なら〜で

If (it's) A, then (do/be) A properly; if you're going to A, then A

嫌いやなら嫌いやでやめればいい。嫌々いやいややっていても誰だれのためにもならないでしょ。

If you don't like it, you should quit. Continuing something you don't want to do does not benefit anyone.

Explanation

「Aなら Aで」 means 'if it's A, then do A properly'. Repeating the same verb, adjective or noun, you press the other person: if you are going to do it, or if you dislike it, do it fully or say so clearly, not halfway, not hesitating, not just going through the motions. 「嫌なら嫌ではっきり断りなさい」 (If you don't like it, say no clearly), 「塗るなら塗るでもっと丁寧に仕上げなさい」 (If you're going to paint, finish it carefully). It urges or scolds, asking the other to decide. The ending is often 「～なさい」, 「～ほうがいい」 or 「～べきだ」.

Mixed up with

「なら～で」: about a not-yet-real supposition and a firm attitude. If you mean to do A or dislike A, go all the way, no wavering: 「やるならやるで真剣にやれ」.

「たら～で」: about coping once something has happened. Even if it does become A, there is a way then: 「失敗したらしたで、次を考えよう」.

Easily confused withなら〜で・たら〜で: the difference ›

Examples

仕事しごとするならするでちゃんとしろ！
If you are going to work, you should do it properly.
欲ほしいなら欲ほしいで始はじめっから言いってくれればよかったのに！
If you wanted it, you should have told me so!
上司じょうし：「塗ぬるなら塗ぬるでもっと丁寧ていねいに仕上しあげなさい。」
Boss: 'If you're going to paint it, finish it more carefully.'
休やすむなら休やすむでちゃんと休やすんでください。仕事しごとのことはわたしたちに任まかせてもらって全然ぜんぜんいいんで。
If you are going to take a break, please take a break. You can leave work to us, so no need to worry about that.
イライラした妻つま、ダラダラ食たべる夫おっとに：「食たべるなら食たべるで、きちんと食たべなさい。」
Irritated wife to her husband who is sluggishly eating: 'If you are going to eat, you should do it properly!'
娘むすめ：「もう空港くうこうで１時間いちじかんも待まってるよ。」母はは：「もう待まっているなら待まっているでもっと早はやくケータイを鳴ならしてくれたらよかったのに・・・」
Daughter: 'I have already been waiting at the airport for an hour!' Mother: 'If you were already waiting, then you should have called me sooner…'
彼女かのじょ：「実じつはお腹なかが痛いたいの...」彼氏かれし：「お腹なかが痛いたいなら痛いたいで、ベッドで寝ねた方ほうがいいよ。あとは俺おれに任まかせてね。」
Girlfriend: 'To be honest, my stomach hurts...' Boyfriend: 'If your stomach hurts then you should lie in bed. Leave the rest to me, ok?'
「勝手かってにジュースを飲のんだなら飲のんだで、正直しょうじきに言いっていればそんなに怒おこられなかったのに。」
'If you drank the juice without asking, you should have just admitted it. Then you wouldn't have been scolded so badly.'
部活ぶかつに入はいりたくないなら入はいりたくないで別べつにいいと思おもう。入はいりたい生徒せいとだけが入はいればいい。
If you don't want to enter a club, then it's probably fine I think. Only students that want to enter should do it.
僕ぼくは、結婚けっこんしたくないならしたくないで、子供こどもが欲ほしくないなら欲ほしくないで、個人こじんの自由じゆうだと思おもっている。
If I don't want to get married or have kids, then I think that should be my personal freedom.
働はたらきたくないなら働はたらきたくないでいいけど、どうやって生いきていくのか考かんがえないと飢うえ死じにしてしまうよ？
Although it's okay if you don't want to work, if you don't consider just how you're going to survive, you'll end up starving to death, right?
母ははが娘むすめに：「海外かいがいに移住いじゅうしたいならしたいで、そうすればいいよ。でも、その代かわりに自分じぶんで生計せいけいを立たててね。」
A mother to her daughter: 'If you want to move abroad, then go ahead. But in return, you'll have to support yourself.'
チョコを食たべたいなら食たべたいで食たべればいいけど、ダイエット中ちゅうなら食後しょくごの運動うんどうを忘わすれないでね！
If you want to eat chocolate then feel free, but if you're in the middle of a diet, then you should not forget to exercise after eating!
バイトを辞やめるなら辞やめるでいいけど、早はやく辞やめたいなら雇やとい主ぬしになるべく早はやく言いった方ほうがいいんじゃない？
If you want to quit your job that's ok, but if you want to quit soon, shouldn't you tell your employer as soon as possible?
夜よる１１時じ、子供こども：「あした、学校がっこうで水彩絵すいさいえの具ぐが要いる。」母はは：「必要ひつようなら必要ひつようで早はやく言いっとくべきだったでしょ。もうお店みせが閉しまっちゃったよ。」
11 p.m., child: 'I need watercolors for school tomorrow.' Mother: 'If you needed it, you should have told me sooner. The shops are already closed.'