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復數時是指品質、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實際情況而定。

（來源：中國青年網）