漢英詞典中的翻譯為：One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black. 或 One takes on the color of one’s company.

　　也有人譯成：When you touch black, you become black; when you touch red, you become red.

　　英語國家中也有一些相近的表達方式：

　　One takes the behavior of one's company. （一個人的行為，往往受到朋友的影響。）

　　One takes on the attributes of one's associates. （attributes復(fù)數(shù)時是指品質(zhì)、特性；associates指朋友、同事）

　　Watch the company you keep！(小心交朋友！)

　　As one who lies with dogs will ride with fleas, how could your son learn anything good by mixing with those people? （就像和狗躺在一起的人身上會爬滿虱子，你兒子跟那些人混在一起，能學出個好樣來?）

具體選用那種翻譯方法要根據(jù)實際情況而定。

（來源：中國青年網(wǎng)）