美國習慣用語:778 burn the candle at both ends

我打了個哈欠，實在對不起，不過這和今天我們要講的美國習慣用語倒有點關系，這個習慣用語是：burn the candle at both ends.

Burn是燒的意思，candle是蠟燭的意思，一只蠟燭兩頭燒，可想而知，很快就會耗盡。所以，burn the candle at both ends這個習慣用語的意思就是過份地消耗精力或是財產。

夏天很多人請假，所以我最近一直在加班。不巧的是，公公婆婆來看孫子，所以我下班還要招待他們，簡直忙得不可開交。說實在的，現在這種感覺就是： I don't know how much longer I can burn the candle at both ends.

現在的學生，總有忙不完的事，日程排得滿滿的。下面這個父親就很擔心女兒的身體吃不消。

例句-1：I'm worried about my daughter. In addition to her heavy class load, she's been holding down a part-time job and training to run a marathon. Next week she's got final exams, which she's been staying up late to study for. If she keeps burning the candle at both ends, she's bound to get herself sick.

他說：女兒很讓我擔心。除了繁重的課業(yè)以外，她還要出去打工，同時為參加馬拉松進行訓練。下星期是期末考試，她每天都睡得很晚，復習功課，如果她一直這樣下去，一定會累病的。

這一點我同意。在校學生應該勞逸結合，不能burn the candle at both ends, 否則累壞了身體，就得不償失了。

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不知道大家覺得怎么樣，可我確實覺得，一過三十歲，精力明顯不如從前，工作和社交活動太頻繁，身體就會吃不消。所以我特別能理解下面這個人的感觸。

例句-2：When I was younger, I had lots of energy. I used to work all day, and then go out partying with my friends until morning without getting tired. But those days are long gone. I can no longer burn the candle at both ends.

他說：年輕的時候，我好象總有使不完的勁兒。上了一天班以后，還能出去跟朋友開派對，鬧到大半夜，也不覺得累。可那已經是過去時了。我再也沒有那么充沛的精力可以消耗了。

Burn the candle at both ends，這個習慣用語可以追溯到十七世紀，最初是用來指財產的迅速消耗。上個世紀二十年代，burn the candle at both ends又出現在Edna St. Vincent Millay埃德娜.圣文森特.米萊的一首詩里。

這首詩里說，

My candle burns at both ends,

It will not last the night.

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends,

It gives a lovely light.