As King Canute showed to his courtiers, we cannot stop the tide from coming in; we can try, but it will only carry us away.

就如同克努特国王向他的朝臣所说的，我们不能制止潮汐的开始，但是我们能够尝试，最后，它可能将我们冲走。

youdao

America cannot stop Russian officials abusing the judicial system at home, but it can try to stop them reaping the benefits of their corruption in the West.

ECONOMIST: Russia and America