O uso de metáforas é bastante comum, por isso recomenda-se não traduzi-los "ao pé da letra". Abaixo, uma lista com alguns provérbios em português e seus equivalentes em inglês:
Dançar conforme a música - "Go with the flow"
(Be flexible)
A prática leva à perfeição - "Practice makes perfect"
(If you do something a lot of times, you will get better at it)
Bate na madeira! - "Knock on wood!"
(People say this to avoid bad luck)
Por fora, bela viola; por dentro, pão bolorento - "Beauty is only skin deep"
(What you see on the outside is just physical beauty. It does not tell us how someone is inside.)
Uma vez na vida, outra na morte - "Once in a blue moon"
(It rarely happens)
Duas cabeças pensam melhor que uma - "Two heads are better than one"
(More people thinking about the same situation can find a better solution faster)
Pedra que rola não cria limo - "A rolling stone gathers no moss"
(If a person keeps moving to different places he will never form new relationships or get attached to anything)
Fillho de peixe, peixinho é - "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree"
(Usually the kids are like their parents)
Uma mão lava a outra - "You scratch my back and I scratch yours"
(If you do something for me, I'll do something for you in return)
Fillho de peixe, peixinho é - "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree"
(Usually the kids are like their parents)
Uma mão lava a outra - "You scratch my back and I scratch yours"
(If you do something for me, I'll do something for you in return)
Roma não foi feita em um dia - "Rome wasn't built in a day"
(It takes time and hard work to accomplish something big.)
(It takes time and hard work to accomplish something big.)
Deus escreve certo por linhas tortas - "God works in mysterious ways"
(God has a plan for people. He has a reason for everything that happens.)
(God has a plan for people. He has a reason for everything that happens.)
Quando Deus fecha uma porta, ele abre uma janela - "When God closes a door, He opens a window"
(A failure is always followed by a new opportunity. Be positive and look for the good things in life even when something bad happens.)
(A failure is always followed by a new opportunity. Be positive and look for the good things in life even when something bad happens.)
Depois da tempestade, vem a bonança - "The darkest hour is always before the dawn"
(When things seem the worst, good things are sure to happen.)
(When things seem the worst, good things are sure to happen.)
Dá-se um jeito pra tudo - "Where there's a will, there's a way"
(If you are strong-minded, you will find a way to achieve things.)
(If you are strong-minded, you will find a way to achieve things.)
Tudo passa - "This too shall pass"
(Bad times won't last forever.)
(Bad times won't last forever.)
A verdade dói - "Nothing hurts like the truth"
(The truth can hurt.)
Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga - "The early bird catches the worm"
(Success comes to people who are prepared.)
(Success comes to people who are prepared.)
Oportunidade bater à porta - "Opportunity only knocks once"
(You should take an opportunity when it comes to you. It may not come again.)
(You should take an opportunity when it comes to you. It may not come again.)
(Do not try to get revenge immediately after someone hurts you.)
Unidos venceremos - "United we stand, divided we fall"
(We will be more successful if we work together.)
O melhor da vida é de graça - "The best things in life are free"
(The best things in life are love, friendship, and family. We don't have to pay for those things.)
(The best things in life are love, friendship, and family. We don't have to pay for those things.)
Não cuspa no prato que comeu - "Don't bite the hand that feeds you"
(Don't hurt the person or people who take care of you.)
(Don't hurt the person or people who take care of you.)
Se não pode vencê-los, junte-se a eles - "If you can't beat them, join them"
(If you cannot win against someone, it may be easier to join together with them to be stronger.)
(If you cannot win against someone, it may be easier to join together with them to be stronger.)
Diga-me com quem andas, te direi quem tu és - "Birds of a feather flock together"
(People who are alike tend to stick together.)
(People who are alike tend to stick together.)
Quem brinca com fogo, pode ser queimar - "If you play with fire, you might get burned"
(If you mess with something that is dangerous, you might get hurt.)
(If you mess with something that is dangerous, you might get hurt.)
Melhor prevenir do que remediar - "Better safe than sorry"
(It is better to be careful in a dangerous situation than to get hurt.)
