Sweet are the uses of adversity.逆运也有它的好处。
此句的意思是不幸的后面往往隐藏着幸运。原句主语与主语补足语是倒装的,为了强调sweet,所以放在句首。
这条谚语出自莎士比亚的剧作As you like it,原文是:
Sweet are the uses of adversity,
which, like the toad ugly and venomous,
wears yet a precious jewel in his head.
同样意思的谚语还有:
No great loss without some small gain.
没有重大的损失不带来一些得益。
Every cloud has a silver lining.
乌云虽黑,镶有光亮的银边。
Nothing so bad as not to be good for something.
没有一件坏事,坏到没有任何好处。
中国西汉时代有一本以道家思想为主的杂家著作《淮南子》中讲到一个故事,说是“塞翁失马,焉知非福”,也是说坏事有时会带来好事。
那么倒过来,好事是否也常常包含坏事呢?这可参阅另一条谚语:No rose without a thorn.