《掩耳盗铃》成语英译与典故

八十四、掩耳盗铃

从前有个人，想偷大铜铃，

只因铜铃大，力小背不动。

正在急迫时，陡然巧计生：

何不用铁锤，砸碎那铜铃？

砸成小块块，运走准轻松。

铁锤才一击，铜铃发响声。

响声震人心，耳朵嗡嗡嗡。

忽又心生计，何不把耳蒙，

蒙耳听不到，别人不惊动，

大胆把铃砸，不由喜心中。

铜铃已砸碎，不闻铃响声，

终被人捉住，公堂受酷刑。

到后来“掩耳盗铃”作成语，

常讽刺糊涂人自作聪明把自己哄。

Plug the Ears While Stealing a Bell

Once there was a man who wanted to steal a bell.The bell was too big and he was too weak to move it.He was worrying when an idea occurred to him.“Why not use a hammer to break the bell？Break it into pieces and it could be easy to carry.”Just as he struck，the brass bell rang，which was heart⁃stricken and ear⁃split⁃ting.Then flashed another idea：“Why not plug my ears？With my ears plugged，others wouldn't be wakened.”Boldly he broke the bell and he was ecstatic.The job was smartly done and no one had heard.But he was caught red⁃handed and seriously punished.

Then“Plug the Ears While Stealing a Bell”became an idiom，deriding those foolish men who intend self⁃de⁃ceit.