(It is better to be careful in a dangerous situation than to get hurt.)
(Be patient. Don't do thing in the wrong order.)
O amor é cego - "Love is blind"
When someone is in love, they don't notice bad things about the other person.)
Pegar pelo estômago - "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach"
(Men love women who can cook well.)
(Men love women who can cook well.)
Dinheiro não dá em árvore - "Money doesn't grow on trees"
(It is not easy to get money, so use it wisely.)
O que vem fácil, vai fácil - "Easy come, easy go"
(If you get something easily, you can lose it easily. This usually refers to money.)
Não conte com o ovo dentro da galinha - "Don't count your chickens before they hatch" -
(Don’t make plans based on something that has not happened yet.)
A grama do vizinho sempre é mais verde - "The grass is always greener on the other side"
(It is easy to think other people have better things or something will be better somewhere else.)
Os melhores perfumes vêm nos menores frascos - "Good things come in small packages"
(The size of a gift or a person does not determine what's inside.)
Beleza está nos olhos de quem vê - "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
(Different people recognize beauty in different ways.)
Nem tudo que reluz é ouro - "All that glitters is not gold"
(Just because something looks attractive on the outside, doesn't mean it is good.)
Não julgue o livro pela capa - "Don't judge a book by its cover"
(Don't judge things or people on their outward appearance.)
Cavalo dado não se olha os dentes - "Beggars can't be choosers"
(If you depend on the generosity of others, you can't be picky about what you get.)
O que os olhos não vêem, o coração não sente - "Out of sight, out of mind"
(We don't think about or worry about things or people that we can't see.)
Errar é humano, perdoar é divino - "To err is human, to forgive is divine"
(It is normal for people to make mistakes. It is important to forgive people for their mistakes.)
A gota d'água - "The straw the broke the camel's back"
(The final thing that causes complete failure. When many bad things are piling up and one small thing finally causes complete failure.)
Notícia ruim corre rápido / chega logo - "Bad news travels fast"
(People talk more about bad news than good news)
Nada como estar em casa - "There's no place like home"
(People feel most comfortable when they are at home and with family.)
Há muitos outros provérbios interessantes em inglês, sem equivalentes em português (pelo menos não que eu saiba....Fique à vontade para comentar! :) Abaixo você encontra mais alguns:
Death
"Dead men tell no tales"
(If someone is dead, he or she cannot give evidence against others.)
(If someone is dead, he or she cannot give evidence against others.)
"Death keeps no calendar"
(Any person can die at any time.)
(Any person can die at any time.)
"The wage of sin is death"
(We die because we sin.)
(We die because we sin.)
"You can't take it with you when you die"
(Physical items are not important. We can't keep physical items when we die.)
Family
"Blood is thicker than water"
(You have a stronger bond with your family than with friends.)
General
"If it isn't broke, don't fix it"
(Don't try to change something that is already working just fine.)
(Don't try to change something that is already working just fine.)
"Been there, done that"
(I've already had that experience)
"Best thing since sliced bread"
(Something very good)
"Stop and smell the roses"
(Make time to enjoy life)
"When pigs fly"
(Never)
"Silence is golden"
(You learn more by listening and watching than talking.)
"Variety is the spice of life"
(Life is boring when things are always the same. Change makes life interesting.)
(Life is boring when things are always the same. Change makes life interesting.)
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it
drink"
(You can show or tell people how to do things, but you can't make them do it.)
(You can show or tell people how to do things, but you can't make them do it.)
"You can't have your cake and eat it too"
(You can't have everything you want.)
(You can't have everything you want.)
"Cleanliness is next to godliness"
(It is important to be clean and keep things neat and tidy. This expression
compares cleanliness to being godly.)
Health
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away"
(Regular healthy habits prevent major illnesses.)
(Regular healthy habits prevent major illnesses.)
"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy,
wealthy, and wise"
(It is good to get plenty of sleep. Go to bed early and get up in the morning.)
(It is good to get plenty of sleep. Go to bed early and get up in the morning.)
