谚语ABC
Change one's spots 死性不改
古实人岂能改变皮肤呢,豹岂能改变斑点呢,若能,你们这习惯行恶的,便能行善了。所以我必用旷野的风,吹散他们,像吹过的碎一样。(耶利米书13:23-24)
耶和华如此说:“犹太人三番四次地犯罪,我必不免去他们的刑罚…以色列人三番四次的犯罪,我必不免去他们的刑罚,因他们为银子卖了义人,为一双鞋卖了穷人。”(阿摩司书2:4-6)
古实人是今天埃赛俄比亚和邻国的人,也代表了整个非洲大陆的人有黑色的皮肤。皮肤的颜色由內皮层的黑色素所決定,是不能改变的。照样,豹的斑点也是由遗传因子所決定,虽然他们和虎同属貓科动物,但貓类动物的颜色和花纹也是不能改变的。神用这些比喻责备衪的子民,虽然他们受到神的恩典荫庇,卻是三番四次的犯罪得罪神,以致神要借着外邦人的手惩罚他们,把他们掳走,也使他们亡国。Change one's spots解作彻底的改变,几乎是不可能的;“Change one's spots?”亦可解作死性不改,也改变不了,或解作固执,坚持己见。
例句:
- He has been in and out of prison all his life. Can he ever change his spots?
- Many extremists today are racist leopards that could never change their spots.
- The leader of this island state is a schematic politician and no one expects him to change his spots inspite of strong opposition from his people.
(选自作者著:源於圣经的词语及谚语,基督教天人社出版)