如果你認為俗諺都是膩味的、無用的老生常談，這本書會讓你跌破眼鏡！
If you think proverbs are boring and useless corny phrases, this book will make your jaw drop!
本書特色：
俗諺貼切而蘊含哲理
說明精闢而恰如其分
文化聚焦獨到而寓意深遠
英文解析清楚而深入淺出
全書中英互譯、走文如行雲流水，看啟發賴世雄老師拼命學英文的關鍵人物，如何帶給你慧眼獨具的中西文化感悟。
兩岸英語教父賴世雄強力推薦
作者自序：
A sea voyage depends on a compass to stay on course, and so does a life journey. For the latter, the said compass is just an analogy for folk wisdom. This is how this book of folk wisdom got its name―Compass of Life ―simple and pure.
海上航行要靠羅盤始能行駛在正確的航道，人生亦復如是。對後者而言，這所謂的羅盤只是民間智慧的一個比喻。這本論述民間智慧的書因此而得名 ⸺《生命羅盤》⸺ 就這麼簡單。
Proverbs, sayings, adages, mottos and family precepts are key elements of folk wisdom, which in turn is a grassroots embodiment of the behavioral norms in a given society. Collectively, they constitute a huge repository of time-honored cultural values (e.g., peace, kindness, fortitude) that have enabled humans to survive through the past millennia.
俗諺、箴言、格言、座右銘與家訓是民間智慧的要素，而民間智慧又是一個社會裡行為規範的草根性體現。這些元素集體構成了一座儲存久經考驗並幫助人類安然度過數千年歲月的文化價值觀（譬如和平、仁慈、毅力）的巨大寶庫。
My life is divided in half―half in Taiwan, and half in the United States―and an extended sojourn in both has left indelible prints on me. In recent years, I have become interested in the folk wisdom lodged in both cultures and have wished to further explore its mother lode. Of course, I would never seek to single-handedly accomplish this task―I know my limits. Rather, I just want this book to be a humble invitation for further, and worthier, discussions.
吾生也一分為二 ⸺ 半生在臺，半生在美 ⸺ 兩地長期逗留之經歴在心頭留下難以磨滅的印跡。近年來，本人又對雙方文化中的民間智慧皆感興趣，期望進一步探索其主脈。當然，我從不指望獨自達成這項使命 ⸺ 我有自知之明。但求拋磚引玉，請出更多的賢達高論。
A few words here about how this book was written. To begin with, each chapter broke ground with one or more Chinese proverbs or sayings, coupled with a brief interpretation of them. This was followed by a three-pronged approach: (1) a critical analysis to see if they could stand the test of science (i.e., findings of the empirical studies), (2) a temporal check to see if they needed to be updated with modern-day circumstances, and (3) a comparative perspective to see if equivalents or counterparts in Western cultures could be found.
本書撰寫過程簡述如下。首先，每一篇章均由一或一句以上的華文俗諺或箴言來破土，並佐以簡短的闡釋。隨即，筆者採用三管齊下的做法來發揮該篇主題：(1) 批判分析，看看這些俗諺能否經得起科學（亦即實證研究發現）之考驗，(2) 時間檢測，看看它們是否需要依據當今世界的各種情況作一些更新，以及(3) 比較觀點，看看它們是否能在西方文化裡找到對等或對應。
Most of the examples cited in online discussions of the Chinese folk wisdom are dried, antiquated relics, with much of their juice dehydrated through weathering. They can hardly strike a chord today, especially with the younger generations. In light of this, an effort was made to see that these classics were interwoven with examples gleaned from the contemporary world, that is, the world of the last two centuries or so. Doing so, hopefully, would make this book resonate better with its readers.
網上有關華人民間智慧的討論所援引的諸多例證泰半是乾枯的古代遺跡，其體液大多已因風化作用而呈脫水狀態。至今，它們很難打動人們的心弦，尤其是年輕世代。有鑒於此，筆者特意將這些古典實例與採自現代（亦即大約最近兩百年）世界的實例相互交織。這樣做，但願能讓這本書與它的讀者產生更好的共鳴。
This book was written in both English and Chinese. Translation of all texts, barring those which already had had ready-made equivalents across the two languages (e.g.,“ 老王賣瓜，自賣自誇”/“ Every potter praises his own pots”), is fresh and mine.
