双语阅读︱Happy Valentine’s day ! 情人节的由来
Valentine's Day, recognized by most people, is on February 14. It is a festival about love, romance and flowers, chocolates and greeting cards. While celebrating Valentine's Day, do you know why Valentine's Day is on February 14? Where did Valentine's Day come from? Details about February 14 Valentine's Day are as follows:
被大多数人认可的情人节是2月14日。这是一个关于爱、浪漫以及花、巧克力、贺卡的节日。在欢度情人节的同时，你知道为什么情人节是在2月14这一天吗？情人节从何而来？关于2月14情人节的传说故事及习俗如下：
The origin of Western Valentine's Day
ღ Story I ღ
In the 3rd century AD, Emperor Claudius II canceled all marriage commitments in the capital, Rome, for the sake of war, so that more unconnected men could go to war. A priest named Sanctus Valentinus did not obey this order and continued to perform church weddings for young people in love. When the charges were brought, Father Valentin was whipped, then stoned, and finally hanged on February 14, 270. The date has been commemorated since the 14th century. Today, the day - translated into Chinese as Valentine's Day - is known in Western countries as Valentinday, commemorating the priest who died serving the Lord of the lovers.
公元3世纪，罗马帝国皇帝克劳迪乌斯二世在首都罗马宣布废弃所有的婚姻承诺，当时是出于战争的考虑，使更多无所牵挂的男人可以走上争战的疆场。一名叫瓦仑廷（Sanctus Valentinus）的神父没有遵照这个旨意而继续为相爱的年轻人举行教堂婚礼。事情被告发后，瓦仑廷神父先是被鞭打，然后被石头掷打，最后在公元270年2月14日这天被送上了绞架被绞死。14世纪以后，人们就开始纪念这个日子。现在，中文译为“情人节”的这个日子，在西方国家里就被称为Valentinday，用以纪念那位为情人做主而牺牲的神父。
ღ Story II ღ
Valentine is said to have been one of the first Christians at a time when being a Christian meant danger and death. In order to protect the other martyrs, Valentine was caught and thrown into prison. There he cured the blind eye of the warden's daughter. When the tyrant heard of the miracle, he was so afraid that he beheaded Valentine. According to legend, on the morning of his execution, Valentine wrote a loving farewell letter to the warden's daughter, signing from your Valentine (from Your Valentine). On the same day, the blind girl planted an apricot tree with red flowers in front of his tomb to express her feelings, which is February 14. Since then, Christianity has decided February 14 as Valentine's Day.
据说瓦伦丁是最早的基督徒之一，那个时代做一名基督徒意味着危险和死亡。为掩护其他殉教者，瓦伦丁被抓，投入了监牢。在那里他治愈了典狱长女儿失明的双眼。当暴君听到这一奇迹时，他感到非常害怕，于是将瓦伦丁斩首示众。据传说，在行刑的那一天早晨，瓦伦丁给典狱长的女儿写了一封情意绵绵的告别信，落款是：From your Valentine（寄自你的瓦伦丁）。当天，盲女在他墓前种了一棵开红花的杏树，以寄托自己的情思，这一天就是2月14日。自此以后，基督教便把2月14日定为情人节。
ღ Story III ღ
In ancient Rome, February 14 was a holiday to honor Jona. Jona was the queen of the Roman gods, and the Romans worshipped her as the god of women and marriage. The following day, February 15, is known as the Lupasara Festival, which honors the other gods of Yona's reign. In ancient Rome, the lives of young and young girls were strictly separated. However, on the Lupa Sala Festival, the boys can choose one of their favorite girl's name engraved on the vase. In this way, during the festival, the young man can dance with the girl of his choice and celebrate the festival. If the chosen girl is also interested in the guy, they can always be matched, and eventually they will fall in love and go to church together to get married. For this reason, the next generation will be February 14 as Valentine's Day.
