Nov 4, 2007 14:44
17 yrs ago
Russian term

страждущие

Russian to English Art/Literary Slang Colloquial
применяется саркастически...

представители социального фонда составляют списки страждущих для получения помощи. Шутка состоит в том, что те самые страждущие являются владельцами домов и магазинов, а настоящие страждущие - как всегда, в стороне.
so far I got 'wanting', but maybe there is something else i can use?

Proposed translations

+4
9 mins
Selected

the needy, or those who need help.

...are compiling lists of the needy.... But these allegedly needy turn out to be house-owners and shop-owners, while the real needy, as always, are left out (in the cold.)
You could say "those in need of help" in place of "the needy". But "the needy" is a fairly common expression.

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Note added at 39 mins (2007-11-04 15:23:55 GMT)
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...lists of the "needy"... These "needy" turn out to be...
But those in real need, as usual, are left out in the cold.

Is that more what you have in mind?
Note from asker:
Thanks! I think the empasis on sarcasm should be more clear here, than just 'real needy', this is a highly self-satisfied socialist speaking here.
I am looking for a sort of play on words here.
yeah, this is it. 'the needy and the greedy, where the needy get pushed aside by the greedy.' - heard it today from an Australian, good mate!, so, yeah, this answer gets the points!
Peer comment(s):

agree Simon Hollingsworth
19 mins
Thank you.
agree Yuri Geifman : the desperately needy... one's heart bleeds for them
50 mins
Thank you. Yes, but if you said that, you should say it after the first "needy". If you apply it to those really in need, it sounds as if you are being sarcastic about them.
agree David Knowles : "those in real need" works well here.
1 hr
Thank you.
agree Mark Berelekhis : Agreed, putting the needy in quotation marks does the trick in rendering sarcasm.
4 hrs
Thank you.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
49 mins

the impoverished

As a variant! Though I like Jack's because "the needy" is the stock phrase for this type of thing. But maybe this would help create a greater contrast in your sentence: "...that these impoverished own homes and businesses, while the real impoverished are left out in the cold as usual."

Something like that -
Something went wrong...
59 mins

the destitute

or the allegedly destitute
Something went wrong...
1 hr

the down and out

the sarcasm will be clear from the context:

http://www.google.ru/search?complete=1&hl=ru&newwindow=1&q="...
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