The various religions around the world are numerous. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Taoism are internationally recognized. In the West, Christianity spread widely and has lots of Christians; while in China, Buddhism and Taoism have a long history and are far-reaching.

Christianity, as one of the principal Western religions, affects the whole of Europe nearly two thousand years. “Bible” has a great influence on the entire Western culture. It integrates the financial myths and legends of the Jewish nation, political and legal history and culture.

Many characters in the classic, well-known events leave a profound impression in people’s minds, and thus there are many sayings related to the Bible and the Christian, such as God, the devil, heaven, crosses and other words.

Read Also: Participial Phrase in E-C Translation

For example:

The devil can site Scripture for his purpose.魔鬼引《圣经》，不会怀好意。

No coming to Heaven with dry eyes .眼无泪水，难进天堂。

The way to Heaven is by Weeping Cross.忏悔受难，得升天堂。

Better go heaven in rags than to hell in embroidering.与其锦衣裹身下地狱，不如衣衫褴褛上天堂。

The devil lurks (or sits) behind the cross.魔鬼常常躲在十字架后面。

Crosses are ladders to heaven.十字架是登上天堂的梯子。

Man proposes，God disposes.谋事在人，成事在天。

With the growing breadth and depth of cultural exchange between Eastern and western world, the Christian adage gradually appear in the Chinese language, and mostly are the literal translation from the English proverb, such as “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” from the “Old Testament Exodus”; “put new wine in old bottles” from the “New Testament • Matthew.”

China is a country with multi-religious co-existence. Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity have spread in China. Taoism and Buddhism have a long history of communication, they closely contact with traditional Chinese culture. Therefore, there are Chinese idioms:

借花献佛: present Buddha with borrowed flowers – borrow something to make a gift of it.

临时抱佛脚: seek the temporary remedy to tackle the present emergency.
跑了和尚跑不了庙: no excuse found to escape from punishment/ nowhere for one to hide from the penalty.

魔高一尺，道高一丈: the justice prevails over the vice/ the Daoism beats the devilish craft.

菩萨心肠: merciful/ kind heart.

修身养性: cultivate one’s morality and temperament.

蓬莱仙境: fairyland.

天宫瑶池: heavenly palace and fairy paradise.

以其人之道还治其人之身: deal with a man in a way he deals with you.
From the above comparison of English and Chinese proverbs you can see, in English and a lot of Christian-related proverbs, and Chinese Buddhism and Taoism with the proverb, and this reflects the two peoples of different cultures and religious beliefs.

From the above comparison of English and Chinese proverbs, you may know that there are lots of Christian-related proverbs in English, while in Chinese, there are lots of proverbs that related to Chinese Buddhism and Taoism. This reflects the different cultures and religious beliefs of the two nations.

In the practice of translation, translators must have a full understanding of the religious culture of each nation and do their best to avoid cultural barriers and cultural conflicts.