在古罗马时期，2月14日是为表示对约娜的尊敬而设的节日。约娜是罗马众神的皇后，罗马人同时将她尊奉为妇女和婚姻之神。接下来的2月15日则被称为“卢帕撒拉节”，是用来对约娜治下的其他众神表示尊敬的节日。在古罗马，年轻人和少女的生活是被严格分开的。然而，在卢帕撒拉节，小伙子们可以选择一个自己心爱的姑娘的名字刻在花瓶上。这样，过节的时候，小伙子就可以与自己选择的姑娘一起跳舞，庆祝节日。如果被选中的姑娘也对小伙子有意的话，他们便可一直配对，而且最终他们会坠入爱河并一起步入教堂结婚。后人为此而将每年的2月14日定为情人节。
ღ Story IV ღ
Western Valentine's Day comes from the ancient Roman Lupercalia (Lupercalia estival). Lupercalia was originally an ancient festival celebrating the Roman god of livestock, Lupercalia, which later evolved into Human Day. Lupercalia is celebrated every year on February 15, when monks gather around a cave on the Palantine hill in Rome. Here, it is said, the founder of the ancient Roman city (Romilus and Remus) was raised by a female Wolf. Among the celebrations of the festival, young nobles, armed with sheepskin whips, run through the streets. Young women would gather on both sides of the street, hoping for sheep whips to lash their heads. It was believed that this would make it easier for them to have children. In Latin, sheepskin whips are called februa and whips are called fabruatio, which actually mean 'purity'. This is where the name February comes from.
西方情人节来源于古罗马的牧神节（Lupercalia Festival）。牧神节本来是庆祝一个罗马畜牧神卢波库斯的古老节日，后来演变为情人节。牧神节于每年的2月15日，修士们会聚集在罗马城中巴沦丁Palantine山上的一个洞穴旁庆祝。据说在这里，古罗马城的奠基者（Romilus and Remus）被一只母狼扶育长大。在节日的各项庆典中，有一项是年轻的贵族们，手持羊皮鞭，在街道上奔跑。年轻妇女们会聚集在街道两旁，祈望羊皮鞭抽打到她们头上。人们相信这样会使她们更容易生儿育女。在拉丁语中，羊皮鞭被叫做 februa，鞭打叫做 fabruatio， 实际上都含有'纯洁'的意思。二月的名字（February）就是由此而来。
With the expansion of Roman power in Europe, the custom of Lupercalia was carried to what is now France and England. One of the most popular holiday activities is something like lotteries. The names of the young women were placed in the boxes and then the young men stepped forward to draw them. A man and a woman are chosen to be lovers for a year or more.
随着罗马势力在欧洲的扩张，牧神节的习俗被带到了现在的法国和英国等地。人们最乐此不疲的一项节日活动类似于摸彩。年轻女子们的名字被放置于盒子内，然后年轻男子上前抽取。抽中的一对男女成为情人，时间是一年或更长。
The rise of Christianity made the custom of honoring the gods fade away. The priests did not want people to give up the joy of the festival, so they changed Lupercalia to Valentine's Day and moved it to February 14. In this way, the legend of the Valentine friars and the ancient festival are naturally combined. The festival was most popular in medieval England. After the names of the unmarried men and women are drawn, they exchange gifts with each other, and the women become the men's Valentine for the year.
基督教的兴起使人们纪念众神的习俗逐渐淡漠。教士们不希望人们放弃节日的欢乐，于是将牧神节（Lupercalia）改成瓦伦丁节（ Valentine's Day），并移至二月十四日。这样，关于瓦伦丁修士的传说和古老的节日就被自然地结合在一起。这一节日在中世纪的英国最为流行。未婚男女的名字被抽出后，他们会互相交换礼物，女子在这一年内成为男子的Valentine。
The Customs of Valentine's Day
Different times have different customs for celebrating Valentine's Day. Among them, the Valentine's Day custom of Queen Victoria in Britain from 1837 to 1901 is the most unique. On February 14, a pair of lovers transplanted a spring branch with two budding buds in a special basin. The first letter of the name of the flower must match the first letter of the couple's name. A few days later, if the two buds on this spring branch are in full bloom, they will indicate that the lovers will grow old together. If the two buds are divided into the west and the east, the north will spit, this pair of love, people will eventually fly. If the flowers are huge and brilliant, it means that the children and grandchildren will be full and the whole family will be happy. If a flower withers and dies, one of the lovers is in danger of an early death.