Judgment
"What you see is what you get"
(There is nothing hidden.)
(There is nothing hidden.)
"Don't judge a man until you've walked in his
shoes"
(Don't judge people until you have been in their situation and truly know what they have experienced.)
(Don't judge people until you have been in their situation and truly know what they have experienced.)
Love
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder"
(The lack of something increases the desire for it. If someone you love is away from you, it will increase your desire for that person.)
(The lack of something increases the desire for it. If someone you love is away from you, it will increase your desire for that person.)
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"
(A woman who is rejected in love is very angry and dangerous.)
(A woman who is rejected in love is very angry and dangerous.)
Money
"No such thing as a free lunch"
(Nothing in life is free. We must pay for everything we get.)
"Money is the root of all evil"
(Evil things happen when people desire money too much.)
"Money talks"
(Money gives people power.)
(Money gives people power.)
"A fool and his money are soon parted"
(Unwise people spend their money too quickly and become poor.)
(Unwise people spend their money too quickly and become poor.)
Patience
"A watched pot never boils"(If you are eager for something to happen, it will seem to take longer.)
"First things first"
(Do things in a logical order.)
"Patience is a virtue"
(Patience is a good quality.)
(Patience is a good quality.)
"Learn to walk before you run"
(Be patient. Take the time to learn things right.)
(Be patient. Take the time to learn things right.)
Prevention
"Better a live coward than a dead hero"
(It is sometimes better to not get involved in something and be called a coward than to become involved and be hurt.)
(It is sometimes better to not get involved in something and be called a coward than to become involved and be hurt.)
Pride
"Pride comes before a fall"
(If you become too confident and arrogant, you are sure to suffer disappointment.)
(If you become too confident and arrogant, you are sure to suffer disappointment.)
Relationships (general)
"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link"
(If one member of a group is weak, then the whole group is weak.)
(If one member of a group is weak, then the whole group is weak.)
"Familiarity breeds contempt"
(We begin to hate those we are closest to. This can also refer to objects.)
(We begin to hate those we are closest to. This can also refer to objects.)
"It's a man's world"
(The world seems to revolve around men, and it is difficult for women to become successful in a man's world.)
(The world seems to revolve around men, and it is difficult for women to become successful in a man's world.)
"One good turn deserves another"
(If someone does something nice for you, you should do something nice in return.)
(If someone does something nice for you, you should do something nice in return.)
Revenge
"Two wrongs do not make a right"
(If someone does something bad to you, you should not try to get revenge. It
does not make it better.)
Success
"Fortune favors the bold"
(Successful people usually have to take risks.)
(Successful people usually have to take risks.)
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try
again"
(Keep trying until you are successful.)
(Keep trying until you are successful.)
"One swallow does not make a summer"
(One success does not guarantee a second success.)
(One success does not guarantee a second success.)
"Strike while the iron is hot"
(When you have a chance to do something, don't wait. Take an opportunity when it comes to you.)
(When you have a chance to do something, don't wait. Take an opportunity when it comes to you.)
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going"
(Successful people do not quit when things become difficult.)
(Successful people do not quit when things become difficult.)
Thinking positive
"It is what it is"
(You can't change what has already happened.)
"Make a mountain out of a molehill"
(Don't get upset over something small.)
(Don't get upset over something small.)
Truth
"Facts are stubborn things"
(You can't avoid the truth.)
(You can't avoid the truth.)
"Honesty is the best policy"
(It is best to be truthful. Lies will get you nowhere.)
(It is best to be truthful. Lies will get you nowhere.)
"Truth is stranger than fiction"
(Amazing things happen and sometimes real life is more difficult to believe than a made-up story.)
(Amazing things happen and sometimes real life is more difficult to believe than a made-up story.)
"Truth needs no colors"
(Truth is fact and speaks for itself. You don't need to do anything to make it sound better.)
(Truth is fact and speaks for itself. You don't need to do anything to make it sound better.)
Work
"No pain, no gain"
(It takes hard work to achieve things.)
(It takes hard work to achieve things.)
Referência: http://www.really-learn-english.com
