Broom扫帚

作者: 张宁

Broom and Sweeping Superstitions1

关于扫帚和打扫的迷信

The broom and sweepinghave been connected tosymbolism for centuries.In Ancient times thebrooms in the temple weresacred2 and only those withclean hands were allowed touse them.

It matters how you sweep according tosuperstition. You must always start by thedoor and sweep your dust inwards. Afteryou have gathered all your dust you maycarry it outside to the trash. It is told if yousweep your dust outwards towards the frontdoor you will sweep your luck away.

几个世纪以来,扫帚和打扫一直与象征意义联系在一起。

在古代,寺庙里的扫帚是神圣的,只有手干净的人才可以使用。

根据迷信说法,如何进行清扫很重要。你必须始终从门口开始,把灰尘往里扫。扫完所有的灰尘后,你可以把它带到外面的垃圾桶里。据说,如果你把灰尘向外扫向前门,你的运气就会被扫走。

During the Middle Ages sweepingwithout permission3 could upset manypeople. It was common superstition that ifsomeone else swept the dust from your frontdoor they would sweep away your good luck.

In some places in South Americathey take an extra precaution4 whensweeping the outside doorway. Before theystart their sweeping job, they fill a bucketwith warm water and basil5 leaves. Soak6the broom in the bucket and sweep away.This is supposed to bring luck into thehome. They say it is extra lucky if you doit nine days in a row. Yet others say youshould dip your broom into cinnamon7water. That should bring luck.

Old superstition tells us you betternot sweep over the feet of a person who issingle. If you do that person will nevermarry. If that person remembers toimmediately spit on the broom the“spell”is broken.

Wait a couple hours after yourovernight guest has left before sweepingthe guestroom. Superstitious believes statethat if you immediately sweep room rightafter the guest has left, the guest willnever return for another visit.

在中世纪,未经允许的清扫可能会让许多人感到不安。人们普遍迷信地认为,如果有人把你前门的灰尘扫掉,他们就会把你的好运扫走。

在南美洲的一些地方,他们在打扫门外时会采取额外的预防措施。在开始清扫工作之前,他们先在桶里装满温水和罗勒叶。把扫帚泡在桶里,然后进行打扫。这应该会给家里带来好运。他们说,如果你连续九天这样做,那就会格外幸运。但也有人说你应该把扫帚浸在肉桂水里。那样应该会带来好运。

古老的迷信告诉我们,最好不要从单身人士的脚上扫过。如果这样做,那个人就永远结不了婚。如果那个人记得立即在扫帚上吐口水,“咒语”就会被打破。

等过夜的客人离开后几个小时再打扫客房。迷信的说法是,如果你在客人离开后立即打扫房间,客人就不会再来拜访了。

In Europe it was told it was veryunlucky to sweep your home after dark.

In England there was an oldsuperstition in the 19th and 20th centurythat you should never bring a new broominto the home during the month of May.The reason is that the trees from whichbrooms were made start to blossom8 inMay. That would be inviting bad luck.Some took it one step further and refusedto sweep during the month of May. Thiswas all bad news for broom sellers.

Many Chinese who areprone9 to superstition will neversweep in their home the first twodays of the Chinese New Year.That would be like sweeping allgood luck away from the homefor the coming year.

在欧洲,据说天黑后打扫家里很不吉利。

在19 世纪和20 世纪,英国有一种古老的迷信,认为在五月,绝对不能把新扫帚带回家。原因是制造扫帚的树木在五月开始开花,这会招致厄运。有些人更进一步,拒绝在五月清扫。这对卖扫帚的人来说都是坏消息。

许多容易讲迷信的中国人在大年初一和大年初二绝不扫地。那无异于把来年所有的好运都从家里扫走一样。

Storing Your Broom

存放扫帚

When you put away your broom,always place it with the bristles10 up.According to old superstition this act wasa protective and good luck symbol.

It makes sense if we disregard thesuperstitious aspect. Placing your broomwith the bristles up when you are notusing it will help ensure the bristles arein good condition longer.

当收起扫帚的时候,你一定要把扫帚毛朝上放。根据古老的迷信,这种行为是一种保护和好运的象征。

如果我们不考虑迷信的一面,那也是有道理的。不使用扫帚时,将扫帚毛朝上放置,有助于确保扫帚毛在更长时间内保持良好状态。

A New Broom for a New Home

新家的新扫帚

If you plan on moving, never packyour broom. It is bad luck to move an oldbroom into a new home. Always buy a newbroom for your new residence11.

If you want to get extra lucky, makesure the new broom is in placebefore you move in. Also besure to sweep something intothe new home with your newbroom before you sweep dustout of the home.

如果你打算搬家,千万别打包扫帚。把一把旧扫帚搬进新家是不吉利的。一定要为你的新居买一把新扫帚。

如果你想变得格外幸运,请确保新扫帚在你搬进来之前就位。另外,在你把家里的灰尘扫出去之前,一定要用你的新扫帚把一些东西扫到新家里。

The Wood of the Broomstick

制作扫帚的木材

Old tradition has it that the wood thebroom was made of mattered.

Oak12 wood represented power, strength,and protection. Oak was the sacred tree of theNorse13 god Thor and the Greek god Zeus.

Ash14 wood was for protection of thehome. In Norse mythology15 the World Treewas an ash tree. According to Norsemythology the first man was created from thewood of the ash tree. On a side note it was alsobelieved that broomsticks made from ashwood would help witches fly faster.

古老的传统认为制作扫帚的木材很重要。

橡木代表权力、力量和保护。橡树是挪威神托尔和希腊神宙斯的神树。

白蜡木是用来保护房子的。在挪威神话中,世界树是一棵白蜡树。根据挪威神话,第一个人是从白蜡木中降生的。另一方面,人们还认为用白蜡木制成的扫帚可以帮助女巫飞得更快。

A broomstick made from redwoodsymbolized longevity16. The reason quiteobvious as redwood trees can live for a fewthousand years.

Beech17 wood symbolizes prosperity18and stability.

Wood from the walnut19 tree representedgood health.

Wood from the pine tree was simply goodluck to the household. It was also rumored20that the pine wood could keep ghosts out.

Maple21 wood was supposed to bring loveand prosperity into the home. In Asia the mapleleaf represents lovers.

红杉木扫帚象征着长寿。原因显而易见,因为红杉树可以存活几千年。

山毛榉象征着繁荣和稳定。

胡桃木代表健康。

松木对家庭来说的确是吉利的。也有传言说松木可以驱鬼。

枫木被认为能给家里带来爱和繁荣。在亚洲,枫叶代表恋人。

(英语原文选自:goodlucksymbols.com)

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