圣经习语全摘录于《牛津习语词典》

1.Be out of the ark or went out with the ark （指物品和风俗都）十分古老的， 十分陈旧，过时

Origin: this idiom refers to a story in Bible. The ark was a large boat which Noah built to save his family and two of every type of animal from the flood.

She was using a dictionary that was straight out of the ark. (她用的是一本老掉牙的词典)

2．Fall by the wayside 半途而废，堕落，入歧途

Origin: this idiom comes from a story in Bible, in which the seeds that fell on the wayside did not grow.

Now, for all you doubting Thomas who thought I could not win an important race, here is my medal to prove it. (喂，你们所有这些觉得我赢不了重大比赛的人看着，这是我的奖牌，它证明我能赢)

3．Forbidden fruit 禁果（由于被禁止而更想得到的东西）

Origin it refers to the story of Adam and Eve in the bible, in which Eve ate an apple when she was not allowed to.

He felt very attracted to his friend’s wife, but admitted that it was partly because she was forbidden fruit. (他觉得他最好的朋友的老婆很有魅力，可是也承认部分是因为得不到的总是好的 )

4．Gird up your loins 准备行动，准备赶艰苦的工作

Origin in the Bible to gird up your loins meant to pick up your robe and tie it about your waist so that you could run or move much more quickly

There is a lot of hard work to be done before the weekend, so let us grid up our loins and start.（周末之前有很多辛苦活要干，我们准备好开始干吧）

5．Hide your light under a bushel 不露锋芒， 不显露才能

We did not know you could play the guitar. You have been hiding your light under a bushel all this time. (我们不知道你会弹吉他， 你真是身藏不露啊)

6．A Jobs comforter 增加对方痛苦的安慰者，反叫人添愁的安慰者

Origin Job is a character in the bible. His friend pretended to comfort him but was actually criticizing him.

Ann came to see me when I was in hospital. She was a real Jobs comforter. She told me about somebody who had the same operation as me, and then died a month later.我住院的时候安来看我，谁知道她的安慰使我更难受，她告诉我，有个人做了和我一样的手术，结果一个月后就死了。

7．Kill the fatted calf 召开盛大的庆祝会欢迎久别的人回家，设家宴接风洗尘

Origin this comes from a story in the bible, in which a father arranged a banquet when his son returned to the family.

My brother is coming home tomorrow, so I expect my parents will be killing the fatted calf for him. (我哥哥明天回家，我想父母会好好地为他庆祝一翻)

8．a/the land of milk and honey 富饶的乐土，丰裕之地

origin this phrase comes from Bible, referring to the Promised land.

She had always longed to travel to the unit states and to see what she imagined as the land of milk and honey. (她一直想去趟美国，看一看这片想象中的乐土)

9．Manna from heaven天赐之物， 不期而获的援助

Origin: Manna was the food the Israelites found in the dessert

That cheque for 1000 from my aunt came like manna from heaven as I had three or four big bills to pay. (我姑妈给的1000元的支票真象是及时雨，因为我手边有三四张大额账单要付。)

10．The patience of a saint/Job极大的忍耐力， 极大的耐心

Origin Job was a character in the Bible who lost his family, his home and his possessions, but still did not reject God.

You need the patience of Job to deal with customers like that. (跟那种顾客打交道可得有像圣人一样的耐心 )

11.prodigal son (disapproving or humorous) 回头的浪子：改邪归正的人A person who leave home as a young man and wastes his money and time on a life of pleasure, but who is later sorry about this and returns to his family.

All the family went to the airport to welcome home the prodigal son.全家人都去机场迎接这个回头浪子。

12. The Promised Land期望中的乐土：福地：仙境A place or situation in which people expect to find happiness, wealth, freedom etc. It refers to the land God promised the Israelis.

For millions of people in Europe, the USA was seen as the Promised Land.对于数百万的欧洲人来说，美国是期望中的乐土。The Prime Minister’s speech seemed to suggest that we had already reached the Promised Land.首相的讲话似乎在暗示我们已经身处乐土。

13. Raise Cain/hell(informal) (常为了达到愿望)大声抱怨（或抗议），大吵打闹

Cain was the first Murderer in the Bible.

He’ll raise hell if we don’t finish on time.如果我们不按时完工的话，他会闹翻天的。

Hell-raiser noun a violent and destructive person.喜欢吵闹的人：爱惹麻烦的人

14.Return to the fold (literary) 重返（尤指宗教或政治团体）圣经中把忏悔的罪人比作迷途的羔羊回到羊圈。

She left the party 10 years ago but has recently returned to the fold.她在10年前退党，但最近又重新回到党内。

15.Be in (your) seventh heaven处于极乐世界：快乐似神仙。上帝和最高等级的神居住在七重天上。

When she has all her grandchildren around her, she’s in seventh heaven. 孙子孙女都围在她的身旁，她尽享天伦之乐。16. Keep to/ stay on etc. the straight and narrow (informal) 老老实实做人;走正道;恪守原则。它在圣经中用以形容通往天堂的路。

She’s stopped drinking and now she’s trying to stay on the straight and narrow.她已经戒酒了,现在正严于律己要走正道.

17. Turn the other cheek (一边脸挨打了)还把另一边脸也送上;(受到伤害或激怒时)甘心容忍,不予回击。这是圣经中耶稣说过的话。

It’s hard to just turn the other cheek when people are criticizing you unfairly.当一个人受到不公平的指责时,是很难保持平静逆来顺受的.

18. Wash your hands of sb/sth不在过问;脱离关系。圣经中，波拉多在如何处置耶稣问题上拒绝做决定。

After the way she’s behaved, I’m never going to help her again! I wash up my hands of her!她居然有那种表现,我在也不会帮助她了!我和她脱离关系!

I can’t just wash my hands of the whole business. I’ve got responsibilities.这整件事情我不能说不干就不干,我在负责呢。19. The writing (is) on the wall (AmE the handwriting (is) on the wall)（saying）

Used when you are describing a situation in which there are signs that sb/sth is going to have problems or is going to fail

（看出）厄运临头的预兆，不祥之兆

The writing is on the wall for the club unless they can find $ 20,000.这家俱乐部就要大难临头了，除非他们能筹到2万美元。

The president refuses to see the handwriting on the wall(=that he will soon be defeated.)

总统不肯直面自己面临的失败。