受到良心的谴责 vs. 良心受到谴责

[anonymoose]

受到良心的谴责 seems to be a standard phrase that means "suffer the pangs of conscience", as illustrated on this page.

Trying to deconstruct this phrase and interpret it literally, I understand it to mean that one suffers/receives (受到) the reprehension (谴责) of one's conscience (良心), or to put it another way, one is reminded of what one has done by one's conscience.

However, I came across this sentence:

他没法忍受良心受到谴责的

I checked with a native speaker who said this sentence is OK, but what bothers me is that in 他受到了良心的谴责, 他 is the recipient of 谴责, but in 良心受到谴责, 良心 is the recipient of 谴责 which doesn't seem to make much sense.

How should I understand this sentence? (他没法忍受良心受到谴责的)

[moonlight]

"他没法忍受良心受到谴责的" - this sentence is not complete, not correct. Are you sure that's the whole sentence?

I'd see it's getting into the right shape either like this:

他没法忍受良心受到谴责. (get rid of the 的)

Or like this:

他是没法忍受良心受到谴责的. (adding 是)

To answer your question, let's break down the sentence first:

他 [He] 没法[can't] 忍受[stand] 良心受到谴责[conscience getting reprehended].

"良心 is the recipient of 谴责 which doesn't seem to make much sense":

----it does make sense in Chinese. Similarly as "one's mind is tortured for the sin he has done".

Therefore, 良心受到谴责 or 良心被谴责 are all right.

Let me know if you have more questions...

[Michaelyus]

I agree with the above: there is a slight difference of meaning, but the two are often (depending on your religious/philosophical/ideological/metaphysical stance) seen as equivalent.

[anonymoose]

OK, got it. Thanks.