《名落孙山》成语英译与典故

四十一、名落孙山

有位古人叫孙山，

攻读诗书是秀才。

说话幽默又风趣，

人称他是滑稽才。

一次他到京城去赶考，

乡邻托事详交代：

“他孙大哥，把俺儿也带去，

考个举人多光彩！”

想不到邻居的儿子未考中，

孙山才考个榜末才，

回乡之后邻居问：

“俺家孩子可得彩？”

孙山说：“解（jiè）名尽处是孙山，

贤郎更落孙山外。”

“名落孙山”作成语，

常比喻考试落第未取的才。

Fall Behind Sun Shan

There was an ancient man named Sun Shan，who was a scholar who indulged himself in literature.When he spoke he cast a shadow of humour and com⁃edy，so people called him Sun Shan the Comedian.Once he went to the capital to sit for the imperial ex⁃am，and one of his neighbours asked him a favour.

“Brother Sun，would you take my son with you？It would be honorable if he happened to be enrolled as an imperial scholar？”

But his neighbour's son failed，while he was en⁃rolled at the end of the list.When he went back the neighbour asked him：“Has my son passed the ex⁃am？”Sun Shan replied，“My name was listed last and your son has fallen behind me.”

The idiom“Fall Behind Sun Shan”means some⁃one has failed in an exam.