諺語ABC
Change one's spots 死性不改
古實人豈能改變皮膚呢,豹豈能改變斑點呢,若能,你們這習慣行惡的,便能行善了。所以我必用曠野的風,吹散他們,像吹過的碎一樣。(耶利米書13:23-24)
耶和華如此說:“猶太人三番四次地犯罪,我必不免去他們的刑罰…以色列人三番四次的犯罪,我必不免去他們的刑罰,因他們為銀子賣了義人,為一雙鞋賣了窮人。”(阿摩司書2:4-6)
古實人是今天埃賽俄比亞和鄰國的人,也代表了整個非洲大陸的人有黑色的皮膚。皮膚的顏色由內皮層的黑色素所決定,是不能改變的。照樣,豹的斑點也是由遺傳因子所決定,雖然他們和虎同屬貓科動物,但貓類動物的顏色和花紋也是不能改變的。神用這些比喻責備衪的子民,雖然他們受到神的恩典蔭庇,卻是三番四次的犯罪得罪神,以致神要藉着外邦人的手懲罰他們,把他們擄走,也使他們亡國。Change one's spots解作徹底的改變,幾乎是不可能的;“Change one's spots?”亦可解作死性不改,也改變不了,或解作固執,堅持己見。
例句:
- He has been in and out of prison all his life. Can he ever change his spots?
- Many extremists today are racist leopards that could never change their spots.
- The leader of this island state is a schematic politician and no one expects him to change his spots inspite of strong opposition from his people.
(選自作者著:源於聖經的詞語及諺語,基督教天人社出版)