《杯弓蛇影》成语英译与典故

二、杯弓蛇影

晋朝时有个乐（yuè）广很好客，

有一次把一位知心朋友请到家，

摆上了美酒和佳肴，

饮酒叙说知心话。

忽然间客人见杯中乱蠕动，

分明是一条小蛇在杯里趴，

小蛇儿曲曲弯弯真吓人，

便怀疑是朋友存心想害他。

那乐广殷勤敬酒没在意，

朋友却推说酒醉要回家。

各样的珍馐（xiū）美味不愿尝，

临别时闷闷不乐没说话。

回家后郁郁寡欢生了病，

那乐广知道以后倍惊讶，

他专到朋友家里去探望，

朋友却不愿把实情告诉他。

回家后乐广坐客位仔细瞧，

见一把常用的角弓墙上挂。

又把那酒杯斟满放原处，

弓影儿落在酒杯无偏差。

他这才知道朋友得病因，

赶快去又把朋友请到家。

恳切地让他坐在原位上，

接着把弓影落杯细细拉。

那朋友恍然大悟疑惧消，

方晓得杯中蛇影原是假。

到后来“杯弓蛇影”作成语，

比喻人疑神疑鬼生惧怕。

A Snake Shadow in a Cup

There was a hospitable man whose name was Yue Guang in the Dynasty of Jin（265—420A.D.）.One day，he invited one of his friends to dinner in his home.Having put on the table various expen⁃sive wines and delicious dishes，they sat drinking and talking delightfully.All of a sudden the guest caught sight of something wriggling in his cup.Ap⁃parently it was a little snake，twisting and turning，a fearful snake in his wine cup.

It must be evil.The guest thought that Yue Guang meant to do harm to him.Yue Guang was busy toast⁃ing him and didn't notice what was going on.The guest pretended to be drunk and said he had to be go⁃ing.He did not taste a variety of dishes on the table and he made very few remarks when he said good⁃bye.

The guest got seriously ill after he returned home.Yue Guang was very surprised when he heard this，and he paid a hearty visit to his piteous friend.The friend however，would not tell him the truth.Yue Guang went home and sat in the same seat his friend took that eventful day.He noticed the bow he often used，hanging on the wall.He filled the cup with wine and put it in the very same place.He saw the shadow of the bow in the wine cup exactly like a live snake.Now he knew the real cause of his friend's ill⁃ness.He immediately invited the friend to his home a⁃gain，and asked him to sit in that very seat，and he made him see the shadow of the bow in the wine.At last his friend came to know what was wrong.The horrible snake was simply the shadow of the bow！

The idiom“A Snake Shadow in a Cup”came to mean that someone was apt to feel doubtful and very timid.