Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch 雞未孵出不要數(shù)

楊舟選譯

Today we talk about a proverb2 often used in American English.

A proverb is a short， well-known saying that usually offers a piece of advice. Our example of a proverb takes us to a farm—a chicken farm， to be exact.

Our explanation3 is part science， part folklore4.

First， the science.

You know that chickens come from eggs， of course. A hen lays eggs and then they hatch into chicks. Well， not all of them. Some eggs do not have a baby bird.

So， at our farm， a hen produces 15 eggs. If the farmer counts the eggs， she might expect to have 15 chicks once the eggs are hatched. But then five of those eggs do not hatch. Her expectations5 were not met， so she feels disappointed. She tells her friend how sad she feels. The friend may say to her， “Well， dont count your chicken before they hatch.”

Another way of saying this proverb is “Dont count your chickens until they are hatched.”

So， this proverb means you should not depend on something that has yet to happen. It is unwise to make plans based on something that hasnt happened. Another meaning of this proverb is this： Do not assume6 to have everything you want until you actually have it in your hands.

Now， lets talk about the folklore part of our explanation.

“Dont count your chickens until they are hatched” is a very old saying. Language experts say it appears in different forms and in many different cultures. It is also used in Aesops Fables7， a collection of stories from between 1，300 and 1，400 years ago.

The fable we are talking about is known as The Milkmaid 8 and Her Pail 9. A long time ago， a young woman carried a bucket of milk on her head. As she walked， the milkmaid dreamed of a better life. She wanted to be rich. So， she thought she could sell her milk and then use the money to buy chickens. With chickens she could sell eggs and earn more money！

With lots of money， the milkmaid could shake her head “no” to all the men in her village who wanted her hand in marriage. The young woman was so caught up in her thoughts that she actually shook her head “no”. This caused the pail of milk to fall from her head and crash to the ground. Along with it—her dreams of becoming rich and independent.

When she told her mother what happened， her mother said， “My child， do not count your chickens before they are hatched.”

（英語原文選自：VOA Special English）

今天我們來談?wù)劽绹⒄Z中一個(gè)常用的諺語。

諺語是簡短的、眾所周知的說法，通常會(huì)提出一條建議。有條諺語的例子會(huì)把我們帶到一個(gè)農(nóng)場(chǎng)——確切地說，是一個(gè)養(yǎng)雞場(chǎng)。

我們的解釋一部分和科學(xué)有關(guān)，一部分和民間傳說有關(guān)。

首先是和科學(xué)有關(guān)的部分。

你當(dāng)然知道小雞是從雞蛋里孵出來的。母雞下蛋后蛋孵化成小雞。好吧，并不是所有的蛋都可以，有些蛋孵不出小雞。

所以，在我們的農(nóng)場(chǎng)，一只母雞產(chǎn)15個(gè)雞蛋。如果農(nóng)民數(shù)了蛋，她可能會(huì)期望這些蛋能孵出15只小雞。但后來有五個(gè)蛋沒有孵出來，她的期望沒有達(dá)成，所以會(huì)感到失望。她告訴朋友她有多難過。朋友可能會(huì)對(duì)她說：“好吧，雞孵出來之前就別數(shù)了?！?/p>

這句諺語的另一種說法是“雞孵出來了再數(shù)”。

所以，這句諺語意味著你不應(yīng)該指望那些尚未發(fā)生的事情。根據(jù)尚未發(fā)生的事情制定計(jì)劃是不明智的。這句諺語的另一個(gè)意思是：在真正擁有你想要的一切之前，不要以為你已擁有了（不要過早樂觀）。

現(xiàn)在來談?wù)勎覀兊慕忉屩嘘P(guān)于民間傳說的部分。

“雞未孵出不要數(shù)”是一句很古老的諺語。語言專家說它以不同的形式出現(xiàn)在許多不同的文化中。它在《伊索寓言》這個(gè)1300年到1400年前的故事集中也被用到過。

我們要談?wù)摰脑⒀怨适率恰稊D奶女工和她的桶》。很久以前，一個(gè)年輕女子頭上頂著一桶牛奶。這位擠奶女工一邊走，一邊夢(mèng)想著過上更好的生活。她想發(fā)財(cái)，所以她認(rèn)為她可以賣掉牛奶，然后用這些錢買雞。有了雞，她可以賣雞蛋，賺更多的錢！

有了很多錢，擠奶女工就可以對(duì)村里所有想和她結(jié)婚的男人搖頭說“不”。這名年輕女子陷入了自己的思緒，并真的搖了搖頭。這個(gè)動(dòng)作導(dǎo)致牛奶桶從她的頭上掉了下來，摔在地上。和牛奶桶一起摔在地上的還有她變富有和獨(dú)立的夢(mèng)想。

當(dāng)她告訴母親發(fā)生了什么事時(shí)，母親說：“我的孩子，不要在小雞被孵出來之前就數(shù)數(shù)?！?/p>