有人直译为:

One who stays near vermilion getsstained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black. (vermilion 是朱砂或鲜红色的意思)

也有人译成:

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

这种说法,恐怕老外一时无法理解真正含意.不过他们倒有这么说:

One takes the behavior of one'scompany. (一个人的行为,往往受到朋友的影响。) 或

One takes on the attributes of one'sassociates. (attributes 复数時是指品质、特性;associates 指朋友、同事)

简单的说,就是:

Watch the company you keep! (小心交朋友!)

或者也可以说成:

As he who lies with dogs will ride withfleas, how could your son learn anything good by mixing with those people? (你儿子跟那些人混在一起,能学出个好来?)