不同时代，过情人节的习俗有所不同。其中从1837-1901年英国维多利亚女王时期的情人节习俗最为独特：2月14日这一天，一对对情人，将一株生有两朵含苞待放花蕾的春枝移植在特制的盆内。花名的第一个字母必须与这对情人一姓名的第一个字母吻合。几天后，如果这春枝上的双蕾怒放，交相辉映，便预示这对情人白首偕老；如果双蕾各分西东，相北吐蕊，这对情、人终将劳燕分飞；如果花开得硕大、灿烂，表示以后子孙满堂，阖家欢乐；倘若一花枯萎凋谢，情人中的一人有早夭之险。
In Buckinghamshire it was also the custom to pray on Valentine's night: light a candle, insert two thin needles from the bottom of the candle to the heart, recite the name of one's lover, pray that love will continue, and when the candle burns to the tip of the needle, it is said that the loved one will come in time. There is also a Valentine's Day custom. In the week before Valentine's Day, the left sock will be taken off and put on the right foot, repeatedly wishing "May my beloved enter the dream tonight." It is said that at this time, the old man will throw down a bright red silk thread of good luck.
在白金汉郡还曾盛行在情人节之夜祈祷的风俗：点燃一支蜡烛，插入两枚细针，从烛底插到烛心，默念自己的爱人的名字，祈祷相爱始终，待蜡烛燃至针尖，据说所爱之人便会及时叩扉而至。还有个情人节的习俗：在情人节前一周内，将左脚上袜子脱下穿到右脚上，反复祝愿：“愿我的心爱人能进入今宵梦境。”据说，这时月下老人就会抛下一根吉利的大红丝线。
After the Victorian era, the custom of Valentine's Day gradually faded, and in the 1930s and 1940s, with the popularity of greeting cards, Valentine's Day regained its popularity. In some countries, Valentine's Day has evolved into a trend for women to express their feelings to men, so March 14 has become a "return love", that is, men give gifts to women to show "love".
维多利亚时代之后，情人节风俗渐渐淡化，20世纪三四十年代，随着贺卡的盛行，情人节又复热火重燃。在有的国家内，情人节已有演变为女性向男人表达情谊的趋势，于是，3月14日又成为“还情节”，即男子向女子馈赠礼物以示“还情”。
Gifts for Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is romantic, but roses and a big meal are expensive. In fact, you can make your partner happy without spending a lot of money, just put a little effort. I hope these "negative examples" will serve as a message to you.
过情人节很浪漫，但是玫瑰和大餐都价值不菲。其实你可以不用花很多钱，只要花点心思也可以让你的另一半感到很开心。希望这些“反面教材”能对你们有所警示。
1. “He paid to get the brakes in my Jeep fixed. Then, when he found out it needed more parts, he gave me the rest of the bill.” ― Sara S.
“他花钱修了我吉普车的刹车。但是，当他发现还需要置换更多零件时，他把余下的那部分账单给了我。”——莎拉•S
2. “A $100 gift card to a spa filled out and dated two years before we met ” ― Carey V.
“他给了我一张100美元的美容按摩礼品卡，这张卡在我们认识两年前就已经填写过收货信息了。”——凯丽•V
3. “He bought me and one of my best friends almost identical presents. He had had a crush on her for years.” ― Heather B.
