fall by the way side 半途而廢;中途掉隊(duì)
源自《新約·路加福音》8 章,講的是:耶穌帶著他的十二個(gè)門(mén)徒周游各城各鄉(xiāng)傳道,宣講神國(guó)的福音, 治愈眾生疾病。當(dāng)許多人從各城出來(lái)見(jiàn)耶穌的時(shí)候,耶穌就對(duì)門(mén)徒和眾人說(shuō),有一個(gè)人出去撒種,撒的時(shí)候,又落在路旁的(fall by the way side),被人踐踏,天上的飛鳥(niǎo)又來(lái)吃盡了;又落在石頭上的(fall on stony ground),一出來(lái)就枯干了,因?yàn)榈貌坏阶虧?rùn);又落在荊棘里的,同荊棘一同生長(zhǎng),被他擠住了;又有落在肥沃土壤里的,生長(zhǎng)起來(lái),結(jié)實(shí)百倍。種子比喻神的道:那些撒在路邊的寓指聽(tīng)道之人內(nèi)心不堅(jiān)強(qiáng),魔鬼來(lái)了,從他們內(nèi)心把道奪走了;撒在石頭上,指聽(tīng)道的人內(nèi)心沒(méi)根,遇到艱險(xiǎn)就后退了;長(zhǎng)在荊棘中的, 是說(shuō)聽(tīng)道之人被今生的思慮錢(qián)財(cái)宴樂(lè)占據(jù)了,結(jié)不出成熟果實(shí);只有那些長(zhǎng)在肥沃土壤中,堅(jiān)守誠(chéng)實(shí)善良的聽(tīng)道之人才能成功。
Eg. Several ladies who were trying to lose weight had already fallen by the way side by eating cream cakes.
Her research about the need for a peaceful solution to the crises fell on stony ground.