鋌而走險

From The Commentary of Zuo, 17th year of Duke Wen of Lu (《左傳·文公十七年》):

「鹿死不擇音。」小國之事大國也，德，則其人也；不德，則其鹿也。鋌而走險，急何能擇？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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「鹿死不择音。」小国之事大国也，德，则其人也；不德，则其鹿也。铤而走险，急何能择？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

“lù sǐ bù zé yīn.” Xiǎoguó zhī shì dàguó yě, dé, zé qí rén yě; bù dé, zé qí lù yě. Dìng ér zǒu xiǎn, jí hé néng zé? [Pinyin]

‘The deer driven to its death ignores whether it is screaming in its best voice.’ When a small state serves a large one, if treated with kindness, it conducts itself like an obedient man. Otherwise, it will act like the deer rushing down a dangerous path—in desperation, what choice is left there?

鋌而走險

1. to act recklessly out of desperation; to take a desperate gamble