nothing comes for free凡事都有代價

用規模大小偷換道德判斷：小偷和治國只差一個體量，冷嘲裡全是權力邏輯。

Steal X and you're a thief, steal Y and you're a statesman.

諷刺只按規模大小評判對錯的雙重標準時用，適合書面或犀利點評，別用來替真犯罪開脫。

Small crime, big crime, different names. ／ Take a little and hang, take it all and rule.

正式

steal a kingdom 連讀，you're a statesman 放慢加重收。

Cheat a little and you're a crook; cheat a billion and you're a genius. 小騙是騙子，騙十億就成了天才。

用 either/or 把世界壓成兩極，不留中間地帶，把野心和冷酷一次說透。

You're either the most powerful ..., or you're nothing.

強調競爭沒有中間地帶、只能爭第一時用，正式而冷酷，日常勸人別太極端時不要用。

Rule or be ruled, nothing in between. ／ First place or nowhere.

正式

most powerful man 放慢，or you're nothing 加重收。

You're either the one giving orders, or you're just taking them. 你要麼發號施令，要麼只能聽命於人。

先用否定把人打到最低，再用 could be 留一扇門，是威脅也是誘惑。

You're nothing to X, but you could be.

用先貶後抬的方式鼓動或試探別人時用，帶算計味，安慰朋友時別用。

Right now you're nothing to them, but that can change. ／ Not yet, but soon.

口語

nothing to her 壓低，but you could be 上揚放慢收。

You're nobody to them now, but you could be somebody. 你現在在他們眼裡不算什麼，但你能成為人物。

用過來人的姿態拉近距離，也預告接下來要下的鉤子。

I was once like you.

想用自己的經歷勸人、建立信任時用；如果對方已經在懷疑你的動機，這句反而像推銷開場白。

I've been exactly where you are. ／ I used to be just like you.

中性

You see 輕起，once like you 三詞連讀。

I was once like you, afraid to ask for help. 我曾經也和你一樣，不敢開口求助。