1733年

明白大多数药物都没有效果的大夫，才是最好的大夫。

He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines.

亲爱的读者：

我想在这里告诉大家，我写历书的目的只有一个：让公众受益。不过，说这样的话，我显得不够诚实。现在的人都很聪明，谎话说得再怎样圆滑，也骗不了他们，还是如实说吧：我没钱。我老婆是个好女人，不过我批评她说，她有点过于骄傲。她忍无可忍，说她坐在那里忙着纺纱织布，我却无所事事，瞪大眼睛看星星。她经常威胁我说，如果我再不用我的书和那些破玩意儿（她这样称呼我的仪器）去挣点钱，贴补家用，她就把我的书和那些仪器全烧掉。出版商给我的利润提成还算可以，于是，我就遵照老婆大人的意思，开始写这本历书。

其实，如果说只是因为生活所迫的话，那我也许很久以前就不得不出版历书了。只因为顾及到我的同学和老友泰坦·利兹先生（当时出版历书的另一人——编者注）的利益，我极不愿意伤害他，不过这一障碍（我十分不情愿用这个词）马上就要消失了，因为不懂得敬重美德的冷酷的死神已经做好了准备对利兹先生发动致命的冲刺。死神掏出了他那把毁灭的剪刀，那个天才不久就要离我们而去了。按照他的愿望，我推算他会在1733年10月17日下午3点29分，正好有两颗星星交汇的时候死去，但按他自己的推测，他会活到当月26日。在过去的9年里，我们每次见面，都会为这一小小的差异争论不休，不过，后来他终于有些相信我的话了。究竟谁算得准，很快就会见分晓。由于从明年起，这个地方的人们也许再也看不到他的作品了，我想我应该把这一任务承担起来，也希望得到公众的鼓励和帮助。所以，我殷切希望购买这本小书的读者朋友，能够既觉得自己不仅是在买一本有用的书，同时又是在做善事，获益之人将是你贫困的挚友：

理查·萨德斯

牧师酿的葡萄酒，能喝就喝个痛快；面包师做的布丁，能吃就吃个过瘾。

Never spare the Parson's wine, nor the Baker's pudding.

登门访客，宜如冬日之短，莫使主人生厌。

Visits should be short, like a winters day, Lest you're too trouble some hasten away.

一个家里没有女人和炉火，好比身体里缺少了心脏或者灵魂。

A house without woman & Fire-light, is like a body without soul or sprite.

国王和狗熊一样，使伺候他们的人整日提心吊胆。

Kings & Bears often worry their keepers.

轻钱财，重情义。

Light purse, heavy heart.

笨蛋才会让医生继承自己的遗产。

He's a Fool that makes his Doctor his Heir.

没有遮风躲雨之处，无力生起旺盛的炉火，就不要把老婆娶进门。

Ne'er take a wife till thou hast a house （& a fire） to put her in.

他走了，什么都没有忘，就是忘了和债主道别。

He's gone, and forgot nothing but to say Farewell to his creditors.

爱得深，鞭子也抽得狠。

Love well, whip well.

饿鬼眼里没有馊面包（饥不择食）。

Hunger never saw bad bread.

当心煮了两次的肉，警惕重归于好的旧敌。

Beware of meat twice boil'd, & an old foe reconcil'd.

语言的巨人，行动的侏儒。

Great Talkers, little Doers.

一个富有的恶棍，好比一头肥猪，只有等到他们死了，才能给人们带来些许好处。

A rich rogue, is like a fat hog, who never does good till as dead as a log.

是熟人但没有友情，有友情但无热情，有热情但又缺少主动，有主动但又没有成效，有成效但却没有收益，有收益但却无美德，终究一文不值。

Relation without friendship, friendship without power, power without will, will without effect, effect without profi t, & profi t without virtue, are not worth a farto.

填饱肚子是为了活着，但活着不是为了填饱肚子。

Eat to live, and not live to eat.

三月风狂，四月雨骤，五月最是好春光（不经历风雨，怎能见彩虹）。

March windy, and April rainy, makes May the pleasantest month of any.

伟人的恩赐绝不是财产（而是精神）。

The favour of the Great is no inheritance.

愚人设宴，智者赴宴。

Fools make feasts and wise men eat 'em.

