Question

这个句子的语法问题 我不太懂 请详细解释它的语法 谢谢

But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work is was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
这里的 and has achieved whatever work is was in him to do 我十分不明白 为什么is 后面可以是 was 这个不算语法有问题么？

Answer 1

应该不是吧，应该是“whatever work is”然后，“was in him to do”
翻译成，“但是，对于和这样一个深知人类的快乐和悲伤，并且无论什么工作都可以胜任的老男人公事，任何对于死亡的恐惧都是有些卑鄙和无耻的”

Answer 2

然而，作为一个老年人，他经历过人生的欢乐和忧伤，而且完成了他份内要做的一切工作，怕死就有点儿卑鄙和不光彩了。

你没断对， an old man who has achieved whatever the work is (that )was in him to do.
省略了一个连词 that

不明白再探讨

追问

懂了，最后问下 was in him to do 这里该翻译成什么？ in him　是指　在他的应该做的范围内么？

追答

in 有一种用法是表示 能力、品质在.....之中
其实指的就是他能力范围内的， 他力所能及的。
这里不要单拿出in him 去翻译，要整句翻译，其实就是经历了人生的一切，做好了份内的事情。

第一个in， 在老人的内心深处
第二个in， 偏向于翻译成份内的事情

欢迎沟通

Answer 3

你的原句抄错了，应该是：
But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble.
现在你就可以明白了：whatever work it was in him to do 是any work in him to do的强调用法。【what/whatever it is ...是一种强调句式，相当与something ...又如：He likes what it is good for him. （what改为whatever也可以，语气更强）= He likes anything good for him. 】

整个句子的简化语法结构是：In sb，the fear is ignoble.（译文：在sb身上/就sb而言，害怕是可悲的）
But in an old man ... in him to do，这个状语的译文是： 可是老年人已经饱尝了人间的甘苦，一切能做的都做了，

追问

句子没抄错

追答

原句的Whatever work is was 中的is应该是it，所以原句错了。你可以再查看一下来源，或到网上搜一下。
看一个句子的语法，首先看核心的“主谓宾”，这句是：the fear is abject and ignoble.
in an old man ... in to do貌似很长，其实是一个地点状语，表示“在某处”，只不过这里的“某处”是指一个人。
old man 后面带有一个定语从句：who has known ... and has achieved.
本句最难的应该是whatever work it was in him to do，看看本人前贴的“强调句式”的解释。