Promises are like pie crust made to be broken.诺言易破,犹如馅饼皮。
此谚语用了一个很巧妙而恰切的比喻。pie是“馅饼”,不是一般的饼。这里以饼皮比作“诺言”,那么饼馅当然比作“实际行动”。人们吃饼,必先破其皮而食其馅,如果馅味不美,甚至是空的,那么即使皮很好看,还是使人感到一场空欢喜。
十七世纪英国作家Thomas Fuller曾写道:“A man apt to promise is apt to forget.”意思是:随便给许诺的人往往忘记诺言。
以下两句谚语用其他事物来比喻“诺言”:
Eggs and oaths are easily broken.
蛋与诺言,一打就破。
Words and feathers the wind carries away.
诺言像羽毛,风一吹就没有了。
孔子也说过:“言必信,行必果。”意思也是说诺言必须用行为来实践。
近似意思的谚语还可参阅另一组:
Those who are quick to promise are generally slow to perform.