1、     关于犯罪和法律
这些天来一直没有罪案发生，也没有发现什么罪犯，干我们这行的人，头脑真是没用了。我深知我的才能足以使我成名。从古到今，从来没有人像我这样，在侦查罪行上既有天赋又有这样精湛的研究。可是结果怎样呢？竟没有罪案可以侦查，顶多也不过是些简单幼稚的罪案，犯罪动机浅显易见，就连苏格兰场的人员也能一眼识破。

There are no crimes and no criminals in these days. What is the use of having brains in our profession? I know well that I have it in me to make my name famous. No man lives or has ever lived who has brought the same amount of study and of natural talent to the detection of crime which I have done. And what is the result? There is no crime to detect or, at most, some bungling villainy with a motive so transparent that even a Scotland Yard official can see through it.

2、     教育和知识
我认为人的脑子本来像一间空空的小阁楼，应该有选择地把一些家具装进去。只有傻瓜才会把他碰到的各种各样的破烂杂碎一古脑儿装进去。这样一来，那些对他有用的知识反而被挤了出来；或者，最多不过是和许多其他的东西掺杂在一起。因此，在取用的时候也就感到困难了。所以一个会工作的人，在他选择要把一些东西装进他的那间小阁楼似的头脑中去的时候，他确实是非常仔细小心的。除了工作中有用的工具以外，他什么也不带进去，而这些工具又样样具备，有条有理。如果认为这间小阁楼的墙壁富有弹性，可以任意伸缩，那就错了。请相信我的话，总有一天，当你增加新知识的时候，你就会把以前所熟习的东西忘了。所以最要紧的是，不要让一些无用的知识把有用的挤出去。

I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it - there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.

这（太阳系）与我又有什么相干？你说咱们是绕着太阳走的，可是，即使咱们绕着月亮走，这对于我或者对于我的工作又有什么关系呢？

What the deuce is it (the solar system) to me? You say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or my work.

一个逻辑学家不需亲眼见到或者听说过大西洋或尼加拉契布，他能从一滴水上推测出它有可能存在，所以整个生活就是一条巨大的链条，只要见到其中的一环，整个链条的情况就可推想出来了。

From a drop of water a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or the other. So all life is a great chain, the nature of which is known whenever we are shown a link of it.

推断和分析的科学也像其他技艺一样，只有经过长期和耐心的钻研才能掌握；人们虽然尽其毕生精力，也未必能够达到登峰造极的地步。初学的人，在着手研究极其困难的有关事物的精神和心理方面的问题以前，不妨先从掌握较浅显的问题入手。比如遇到了一个人，一起之间就要辨识出这人的历史和职业。这样的锻炼，看起来好像幼稚无聊，但是，它却能够使一个人的观察能力变得敏锐起来，并且教导人们：应该从哪里观察，应该观察些什么。

Like all other arts, the science of deduction and analysis is one which can only be acquired by long and patient study, nor is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it. Before turning to those moral and mental aspects of the matter which present the greatest difficulties, let the inquirer begin by mastering more elementary problems. Let him, on meeting a fellow-mortal; learn at a glance to distinguish the history of man, and the trade or profession to which he belongs. Puerile as such an exercise may seem, it sharpens the faculties of observation, and teaches one where to look and what to look for.

3、     福尔摩斯的哲学
世界上本来就没有什么新鲜事，都是前人作过的。

There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before.

在这个世界上，你到底做了些什么，这倒不关紧要。要紧的是，你如何能够使人相信你做了些什么。

What you do in this world is a matter of no consequence. The question is, what can you make people believe that you have done?

4、     关于福尔摩斯本人
有时我心情不好，一连几天不开口；在这种情形下，您不要以为我是生气了，但听我自然，不久就会好的。

I get in the dumps at times, and don't open my mouth for days on end. You must not think I am sulky when I do that. Just let me alone, and I'll soon be right.

我在观察和推理两方面都具有特殊的才能。

I have a turn both for observation and for deduction.

我确实是世界上少有的懒鬼，可是，那只是当我的懒劲儿上来的时候才这样，因为有时我也非常敏捷哩。

I am the most incurably lazy devil that ever stood in shoe leather - that is, when the fit is on me, for I can be spry enough at times.

5、     关于自然
一个人如果要想说明大自然，那么，他的想象领域就必须像大自然一样的广阔。

One's ideas must be as broad as Nature if they are to interpret Nature.

6、     关于侦探的艺术
我没有工夫谈这些琐碎的事。

I have no time for trifles.

一个人的手指甲、衣袖、靴子和裤子的膝盖部分，大拇指与食指之间的茧子、表情、衬衣袖口等等，不论从以上所说的哪一点，都能明白地显露出他的职业来。如果把这些情形联系起来，还不能使案件的调查人恍然领悟，那几乎是难以想象的事了。

By a man's finger-nails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boots, by his trouser-knees, by the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by hi* **pression, by his shirt-cuff - By each of these things a man's calling is plainly revealed. That all united should fail to enlighten the competent inquirer in any case is almost inconceivable.

犯罪行为都有它非常类似的地方，如果你对一千个案子的详情细节都能了如指掌，而对第一千零一件案子竟不能解释的话，那才是怪事哩。

There is a strong family resemblance about misdeeds, and if you have all the details of a thousand at your finger ends, it is odd if you can't unravel the thousand and first.