🤔你是否想過為什麼英文「代罪羔羊」英文為scapegoat?而非scapesheep?
🤔你是否知道英文片語為什麼是be like sheep ?而非be like goats?
🤔你是否想過為什麼英文「害群之馬」英文為black sheep?而非black goat?
📚在《聖經》(the Bible)中goat(山羊)及sheep(綿羊)分別代表象徵不同的意象
📚 在舊約聖經(the old Testament)《利未記》(Leviticus)第十六章情境中,出現如下文字,將goat(山羊)與罪惡(sin)和罪責(guilt)產生連結意象:
📚Leviticus 16:20-22 (KJV) 《利未記》第十六章
He is to cast lots for the two goats–one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.(為那兩隻羊拈鬮,一鬮歸與耶和華,一鬮歸與阿撒瀉勒。 亞倫要把那拈鬮歸與耶和華的羊獻為贖罪祭, 但那拈鬮歸與阿撒瀉勒的羊要活著安置在耶和華面前,用以贖罪,打發人送到曠野去,歸與阿撒瀉勒。)
📚根據《舊約聖經》(the old Testament)《利未記》(Leviticus)第十六章,一隻山羊獻給上帝(one lot for the Lord),另一隻山羊作為贖罪(the other for the scapegoat)。當人將雙手放在「代罪羔羊」(scapegoat)頭上,承認曾犯過的錯或逾矩處,這些個人的罪惡就轉到羊身上,這也就是「代罪羔羊」(scapegoat)英文的起源。
📚必且在《舊約聖經》(the old Testament)《利未記》(Leviticus)中,提及此「代罪羔羊」(scapegoat)會被活放回曠野中,代罪人贖罪(make an atonement)。
英文原文節錄如下:
Leviticus 16:10 (KJV):
"But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness."
利未記16章10節(KJV):
「然而,那隨機被選作為替罪羊的山羊,要活著被帶到耶和華面前,用來贖罪,然後放逐到曠野中。」
🌷當你熟悉「代罪羔羊」(scapegoat)與聖經關聯後,我們可以將「代罪羔羊」(scapegoat)運用在以下造句。
After the sales figures failed to meet the expectations of the board of directors, the general manager became the scapegoat for all the problems, even though the issues were caused by various factors.(在銷售數字未能達到董事會期待後,總經理成為了所有問題的替罪羔羊,儘管問題是由各種因素引起的。)
📚當你了解scapegoat(代罪羔羊)起源後,你也可以在《新約聖經》「(New Testament)「馬 太 福 音」(Matthew 9:36) 讀到耶穌基督(Jesus Christ)對困苦流離(harassed and helpless)眾人,懷有「牧羊人」(shepherd)般的憐憫心。
Matthew 9:36(馬 太 福 音)
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.(耶穌看見眾人,就對他們動了憐憫之心,因為他們困苦流離,像羊沒有牧人那樣。)
中文聖經譯文連接處https://cnbible.com/matthew/9-36.htm
📚羊在《聖經》常被用來象徵服從(obedience)上帝,和順從(followership)神聖之事物。
🧐西方諺語be like sheep ,源自於羊喜「群聚」及「集體行動」的習性。當我們描述某人行徑be like sheep,中文譯為「像綿羊一樣,任人擺布;無法獨立思考或行動」。
參考網站連結https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english-chinese-traditional/be-like-sheep
🌷例如:Conservative people have a tendency to be like sheep, blindly following the conventions without questioning or thinking critically. (保守者傾向於羊性,無法獨立思考或行動,盲目跟隨常規慣例,而不質疑或批判性思考。)
😤而black sheep在游牧人的眼中,屬於異類(oddity)。因為羊群多半是白色,黑色的羊在羊群中就顯得很另類。因為黑色羊毛截然不同於白色羊毛,因為黑色羊毛量少需分開製作,於是成為大家眼中劣質品或不受歡迎事物。現代人甚至用black sheep這個英文片語,代表「有辱門楣的人」。
參考網站連結https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english-chinese-traditional/black-sheep
Within the family of scholars, Tom was considered the black sheep for pursuing a career in entertainment instead of medicine.(在學者世家中,湯姆因從事娛樂業被視為有辱門楣的人。)
📚總結:英文學習除了有助於就業及歐美自助旅遊外,深入了古典著作如《聖經》(the Bible),也可以幫助華人深入了解scapegoat(代罪羔羊)、black sheep(害群之馬)、be like sheep(像綿羊一樣跟隨別人)深層文化意義。深入了解歐美文化,讓海外自助英文旅遊有趣且有深度。
有關聖經研究資料取材於:https://openai.com/