and eventually broke his leg for falling from a horse.
因为塞翁很富有，并且养马养得很好，所以他的儿子也十分喜爱骑马。但没想到有一次骑马时，他的儿子从马上掉了下来，摔断了腿。
Everyone commiserated with him. "Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said his father.
人们于是又去安慰塞翁。但塞翁却说：“也许这次又会带来好运呢。”
One year later, the northern tribes started a big invasion of the border regions.
一年以后，匈奴入侵边境。
This man's son did not join in the fighting because he was crippled and so he survived.
但是塞翁的儿子因为腿断了便没有被征入当兵队伍之中，而其他很多当兵的青年都战死在了沙场，塞翁的儿子因此保住了性命。
【文化链接】
成语“塞翁失马”如果用于英文表达，可以使用短语“blessing or bane ”,“blessing”的意思是“好运”，“bane”的意思则是“厄运，祸事”，所以放在一起就可以表达“塞翁失马”的意思。
但是，英文表达“blessing or bane ”常会用来单纯的表示“是祸是福”的意思，比如：
Technology, a blessing or a bane?
高科技，是祸是福？
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