good things can come in unlikely packages

Chinese translation: 不起眼的盒子里可能包着精美的礼物

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	good things can come in unlikely packages
Chinese translation:	不起眼的盒子里可能包着精美的礼物
Entered by:	clearwater

00:31 Dec 28, 2003

English to Chinese translations [PRO]
Art/Literary

English term or phrase: good things can come in unlikely packages

My good friend Jan met a guy at a party who could have been Brad Pitt's twin. He obviously thought she was a Jennifer/Gwyneth clone, because he asked her out. Cut to a week later, her front door. She opened it and there stood "Brad" -- looking perfect except for his declasse footwear. Jan was immediately turned off, acted in a standoffish manner the whole evening, and there was no date two. A few months later she ran into him again, dressed from head to toe in elegant fashion. Jan was extremely turned on. However, he wanted nothing more to do with her.
试译：
我的死党詹在派对上遇到了某位酷哥，他简直就是布拉德·皮特的翻版。显然，对方也以为她与詹妮弗或者格温妮丝是同一副模子刻出来的，因为他约她出去了。镜头切到一周后，詹家前门。她开门后，只见外头立着那位“布拉德”――样子帅呆了，可那双鞋真是丢人现眼。詹马上大倒胃口，对人家整晚爱理不理，此后自然没了下文。又过了几个月，詹再度邂逅上了他，这回对方从头到脚打扮得煞是光鲜。詹顿时又一见倾心。然而，人家不想跟她有任何往来。
The point of this anecdote is to point out what you probably already know: good things can come in unlikely packages, so rather than tearing into the box, unwrap it slowly. For example, if you're dating a wonderful man who might not look like your high school crush, I'm encouraging you to stick out a little. You could ask him to hang out, not rush things on the sex front, and then see where it goes. You might wind up never developing more than a friend vibe toward him, or one night you might be moved to plant a big one on his suddenly kissable lips. Hey, you never know.
这朵花絮恰好点出了读者早已知道的道理：好东西可能装在破盒子里面（？？），所以切忌一把撕开盒子，而是应该轻手轻脚。比方说，如果与你约会的优秀男子也许长相比不上你高中时的热恋对象，但本人还是你鼓励你稍稍坚持一段时间。你可以约他出去逛逛，切勿仓促上床，然后看看关系进展如何。到头来，也许你们永远发展不了朋友之外的那层关系；也许一夜过后，你可能被感动得一塌糊涂，突然发觉他的嘴唇其实蛮可爱，主动献上香吻。世事难料啊。

有没有比较形象一点的说法？

clearwater KudoZ activity Questions: 12458 (5 open) (1 without valid answers) (1079 closed without grading) Answers: 1671 China
Local time: 23:07

不起眼的盒子里可能包着精美的礼物

Explanation:
“不起眼的盒子里，可能包着精美的礼物。所以，不要粗手粗脚地乱撕，而要小心翼翼地打开。”

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Note added at 2003-12-28 04:31:19 (GMT)
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BTW. 你的玉照恰如其名，有“清水出芙蓉”的意思！:)))

Selected response from:

Xiaoping Fu
Canada
Local time: 08:07

Grading comment

谢谢！
还是把“清水出芙蓉”送给Tingting比较好^_^
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +2

不起眼的盒子里可能包着精美的礼物

Xiaoping Fu

4 +1

人不可貌相 or 不可以貌取人

isahuang

Answers

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

人不可貌相 or 不可以貌取人

Explanation:
I would try a free translation here. If we stick to the literal translation, it is very hard to make it more 形象. Well, let's see what other colleagues suggest.

isahuang
Local time: 11:07
Native speaker of: Chinese
PRO pts in pair: 491

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

不起眼的盒子里可能包着精美的礼物

Xiaoping Fu
Canada
Local time: 08:07
Native speaker of:

Chinese
PRO pts in pair: 2566

Grading comment

谢谢！
还是把“清水出芙蓉”送给Tingting比较好^_^

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