“他给我和我的一个闺蜜送了几乎完全相同的礼物。他曾经迷恋她多年。”——希瑟•B
4. “The worst gift my ex ever gave me on Valentine’s Day was nothing. Normally, it wouldn’t matter, but a week before Valentine’s Day, my ex told me that every other man she had been with exchanged gifts and we must do the same. I got her a gift and when she didn’t have one for me she said, ‘I forgot.’” ― Matt S.
“我前任曾送过的最糟糕的情人节礼物就是什么也不送。正常来说，本来是没关系的，但是在情人节前一周，我的前女友告诉我，她和她之前的每个男友都会在情人节交换礼物，我们也必须这么做。于是我给她准备了一个礼物，但是她却没给我准备，然后说‘我忘了’。”——马特•S
5. “A Bible and a lecture about how I had been dressing ‘inappropriately’ by wearing anything relatively form-fitting.” ― Diana B.
“他送给我一本《圣经》，还给我上了一课，说我一直以来都穿着“不当”，只要衣服合身就随便乱穿。”——戴安娜•B
6. “My ex had promised I would love my gift. ‘It’s something we can do together,’ he said. I knew it had to be a trip. That night he presented me with an envelope over a romantic dinner. I opened it expecting to see two plane tickets fall out. What fell out was a receipt for a one-year paid membership to a gym. There’s only one thing to say when you get a gift like that on Valentine’s Day: Bye.” ― Amy K.
“我的前任许诺我会喜欢这个情人节礼物。他说，‘这将是我们可以一起做的事情。’我以为这一定是一场旅行。那天晚上他在浪漫晚餐上给了我一个信封。我打开时还以为会看到两张机票。结果掉出来的是健身馆一年会员的收据。在情人节收到这种礼物只有一句话可说：拜拜。”——艾米•K
7. “A weekend getaway with her brother and his wife. She didn’t have a good relationship with her brother and thought that a weekend with all four of us would be good for her. Needless to say, the narcissistic gift of 60 hours imprisoned with the two of them was horrible for me and for her brother’s wife! Misery loves company.” ― Bill D.
“我收到的情人节礼物是和她的哥哥嫂子周末一起外出度假。她和她哥关系不太好，她以为四个人共度周末对她有好处。无需多言，这份自恋的礼物——和这对兄妹囚禁在一起的60个小时——对我来说糟透了，对她嫂子也是！同病相怜啊。”——比尔•D
8. “He took his single ‘friend’ out for dinner and a movie on Valentine’s Day. Worked out well for them. They’re now engaged.” ― Deanna G.
“情人节他带他的单身‘朋友’出去吃饭看电影。对他们来说很不错。现在他们订婚了。”——迪安娜•G
9. “One year my ex completely neglected to make any plans or get any cards, flowers or gifts. I assumed the lack of any acknowledgment all day meant there was a big surprise coming later. Walking in our neighborhood gourmet market, bombarded with chocolates, decorations and cards, he grabbed a card, bought it and handed it to me, unsigned. In the checkout line.” ― Abby K.
“有一年我的前男友完全没有制定任何情人节计划，也没有买卡片、鲜花等礼物。我以为一整天都没有表示，晚些时候会有一个大惊喜。后来我们走进了小区的一个精品超市，超市里到处都是巧克力、装饰物和卡片，于是他拿了一张卡片，付完款，什么也没写就把它递给我。就在收银台那边。”——艾比•K
10. “Valentine’s Day was his birthday, so it was ‘his’ day. Ten years with him, I didn’t get anything.” ― Gianna K.
“情人节是他的生日，所以这是属于他的日子。和他在一起十年，我从来没收到过情人节礼物。”——吉安娜•K
11. “A portrait of myself and our dog. His heart was in the right place but the painting was awful. I looked like a linebacker with some kind of ’80s new-wave hairdo gone wrong. My ex wanted to hang the picture over the fireplace but there was no way that was happening. I finally let him hang it in our bedroom, where I got to sleep under my own creepy gaze for several years. I used to joke that I would have to burn the house down to get rid of the thing because I would never be able to sneak it into the trash.” ― Trish S.
