汉英词典中的翻译为： one who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black. 或 one takes on the color of one's company.

　　也有人译成：When you touch black, you become black, when you touch red, you become red.

　　英语国家中也有一些相近的表达方式：

　　One takes the behavior of one's company.(一个人的行为，往往受到朋友的影响。)

　　One takes on the attributes of one's associates. (attributes 复数時是指品质、特性；associates 指朋友、同事)