Moreover, since no one could know how great the contrition ought to be in order to be sufficient before God, they gave this consolation: He who could not have contrition, at least ought to have attrition, which I may call half a contrition or the beginning of contrition, for they have themselves understood neither of these terms nor do they understand them now, as little as I. Such attrition was reckoned as contrition when a person went to confession.英文原著 · 《The Smalcald Articles》
And when it happened that any one said that he could not have contrition nor lament his sins (as might have occurred in illicit love or the desire for revenge, etc.), they asked whether he did not wish or desire to have contrition [lament]. When one would reply Yes (for who, save the devil himself, would here say No?), they accepted this as contrition, and forgave him his sins on account of this good work of his [which they adorned with the name of contrition]. Here they cited the example of St. Bernard, etc.英文原著 · 《The Smalcald Articles》
"Then you may have the second waltz, " she said, in quick contrition. "Now you other gentlemen have been dancing any number of times these last fifteen years. But Mr. Roeder is just back from a hard campaign, -- a campaign against fate. My second waltz is his. And I shall dance my best."英文原著 · 《A Mountain Woman》
Superfluous contrition! He came next day, as a matter of course. She liked him none the better for coming, but she went downstairs to him.英文原著 · 《A Woman-Hater》
"Of course it did," says he. "Could the writer express his contrition properly without making some such confession?"英文原著 · 《AFTER DARK》
The eighth and last section expressed the writer's contrition for having allowed his zeal for the Church to mislead him into actions liable to bring scandal on his cloth; reiterated in the strongest language his conviction that, whatever might be thought of the means employed, the end he had proposed to himself was a most righteous one; and concluded by asserting his resolution to suffer with humility any penalties, however severe, which his ecclesiastical superiors might think fit to inflict on him.英文原著 · 《AFTER DARK》
Because absolution requires contrition, and I'm not hearing that you even think you've done anything wrong.美剧 · 《Suits》