Ask & Learn聞問切英語口語:Powers that be
讀者William來電郵問："The powers that be have appallingly done the HKU vice-chancellor"一句中，powers that be從語法該如何解釋？為什么不是powers that are？
從語法去理解powers that be是解不通的，powers that are才是正確。但powers that be是慣用語，就是所謂的idiomatic English，powers that are反而沒有人說。
翻查字典，我們得知這句慣用語源出十六世紀William Tyndale翻譯的圣經，原文如下：
"The powers that be are ordeyned of God. Whosoever therfore resysteth power resisteth the ordinaunce of God. And they that resist shall receave to the selfe damnacio."
用二十一世紀的英語寫出來應該是：
"The powers that be are ordained by God. Therefore, whoever resists the power resists the ordinance of God. And they who resist the power shall receive on to themselves damnation."
由此可見，the powers that be說的是當世的力量，但背后卻有神圣的力量支撐。當然，沒有宗教信仰的人才不管你神圣不神圣，因此，用這句話時，就暗含譏諷，說那些當權者把自己看作神，不容抗命。
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