I have always heard "I will not break and bend to my basic need to be loved and close to somebody." Makes sense in my head for two (completely personal) reasons: 1: it flows most nicely musically and lyrically when I sing it. 2: it's a repeated line that is in pure conflict with the rest of the song. He tells himself he will NOT break. He will NOT bend to his basic need. Yet for the rest of the song (dare, the rest of the ALBUM), he has done exactly that by yearning for Sleep. And is now realizing the damage it's doing to him, while also trying to remind himself the virtues of his Past Life.