Sell One's Birthright for a Mess of Pottages因小失大；見(jiàn)利棄義
Sell One's Birthright for a Mess of Pottages直譯是：“為了一碗紅豆湯而出賣(mài)了長(zhǎng)子繼承權(quán)”。
《舊約.創(chuàng)世紀(jì)》第25章記述了這樣一個(gè)故事傳說(shuō)：*族長(zhǎng)以撒的妻子利百加懷孕期間，感覺(jué)到2個(gè)胎兒在她腹內(nèi)互相踢打，就去問(wèn)耶和華，耶和華對(duì)她說(shuō)：“兩國(guó)在你腹內(nèi)，兩族要從你身上出來(lái)，這族必強(qiáng)于那族，將來(lái)大的要服小的。”后來(lái)，利百加果然生下一對(duì)孿生兄弟，哥哥叫以掃，弟弟叫雅各。兩兄弟長(zhǎng)大后，以掃好動(dòng)，常外出打獵；雅各則常在家里幫助料理家務(wù)。有一天，以掃打獵回來(lái)，又饑又渴，看見(jiàn)弟弟雅各在熬豆湯，就對(duì)他說(shuō)：“我餓極了，給我喝點(diǎn)紅豆湯吧！”雅各說(shuō)：“你要喝湯，就把你的長(zhǎng)子權(quán)賣(mài)給我?！币話哒f(shuō)：“你都要餓死了，要這長(zhǎng)子權(quán)有什么用呢？”于是，他便按雅各的要求，對(duì)天起誓，把長(zhǎng)子權(quán)賣(mài)給雅各，換來(lái)餅和紅豆湯。以掃吃飽喝足后，起身走了。他哪里想到，為了這碗紅豆湯，他的后裔便注定要服事雅各的后裔。
由此，人們用to sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage短語(yǔ)，來(lái)比喻to exchange something of lasting value for something that is of value for a short time only;to suffer a big loss for a little gain.這個(gè)成語(yǔ)常縮略為for a mess of pottage的形式。有時(shí)也可用to sell one's birthrights.
eg:It was argued that joining the Common Market...would be giving away her national rights and advantages for a mess of pottage.
There are many,many people who are willing to prostitute their intelligence for a mess of pottage.
Sell One's Birthright for a Mess of Pottages直譯是：“為了一碗紅豆湯而出賣(mài)了長(zhǎng)子繼承權(quán)”。
《舊約.創(chuàng)世紀(jì)》第25章記述了這樣一個(gè)故事傳說(shuō)：*族長(zhǎng)以撒的妻子利百加懷孕期間，感覺(jué)到2個(gè)胎兒在她腹內(nèi)互相踢打，就去問(wèn)耶和華，耶和華對(duì)她說(shuō)：“兩國(guó)在你腹內(nèi)，兩族要從你身上出來(lái)，這族必強(qiáng)于那族，將來(lái)大的要服小的。”后來(lái)，利百加果然生下一對(duì)孿生兄弟，哥哥叫以掃，弟弟叫雅各。兩兄弟長(zhǎng)大后，以掃好動(dòng)，常外出打獵；雅各則常在家里幫助料理家務(wù)。有一天，以掃打獵回來(lái)，又饑又渴，看見(jiàn)弟弟雅各在熬豆湯，就對(duì)他說(shuō)：“我餓極了，給我喝點(diǎn)紅豆湯吧！”雅各說(shuō)：“你要喝湯，就把你的長(zhǎng)子權(quán)賣(mài)給我?！币話哒f(shuō)：“你都要餓死了，要這長(zhǎng)子權(quán)有什么用呢？”于是，他便按雅各的要求，對(duì)天起誓，把長(zhǎng)子權(quán)賣(mài)給雅各，換來(lái)餅和紅豆湯。以掃吃飽喝足后，起身走了。他哪里想到，為了這碗紅豆湯，他的后裔便注定要服事雅各的后裔。
由此，人們用to sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage短語(yǔ)，來(lái)比喻to exchange something of lasting value for something that is of value for a short time only;to suffer a big loss for a little gain.這個(gè)成語(yǔ)常縮略為for a mess of pottage的形式。有時(shí)也可用to sell one's birthrights.
eg:It was argued that joining the Common Market...would be giving away her national rights and advantages for a mess of pottage.
There are many,many people who are willing to prostitute their intelligence for a mess of pottage.