本書以中英文雙語撰寫。除卻在兩個語言之間原先已存有現成的對等語詞者（譬如「老王賣瓜，自賣自誇」對 “Every potter praises his own pots”），所有文字的翻譯皆屬新創，且完全出自本人手筆。
In the section of “Spotlight on Cultures,” a brief-yet-deep look is taken at the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western cultures regarding the theme of the chapter. Here, conceptual analyses are accompanied by everyday-life examples, including this author’s personal bilingual and multi-cultural experiences. This part is dedicated to the denizens of the global village.
在「文化聚焦」這個專區裡，針對華人與西方文化在本書各篇主題上之異同，會有一個簡短卻又深刻的檢視。在這裡，觀念上的分析都有日常生活實例的伴隨，包括筆者個人的雙語與跨文化經驗。這一塊是獻給地球村居民的。
“Garden Plot for English Learners,” placed at the closing of each chapter, was created for English lovers who, like me, cherish every single opportunity to improve their language skills. It offers detailed annotations for certain words, idioms, and sentence structures used in the chapters, with example sentences provided where needed.
位於每一篇章結尾處的「英語園地」是為像我這樣熱愛英語並珍惜每一個精進語文能力的機會者所開闢的。它針對本書各篇所使用的某些單字、成語與句構給予詳解，並在必要處提供例句。
When writing this book, this author had in mind three types of readers:
1. Those who are interested in both Chinese and Western folkways as well as the interface between them.
2. Those who are interested in upgrading their language proficiency in either English or Chinese.
3. Those who are interested in improving the quality of their interpersonal or intercultural communication.
在撰寫本書之際，筆者心中所屬意的是以下三類讀者:
1. 對華人與西方民俗以及二者之交界面皆感興趣者。
2. 對提升自身英文或中文程度感興趣者。
3. 對改善人際溝通或跨文化溝通感興趣者。
I owe a great deal to my wife Linda and my daughter Leah, who whole-heatedly participated in all efforts leading to the completion of this book, from proofreading, grammar checking, all the way to content critiquing. I am also grateful to the staff of Ivy Digital Publishing Co., Ltd., notably Yi-kang Hou, Alan Huang, Carey Hsu, Anan Pi, Brian Foden, and Nick Roden, who midwifed this book with kindness and diligence. Finally, I am heartily indebted to Peter Lai, my comrade and idol since we were both military cadets toiling together up the hill of English learning. As president of the company, Peter treated me with immense courtesy and generosity, agreeing to publish this book without even exploring its market potential, something hardly any publisher will do today. I know for sure that he has given me more than I can requite.
我對內人 Linda 與女兒 Leah 非常感恩；他們全心投入完成本書所需的所有努力，從校對、文法檢視直到內容批判。我對常春藤數位出版股份有限公司的工作人員，特別是候一罡、黃有冠、許嘉華、畢安安、Brian Foden 與 Nick Roden，也同樣心存感激：他們用善意與勤奮來為這本書接生。最後，我衷心感謝打從軍校生時期並肩苦讀英文起就一直是本人戰友與偶像的賴世雄。身為常春藤社長，世雄給予我無限的禮遇與厚待，甚至未經探測市場潛力即慨允
出版拙作；當今出版業者中很少有人會這麼做的。我確知：他所給的，非我所能回報也。
Credit also goes to Shao-ling Ting, Colonel, R.O.C. Navy (Ret) and my elementary school classmate, who kindled my latent interest in Chinese folk wisdom while generously sharing with me his "heirloom," a set of moral-teaching sayings and ballads left by his family elders. We met at McDonald’s in Taipei city about six decades after graduation, a wondrous reunion that was both heart-warming and productive.
本書也該歸功於中華民國退役海軍上校，我的小學同學丁紹陵；他大方展示他的「傳家之寶」（家中長輩們所留下有關道德教誨的箴言和歌謠），從而點燃了我對華人民間智慧的潛藏興趣。那一次，在畢業約六十年後，我倆在臺北市麥當勞見面；是一次既暖心又具成果的奇妙重逢。
Chin-hsi Tsao (a.k.a. Philip Tsao),
March 12, 2023
Fremont, California, U.S.A.
