てはいられない details

write + (and…) + can't afford to just keep doing X

kaite wa irarenai

can't afford to just keep doing X; can't sit still doing X

meaning: can't afford to write

不正ふせいを知しってしまった以上いじょう、黙っだまってはいられない。

fusei o shitte shimatta ijou, damatte wa irarenai.

Once I knew about the wrongdoing, I can't afford to stay silent. neutral

締しめ切きりが近ちかいから、のんびりしてはいられない。

shimekiri ga chikai kara, nonbiri shite wa irarenai.

The deadline's close, so I can't afford to just relax. casual

Examples

can't afford to just keep doing X — the present activity or state has to give way to something more urgent

不正ふせいを知しってしまった以上いじょう、黙だまってはいられなかった。

fusei o shitte shimatta ijou, damattehairarenakatta.

Once I knew about the wrongdoing, I couldn't afford to stay silent. neutral

締しめ切きりが近ちかいから、のんびりしてはいられない。

shimekiri ga chikai kara, nonbiri shite wa irarenai.

The deadline's close, so I can't afford to just relax. casual

病状びょうじょうが悪化あっかしており、悠長ゆうちょうに構かまえてはいられません。

byoujou ga akka shite ori, yuuchou ni kamaete wa iraremasen.

His condition is worsening, so we can't afford to take a leisurely approach. formal

てばかりはいられない — inserts ばかり before はいられない to stress that the CURRENT activity specifically cannot go on — 遊あそんでばかりはいられない, "can't just keep on playing."

どころではない
Both translate "can't afford to X", but てはいられない gives way to an INNER state the speaker cannot go on sustaining — an urge, a worry, a sense of urgency (黙ってはいられない) — while どころではない gives way to EXTERNAL circumstances that leave no room for X at all (仕事が立たて込こんでいて休やすむどころではない); one is a limit from within, the other a wall from outside.

ないではいられない
Both end on 〜いられない (potential-negative of 居いる), inviting a mix-up, but てはいられない says the CURRENT activity can't continue (呑気のんきにしてはいられない — must stop lazing about), while ないではいられない says an act the speaker was NOT doing forces its way out (泣なかないではいられない — cannot help but cry); one halts an action, the other compels one.

Pattern	Attaches to
どころではない