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Sell One's Birthright for a Mess of Pottages

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Sell One's Birthright for a Mess of Pottages因小失大;见利弃义

Sell One's Birthright for a Mess of Pottages直译是:“为了一碗红豆汤而出卖了长子继承权”

《旧约.创世纪》第25章记述了这样一个故事传说:犹太族长以撒的妻子利百加怀孕期间,感觉到2个胎儿在她腹内互相踢打,就去问耶和华,耶和华对她说:“两国在你腹内,两族要从你身上出来,这族必强于那族,将来大的要服小的。”后来,利百加果然生下一对孪生兄弟,哥哥叫以扫,弟弟叫雅各。两兄弟长大后,以扫好动,常外出打猎;雅各则常在家里帮助料理家务。有一天,以扫打猎回来,又饥又渴,看见弟弟雅各在熬豆汤,就对他说:“我饿极了,给我喝点红豆汤吧!”雅各说:“你要喝汤,就把你的长子权卖给我。”以扫说:“你都要饿死了,要这长子权有什么用呢?”于是,他便按雅各的要求,对天起誓,把长子权卖给雅各,换来饼和红豆汤。以扫吃饱喝足后,起身走了。他哪里想到,为了这碗红豆汤,他的后裔便注定要服事雅各的后裔。

由此,人们用to sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage短语,来比喻to pexchange something of lasting value for something that is of value for a short time only;to suffer a big loss for a little gain.这个成语常缩略为for a mess of pottage的形式。有时也可用to sell one's birthrights.

eg:It was argued that joining the Common Market...would be giving away her national rights and advantages for a mess of pottage.   There are many,many people who are willing to prostitute their intelligence for a mess of pottage.
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