中国有句俗话叫做富不过三代，英国的谚语也有一句表达的也是这个意思，那就是from clogs to clogs is only three generations。

Clog是英格兰常见的下层劳动者的装束，直译就是：从穿clog(木底鞋)到clog不过三代人而已。二者可谓异曲同工。皆体现出创业于守成二者之间的道理，其中深意，或可为诫。

这句话也可以说成：From shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.来看下面这段话：

The father buys, the son buildings, The grandchild sells and his son begs.父亲买儿子建，孙子造作家产，重孙去要饭。

So goes an English saying. The curse of God rest on idleness and that’s why “from clog to clog is only three generations”. 这就是from clogs to clogs is only three generations这句英国谚语的来历。上帝总是诅咒游手好闲的人，因此“富不过三代”。