“我收到的情人节礼物是一张我和我们家狗的肖像画。他的心意是好的，但是这张画太糟了。我看起来像中后卫橄榄球员，发型像是80年代的新浪潮风格，很蹩脚。我的前男友想把画挂在壁炉上方，但是我坚决不允许。最后我让他挂在我们卧室里，好几年我都是看着自己的惊悚肖像画入睡的。我曾经开玩笑说，我必须把房子烧掉才能摆脱这幅画，因为我没法偷偷将它扔进垃圾桶里。”——翠西•S
12. “Definitely not a bouquet of flowers. Instead, I received a big fat seed of doubt when the mailman delivered a card to my husband sent by another woman.” ― Lisa F.
“肯定不是一束花。我收到的情人节礼物是一大堆问号，邮递员给我丈夫送来一张另外一个女人寄给他的情人节卡片。”——丽莎•F
13. “A bow and arrow. He wanted me to go hunting with him... for Valentine’s Day. I should’ve known.” ― Carla E.
“一副弓箭。他希望我能和他一起去打猎……在情人节。我早该知道的。”——卡拉•E
14. “A waffle maker. A waffle maker on its own isn’t a terrible gift except I don’t like waffles. We’d been together for five years and had eaten breakfast together hundreds of times and I’d never ordered waffles — ever. He never made me waffles, which was fine since I don’t actually like them, but the kicker? I found out a couple of weeks later he’d won the waffle maker at a work fundraiser. Needless to say, we are no longer together.” ― Julie S.
“一台华夫饼干机。华夫饼干机本身不是个糟糕的礼物，只是我不爱吃华夫饼。我们已经在一起五年了，一起吃早餐也有数百次了，我从来不点华夫饼——从不。他从来没给我做过华夫饼，这挺好的，因为我并不爱吃，但是他怎么会想到送这个的呢？几周后我发现，他是在工作筹款会上赢得这台华夫饼干机的。不用说，我们已经不在一起了。”——朱莉•S
How to express in English on Valentine's Day
6. With the wonder of your love, the sun above always shines.拥有你美丽的爱情，太阳就永远明媚。
7. Precious things are very few in this world. That is the reason there is just one you.在这世上珍贵的东西总是罕有，所以这世上只有一个你。
8. I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you.我爱你，不是因为你是一个怎样的人，而是因为我喜欢与你在一起时的感觉
（二）含蓄委婉型
你的声音里，满是我们将要创造的美好回忆。
（三）文艺青年型
愿得一人心，白首不分离。
（四）冷酷型
我爱你不是因为你是谁，而是我在你面前可以是谁。
我非常在意你。
Common English Words for Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day 情人节
date 约会
bunch 花束
rose 玫瑰
candy 糖果
chocolate 巧克力
forget-me-not 勿忘我
puppy love/first love 初恋
cute meet 浪漫的邂逅
fall in love 坠入爱河
love at the first sight 一见钟情
propose 求婚
valentine cards 情人节卡片
candlelight dinner 烛光晚餐
heart-shaped/cordate 心形的
truelove 真爱
enamored 倾心的
saint valentine’s day 情人节
the chemical feeling 奇妙的感觉，触电
sweet bitterness 甜蜜的痛苦
a doomed couple 天生一对
a happy ending 大团圆结局
sweetheart 甜心
lover 爱人
cupid 爱神丘比特
admirer 仰慕者
romance 浪漫
heartthrob 激情
courtship 求爱
infatuation 醉心
promise/pledge/vow 誓言
fidelity 忠心
eternal/immortal/everlasting 永恒
高中英语话题背诵 (10) 节假日活动（含音频）！ 建议收藏学习！