当仁不让

[Lu]

Trying to find out more about the nuance of this term. I'm translating a novel into Dutch, book is new but story takes place around 1930, in a town somewhere in Southern China. The de facto mayor of the town has been kidnapped by bandits, they're asking for a ransom. The important people in the town are meeting to discuss this. They have decided they'll pay the ransom. Now the question is: who should go deliver it? It's a dangerous job, because the bandit leader 张一斧 is a infamously cruel man.

 

这时大家没有了声音，这些体面绅士只是想到张一斧的残暴，已经心惊肉跳了。沉默笼罩了他们，过了一会儿有人看着林祥福，其他几个人也跟着去看林祥福，林祥福知道他们的想法，也知道自己是当仁不让的人选，他低头不语，他也想到了张一斧的残暴。

 

I'm not sure what 当仁不让 means here. Is it that Lin Xiangfu is a man of his word, so if they appoint him he'll do it and not try to shirk his duty? Or is it more that he is the obvious choice (not being officially important himself, and a good friend of the kidnapped man), and he knows he is, and he should be willing to do it? Or something else?

 

Thanks to anyone who can help! (And thanks to both @roddy and @mikelove for saving this question in the server move.)

[honglam]

To put it more accurate, I look the 成语 up in 新华成语词典 and here's the explanation:

【当仁不让】当：面对。仁：符合道义的事。《论语·卫灵公》：“当仁不让于师。”意思是面对着仁，即使是老师，自己也不谦让。后指遇到应该做的事，勇于承当，不推诿。……

On 1/28/2024 at 9:49 PM, Lu said:

林祥福知道他们的想法，也知道自己是当仁不让的人选

On 1/28/2024 at 9:49 PM, Lu said:

he'll do it and not try to shirk his duty

I think, if someone think him/herself 当仁不让, it means that he/she knows that it's his/her duty and he cannot shirk it under the very circumstance. Your understand is correct I think. I know the book is 文城 by 余华. I haven't read it so I cannot provide any advices according to the original text so I can only try to explain literally. I hope my answer helps.

[Kenny同志]

For moral reasons, it would be something that's hard for him to refuse. In other words, he'd be the number one candidate for the dangerous task.

[anonymoose]

Op dit moment viel iedereen stil. Deze respectabele heren konden alleen maar denken aan de wreedheid van Zhang Yifu, waardoor hun harten sidderden van angst. Stilte omhulde hen, en na een tijdje keek iemand naar Lin Xiangfu. Verschillende anderen volgden, en Lin Xiangfu begreep hun gedachten. Hij wist dat hij de onbetwiste keuze was, dus boog hij zijn hoofd in stilte, en dacht ook aan de wreedheid van Zhang Yifu.

[Lu]

Thanks everyone! I found a solution that kind of takes both meanings into account (Lin Xiangfu wist wat ze dachten en wist ook dat hij zich niet aan zijn plicht kon onttrekken.), your comments were helpful!

 

@anonymoose It was very surprising to suddenly see Dutch on the forums. I'll have to keep 'sidderen van angst' in mind, that might come in handy somewhere in this book.