曹近曦
If you think proverbs are boring and useless corny phrases, this book will make your jaw drop!
本書特色：
俗諺貼切而蘊含哲理
說明精闢而恰如其分
文化聚焦獨到而寓意深遠
英文解析清楚而深入淺出
全書中英互譯、走文如行雲流水，看啟發賴世雄老師拼命學英文的關鍵人物，如何帶給你慧眼獨具的中西文化感悟。
兩岸英語教父賴世雄強力推薦
作者自序：
A sea voyage depends on a compass to stay on course, and so does a life journey. For the latter, the said compass is just an analogy for folk wisdom. This is how this book of folk wisdom got its name―Compass of Life ―simple and pure.
海上航行要靠羅盤始能行駛在正確的航道，人生亦復如是。對後者而言，這所謂的羅盤只是民間智慧的一個比喻。這本論述民間智慧的書因此而得名 ⸺《生命羅盤》⸺ 就這麼簡單。
Proverbs, sayings, adages, mottos and family precepts are key elements of folk wisdom, which in turn is a grassroots embodiment of the behavioral norms in a given society. Collectively, they constitute a huge repository of time-honored cultural values (e.g., peace, kindness, fortitude) that have enabled humans to survive through the past millennia.
俗諺、箴言、格言、座右銘與家訓是民間智慧的要素，而民間智慧又是一個社會裡行為規範的草根性體現。這些元素集體構成了一座儲存久經考驗並幫助人類安然度過數千年歲月的文化價值觀（譬如和平、仁慈、毅力）的巨大寶庫。
My life is divided in half―half in Taiwan, and half in the United States―and an extended sojourn in both has left indelible prints on me. In recent years, I have become interested in the folk wisdom lodged in both cultures and have wished to further explore its mother lode. Of course, I would never seek to single-handedly accomplish this task―I know my limits. Rather, I just want this book to be a humble invitation for further, and worthier, discussions.
吾生也一分為二 ⸺ 半生在臺，半生在美 ⸺ 兩地長期逗留之經歴在心頭留下難以磨滅的印跡。近年來，本人又對雙方文化中的民間智慧皆感興趣，期望進一步探索其主脈。當然，我從不指望獨自達成這項使命 ⸺ 我有自知之明。但求拋磚引玉，請出更多的賢達高論。
A few words here about how this book was written. To begin with, each chapter broke ground with one or more Chinese proverbs or sayings, coupled with a brief interpretation of them. This was followed by a three-pronged approach: (1) a critical analysis to see if they could stand the test of science (i.e., findings of the empirical studies), (2) a temporal check to see if they needed to be updated with modern-day circumstances, and (3) a comparative perspective to see if equivalents or counterparts in Western cultures could be found.
本書撰寫過程簡述如下。首先，每一篇章均由一或一句以上的華文俗諺或箴言來破土，並佐以簡短的闡釋。隨即，筆者採用三管齊下的做法來發揮該篇主題：(1) 批判分析，看看這些俗諺能否經得起科學（亦即實證研究發現）之考驗，(2) 時間檢測，看看它們是否需要依據當今世界的各種情況作一些更新，以及(3) 比較觀點，看看它們是否能在西方文化裡找到對等或對應。
Most of the examples cited in online discussions of the Chinese folk wisdom are dried, antiquated relics, with much of their juice dehydrated through weathering. They can hardly strike a chord today, especially with the younger generations. In light of this, an effort was made to see that these classics were interwoven with examples gleaned from the contemporary world, that is, the world of the last two centuries or so. Doing so, hopefully, would make this book resonate better with its readers.
網上有關華人民間智慧的討論所援引的諸多例證泰半是乾枯的古代遺跡，其體液大多已因風化作用而呈脫水狀態。至今，它們很難打動人們的心弦，尤其是年輕世代。有鑒於此，筆者特意將這些古典實例與採自現代（亦即大約最近兩百年）世界的實例相互交織。這樣做，但願能讓這本書與它的讀者產生更好的共鳴。
This book was written in both English and Chinese. Translation of all texts, barring those which already had had ready-made equivalents across the two languages (e.g.,“ 老王賣瓜，自賣自誇”/“ Every potter praises his own pots”), is fresh and mine.
