下面這句是鼎鼎大名的莫非定律 Murphy's Law):

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

只要会出差错的事情就会出差错。

If at first you don't succeed, you will never succeed.

如果一开始不成功，你永远不会成功。

改写自英谚: If at first you don't succeed, try try, again.（如果一开始不成功，要再接再厉。）

A bird in the hand is dead.

手里的鸟是死鸟。

改写自英谚: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bushes.（手里的一只鸟好过树丛里的两只鸟。），本来是劝人要珍惜所有，不要好高骛远。

A penny saved is a penny. 省一分钱就只是一分钱 。

改写自英谚 : A penny saved is a penny earned.

(省一分钱就是赚一分钱。）。在此把最后的

earned 字去掉，原本鼓励人节俭的意思就成了完全相反的意思。

All's well that ends. 所有的好事都会结束。

俗话说 All's well that ends well.（能圆满结束就是好事。）