英语口语练习小对话 第574期:化干戈为玉帛

Subject:Let’s beat our swords in to plowshares.

迷你对话

A: I cannot stand this situation anymore. Let’s beat our swords into plowshares.

我不能再忍受这种情形了，让我们化干戈为玉帛吧。

B: OK. I have the same idea with you.

好的，我和你想的一样。

1. 解释

Beat one’s swords into plowshares中的sword是指“战争”，plowshares是指“和平”。字面意思是把战争休止，让情况处于和平状态。那么汉语中的“化干帛为玉帛”就是比喻战者能舍弃纷争，追求和和平的行动。其英文解释为：If people beat swords into plowshares, they spend money on humanitarian purposes rather than weapons.

2. 例句

e.g. The prime minister would like them to beat their swords into plowshares and abandon all plans for war.

该国首相希望双方能够化干戈为玉帛，放弃所有的战争计划。

e.g. After years of quarreling we at last sent our cousins a Christmas card to beat our swords into plowshares.

我们与堂兄弟多年不和, 最后我们送给他们一张圣诞卡, 算是化干戈为玉帛。