rack one's brains for ingenious devices

Day and night - zhāo qián xī dàng

speechless - yǎ kǒu wú shēng

moan and groan - cháng xū duǎn tàn

attend to trifles to the neglect of essentials - juān běn zhú mò

recommend oneself to a post - xiān zì wěi shǐ

Nose and eyes - yǒu bí zi yǒu yǎn

nets above and snares below - tiān luó dì wǎng

shoulder against shoulder - āi jiān dié bèi

the time and fates are against someone - mìng jiǎn shí guāi

delay for a long time - kuàng rì jīng jiǔ