本書以中英文雙語撰寫。除卻在兩個語言之間原先已存有現成的對等語詞者（譬如「老王賣瓜，自賣自誇」對 “Every potter praises his own pots”），所有文字的翻譯皆屬新創，且完全出自本人手筆。
In the section of “Spotlight on Cultures,” a brief-yet-deep look is taken at the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western cultures regarding the theme of the chapter. Here, conceptual analyses are accompanied by everyday-life examples, including this author’s personal bilingual and multi-cultural experiences. This part is dedicated to the denizens of the global village.
在「文化聚焦」這個專區裡，針對華人與西方文化在本書各篇主題上之異同，會有一個簡短卻又深刻的檢視。在這裡，觀念上的分析都有日常生活實例的伴隨，包括筆者個人的雙語與跨文化經驗。這一塊是獻給地球村居民的。
“Garden Plot for English Learners,” placed at the closing of each chapter, was created for English lovers who, like me, cherish every single opportunity to improve their language skills. It offers detailed annotations for certain words, idioms, and sentence structures used in the chapters, with example sentences provided where needed.
位於每一篇章結尾處的「英語園地」是為像我這樣熱愛英語並珍惜每一個精進語文能力的機會者所開闢的。它針對本書各篇所使用的某些單字、成語與句構給予詳解，並在必要處提供例句。
When writing this book, this author had in mind three types of readers:
1. Those who are interested in both Chinese and Western folkways as well as the interface between them.
2. Those who are interested in upgrading their language proficiency in either English or Chinese.
3. Those who are interested in improving the quality of their interpersonal or intercultural communication.
在撰寫本書之際，筆者心中所屬意的是以下三類讀者:
1. 對華人與西方民俗以及二者之交界面皆感興趣者。
2. 對提升自身英文或中文程度感興趣者。
3. 對改善人際溝通或跨文化溝通感興趣者。
I owe a great deal to my wife Linda and my daughter Leah, who whole-heatedly participated in all efforts leading to the completion of this book, from proofreading, grammar checking, all the way to content critiquing. I am also grateful to the staff of Ivy Digital Publishing Co., Ltd., notably Yi-kang Hou, Alan Huang, Carey Hsu, Anan Pi, Brian Foden, and Nick Roden, who midwifed this book with kindness and diligence. Finally, I am heartily indebted to Peter Lai, my comrade and idol since we were both military cadets toiling together up the hill of English learning. As president of the company, Peter treated me with immense courtesy and generosity, agreeing to publish this book without even exploring its market potential, something hardly any publisher will do today. I know for sure that he has given me more than I can requite.
我對內人 Linda 與女兒 Leah 非常感恩；他們全心投入完成本書所需的所有努力，從校對、文法檢視直到內容批判。我對常春藤數位出版股份有限公司的工作人員，特別是候一罡、黃有冠、許嘉華、畢安安、Brian Foden 與 Nick Roden，也同樣心存感激：他們用善意與勤奮來為這本書接生。最後，我衷心感謝打從軍校生時期並肩苦讀英文起就一直是本人戰友與偶像的賴世雄。身為常春藤社長，世雄給予我無限的禮遇與厚待，甚至未經探測市場潛力即慨允
出版拙作；當今出版業者中很少有人會這麼做的。我確知：他所給的，非我所能回報也。
Credit also goes to Shao-ling Ting, Colonel, R.O.C. Navy (Ret) and my elementary school classmate, who kindled my latent interest in Chinese folk wisdom while generously sharing with me his "heirloom," a set of moral-teaching sayings and ballads left by his family elders. We met at McDonald’s in Taipei city about six decades after graduation, a wondrous reunion that was both heart-warming and productive.
本書也該歸功於中華民國退役海軍上校，我的小學同學丁紹陵；他大方展示他的「傳家之寶」（家中長輩們所留下有關道德教誨的箴言和歌謠），從而點燃了我對華人民間智慧的潛藏興趣。那一次，在畢業約六十年後，我倆在臺北市麥當勞見面；是一次既暖心又具成果的奇妙重逢。
Chin-hsi Tsao (a.k.a. Philip Tsao),
March 12, 2023
Fremont, California, U.S.A.
曹近曦