責せめ苦く

noun

torture; pains of hell

Refers to physical or mental torment, often with a literary or religious connotation of hellish suffering.

• 地じ獄ごくの責せめ苦くを想そう像ぞうすると怖こわくなる。

  Imagining the tortures of hell is frightening.

• 彼かれは良りょう心しんの責せめ苦くに耐たえられなかった。

  He couldn't bear the torment of his conscience.