separate the sheep from the goats　区别好坏　分清良莠

　　＂新约。马太福音＂记述：“And before him shall be gathered all nations:and he shall separate them one from another,as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats”

　　由于《圣经》的影响，sheep和goat在英语中的形象截然不同，前者比喻好人，后者比喻坏人。英语中有关goat的成语，大多贬义。如：to play the goat=play the fool（瞎胡闹）；to get sb's goat（触动肝火）；等等。《圣经》说牧羊人要分辨绵羊和山羊，“把绵羊安置右边，山羊左边”。据说野山羊常混进羊群里，引诱绵羊，故牧养人必须把它们区分开来，以免混淆。

　　由此，人们用to separate the sheep from the goats这个成语，来比喻to separate the good from the wicked; to divide good or useful people from bad or useless

　　eg:We'll go through the list of members,and separate the sheep from the goats

　　Have faith in me,please.I can separate the sheep from the goats

关键词: 典故