有人直譯為:

One who stays near vermilion getsstained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black. (vermilion 是朱砂或鮮紅色的意思)

也有人譯成:

When you touch black, you become black;when you touch red, you become red.

這種說法,恐怕老外一時無法理解真正含意.不過他們倒有這么說:

One takes the behavior of one'scompany. (一個人的行為,往往受到朋友的影響。) 或

One takes on the attributes of one'sassociates. (attributes 復數時是指品質、特性;associates 指朋友、同事)

簡單的說,就是:

Watch the company you keep! (小心交朋友!)

或者也可以說成:

As he who lies with dogs will ride withfleas, how could your son learn anything good by mixing with those people? (你兒子跟那些人混在一起,能學出個好來?)