cleave to死死抱住

把责任主动揽到自己身上，一句话听出他不敢让犯人死的负罪感。

if he is taken I count myself his ...

想说自己愿为对方后果负责时用，语气很重；闲聊里别说，容易显得夸张。

If he dies, I'll carry the blame. ／ I'd hold myself responsible for it.

正式

if he is taken 轻读，I count myself 放重。

If the deal falls through, I count myself the one who failed the team. 要是这单黄了，我就把自己当成拖累团队的人。

先警告再给条件，把信仰和流血摆在一起，立场一句到底。

Beware - cleave to no ... when ... brings blood.

提醒别人别把原则做过头时用；对上级或正式文书里要谨慎，语气像训诫。

Don't hold on to a rule that hurts people. ／ Watch out: no principle is worth blood.

literary

Beware 后停顿，两个 faith 加重。

Beware, cleave to no deadline when the deadline brings burnout. 当心，别死守截止日期，如果它只会把人累垮。

用强调句把矛头指向律法本身，而不是听话的人，辩护很有力。

It is ... that leads you to ...

为某人的两难开脱时用，把错推给规则；对当事人说时要看着对方，语气放软。

It's the rule that pushes you into this. ／ The system leads you there, not you.

正式

It is 轻读，mistaken law 重读。

It is a broken process that leads you to cut corners. 把你逼到偷工的，是那套坏流程。

拿两个罪过比轻重，把保命说成更小的事，劝人撒谎却像开脱。

God damns A less than B.

劝人别为面子硬扛、先保命时用；宗教比喻重，对不信的人别直接引用。

Pride costs more than a white lie. ／ Staying alive beats dying for your ego.

正式

less than 连读，for pride 降调收尾。

The doctor damns a scared patient less than one who hides the pain for pride. 医生更不会怪怕看病的病人，只会怪为面子硬扛的人。

一句自贬把人的尊严全交出去，反而显出他替神说话的绝对。

before the laws of God we are as ...

表达在人、规则面前自认渺小时用，带自嘲或敬神语气；吵架时说会显得极端。

Compared with the rules, we are nothing. ／ Before that law we are just animals.

literary

Woman 后停顿，as swine 重而慢。

Before the tax code we are as swine, so hire an accountant. 在税法面前咱们跟猪一样，还是请个会计师吧。

拿畜生都比出人的冷心，夸张里全是责难。

Even a ... would ... at such ...

责难对方无动于衷时用，夸张但有力；对不熟的人别这样指责，会伤人。

Even a stone would feel this. ／ Any animal would weep at this.

中性

A very ape 抬调，weep 拉长。

Even a stranger would cry at such news, and you just shrugged. 这种消息连陌生人都会哭，你却只是耸耸肩。