要做...

[Lu]

Another Sanmao question... (Translations are never finished, they just get published. Though this one isn't published yet, fortunately.) Sanmao talks about her neighbours: they are forever borrowing her things and not giving them back, or borrowing them and then breaking them, and other such tribulations. Then, Sanmao herself is out of matches so she goes borrowing some in turn. She is only given three, rather stingy considering that she lent this same neighbour five boxes only last week. She walks home, 拿着三根火柴，一路在想，要做史怀哲可真不容易。

 

My question: is she saying she aspires to be like Albert Schweitzer and that aspiration is rather difficult to fulfill, or is she saying that it must have been difficult for Albert Schweitzer himself? Something could be said for both views and I don't know which one is correct.

 

Thanks for any help!

[889]

I say it refers to Sanmao: ". . . it's not easy trying to be Albert Schweitzer."  (Yes, there's a "really" or "very" there in the original, but I think the English sounds more colloquial without it.)

[anonymoose]

In my opinion, the 要 in the sentence gives it the former meaning.

"It's really not easy trying to be Schweitzer."

[Kenny同志]

Quote

My question: is she saying she aspires to be like Albert Schweitzer and that aspiration is rather difficult to fulfill, or is she saying that it must have been difficult for Albert Schweitzer himself?

 

I think it is the former, i.e. it's not easy to be someone like Albert Schweitzer.

[Lu]

Thanks everyone! Glad you all agree, I'll stick with 'it's not easy trying to be Albert Schweitzer'.