另外一种情况涉及英译的汉语成语、谚语还原的问題。由于博大精深的中国文化深受外国人士的喜爱，许多脍炙人口而寓意深刻的汉语成语和谚语被翻译成了英语或其他的语言，并经常被引用在人们的讲话或发言中，对此类英译的 汉语成语和谚语，在传译中如果同传译员能将其还原成它们的本来面目，即译成 相应的汉语成语，一定会收到很好的效果。如果译员对这些广为流传的汉语成 语和谚语缺乏了解，就会在传译中为力图找出一个最好的表达方式而冥思苦想，其结果并非尽如人意，要知道任何一种表达方式都没有相应的成语和谚语贴切，因为它是最好的翻译。例如，我们把Instead of coveting the fish in the pool, one should return to weave his net译成:“与其临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网”，比译成任何别的句子都好。英国前首相玛格丽特?撒切尔1982年9月22日访华时在讲话 中有一段话是这样说的;
We know that for both domestic and international problems there are no magic solutions, no soft options. Peace with freedom is our first principle. And we know that to preserve that peace we must be strong. It is an illusion to think that there is an effective alternative. Aggression must not be allowed to pay. It is weakness that attracts an aggressor, ，not strength. I believe you have an expression that says the same thing in a vivid way： “ We must not give wings to tigers.”
这里撒切尔所引用的We must not give wings tigers只有用成语“不要为虎添翼”来翻译才能获得最佳的效果。
引用语的翻译对译员来说同样是一种考验。这里我们重点讨论的是引用语还原成汉语的问题。外国友人来华访问引用中国名人名言的时候甚多。英国前 首相玛格丽特.撒切尔1982年访华时在讲话中曾说道：
Mr. Premier, I have referred to the geographical distance between our two countries, but geography is not decisive, particularly in the shrinking world today. In a poem addressed to a departing friend, one of your Tang poets said, “Provided our friendship survives, distances mean very little; although dwelling on far horizons we can still be as near neighbors. ” His words apply to nations, too. The friendship between Britain and China is good for us and good for the world. I am proud to be here tonight to help write a new page in the history of that friendship.
很显然，“Provided our friendship survives, distances mean very little; although dwelling on far horizons we can still be as near neighbors” 这句话如果翻译成任何其他的语句，而不是译成中国的成语“海内存知己，天涯若比邻”的话，效果都会大打折扣，甚至可以说是失败。因为发言人要表达的意思正是这句中国成语要表达的内容。
美国前总统克林顿 1989年6月访华时在其致辞中曾说道：In so many different ways, we are upholding the teaching of Mencius, who said:" A good citizen in one community will befriend the other citizens of the community; a good citizen of the world will befriend the other citizens of the world." 克林顿引用的是孟子的“一乡之善士斯友一乡之善士，天下之善士斯友天下之善士”。
美国前总统里根 1984年4月访华时在欢迎宴会上的讲话中引用过《易经》 中的“两人同心，可以断金”。原话为：And as a saying from The Book of Changes goes, " If two people are of the same mind, their sharpness can cut through metal. ”
又如，美国前总统尼克松1972年访华时在一次祝酒辞中讲道：Chairman Mao has written, "So many deeds cry out to be done, and always urgently. The World rolls on. Time passes. Ten thousand years are too long. Seize the day; seize the hour!”毛泽东的原诗是：“多少事，从来急，天地转，光阴迫，一万年太久，只 争朝夕。”
下面是一些广为流传的经典名句并附上供参考的译文。
君子和而不同。 Gentlemen seek harmony but not uniformity.
不登髙山，不知天之高也;不临深渊，不知地之厚也。One has to climb up a lofty mountain to become aware of the height of the sky, and to look down into a deep abyss to realize the depth of the earth.
路漫漫其修远兮，吾将上下而求索。 My journey is long and winding, but I will keep on exploring my way far and wide.
天将降大任于斯人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，增益其所不能。Heaven, when it is about to place a great responsibility on a man, always first tests hie resolution, wears out his sinews and bones with toil, exposes his body to starvation, subjects him to extreme poverty, frustrates his efforts so as to stimulate his spirit, toughen his nature and make good his deficiencies.
己所不欲，勿施于人。 Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.
君子成人之美，不成人之恶。Gentlemen help others achieve their moral perfection but not their evil conduct.
三人行，必有我师焉。Where there are three men walking together, one of them is bound to be able to teach me something,
一日为师，终身为父。 Once a tutor, forever honored.
天时不如地利，地利不如人和。Opportunities vouchsafed by Heaven are less important than terrestrial advantages, which in turn are less important than the unity among people.
天生万物，惟人为贵。Humans are the most valuable among all the things that Heaven foster.
顺天者存，逆天者亡。Those who follow the Heaven's law will survive; those who go against it will perish.
先义而后利者荣，先利而后义者辱。One who puts righteousness before profit is honorable; one who puts profit before righteousness is shameful.
少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。An idle youth, a needy age.
一失足成千古恨。 A single misstep may become the source of eternal regret.
三十六计，走为上计。Of all choices, the best is to clear out.
识时务者为俊杰。Those who know how things stand are real heroes.
天有不测风云，人有祸福旦夕。Storms gather without warning in nature, and bad luck befalls men overnight.
宁为玉碎，不为瓦全。 Rather be a shattered vessel of jade than an unbroken piece of pottery — better to die in glory than live in dishonor.
酒逢知己千杯少，话不投机半句多。For a congenial friend a thousand toasts are too few ; in a disagreeable conversation one word more is too many.
一年之计在于春。The whole year's work depends on a good start in springs.
有钱能使鬼推。If you have money you can even make the devil turn your mill.
路遥知马力，日久见人心。A lone road tests a horse's strength and a long task proves a man's heart.
近水楼台先得月。The cobbler's wife is the beat shod.