年轻的医生易失手，年老的理发师易手抖。

Beware of the young Doctor & the old Barber.

与其驾一匹独眼残马，不如驾一匹双目尽失的盲马。

He has chang'd his one ey'd horse for a blind one.

穷人几乎什么都没有，乞丐真的一无所有，富人总是应有尽有，但知足的没有一人。

The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.

无论是对待通奸的情人、远方的客人，还是阴雨的天气，人们都只能保持3天的热情。

After 3 days men grow weary, of a wench, a guest, & weather rainy.

要长寿，少吃肉。

To lengthen thy Life, lessen thy Meals.

烈火检验金子，金子检验女人，女人检验男人。

The proof of gold is fire, the proof of woman, gold; the proof of man, a woman.

天下没有无缘无故的筵席（设宴者必有所图）。

After feasts made, the maker scratches his head.

享用过度，产业无多。女人有时间喝茶，就没时间纺衣织布。

Many estates are spent in the getting, Since women for tea forsook spinning& knitting.

和狗睡一块，身上必定有虱子。

He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fl eas.

衣食无忧者，意志往往薄弱。A fat kitchin, a lean Will.

多心多安全，小心小风险。

Distrust & caution are the parents of security.

舌头快，麻烦多。

Tongue double, brings trouble.

喝酒时商量事情，清醒后再做决定（头脑不清，慢做决定）。Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.

喝酒快者付账慢。

He that drinks fast, pays slow.

大饥荒，狼吃狼。

Great famine when wolves eat wolves.

失去好妻子，就是失去上帝的礼物。A good Wife lost is God's gift lost.

易驯的马，好学的女人，让教他们的人省心省事。

A taught horse, and a woman to teach, and teachers practising what they preach.

卑劣之徒，犹如身着破衣烂衫，丑陋之极。

He is ill cloth'd, who is bare of Virtu.

愚蠢的人，先开口再去想；聪明的人，先想好再开口。

The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.

人心隔肚皮，犹如西瓜也隔着皮，难以辨别生熟。

Men & Melons are hard to know.

明白大多数药物都没有效果的大夫，才是最好的大夫。

He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines.

国有良才，犹如大山之中蕴藏黄金。

A fi ne genius in his own country, is like gold in the mine.

不要小看敌人（轻敌易致命）。

There is no little enemy.

马靴虽然没了，但总算保住了马刺（留得青山在，不怕没柴烧）。

He has lost his Boots but sav'd his spurs.

生前就将所有的财产给儿子，自己一文也不留。噢，他是蠢老头！好比还没睡觉就脱光衣服。

The old Man has given all to his Son: O fool! to undress thy self before thou art going to bed.

奶酪和咸肉，都不可狼吞虎咽，只能细嚼慢咽（美味要慢慢品尝）。

Cheese and salt meat, should be sparingly eat.

有了门和墙，还是防不胜防（偷盗难防）。

Doors and walls are fools paper.

尊敬恶棍，恶棍用刀捅你；用刀捅恶棍，恶棍崇拜你。

Anoint a villain and he'll stab you, stab him & he'l anoint you.

要想身体好，嘴巴要湿润，双脚要干燥。

Keep your mouth wet, feet dry.

在面包都缺的地方，所有的东西都会被一抢而光。

Where bread is wanting, all's to be sold.

和流氓做生意，既不会有信誉，也不会有收益。

There is neither honour nor gain, got in dealing with a villain.

我猜想，笨蛋许的愿，往往是祈求火永远不要熄灭。

The fool hath made a vow,

I guess, Never to let the Fire have peace.

瑞雪兆丰年。

Snowy winter, a plentiful harvest.

世界上最笨的人，莫过于醉鬼。

Nothing more like a Fool, than a drunken Man.

上帝有时会制造出奇迹，

瞧！那就是老实人和律师！

God works wonders now & then;

Behold! a Lawyer, an honest Man!

生活荒淫无度，生命便无法永驻。

He that lives carnally, won't live eternally.

天真者无邪。

Innocence is its own Defence.

过去的诗人说，时间吞噬了一切。

现在时代变了，时间用酒冲走了一切。

没事，过了节时间就清醒了，一如从前。

Time eateth all things, could old Poets say; The Times are chang'd, our times drink all away. Never mind it, she'l be sober after the Holidays.