Л-18

ЛАЗАРЯ ПЕТЬ/ЗАПЁТЬ obsoles, disapprov VP subj: human usu. impfv (often infin with хватит, перестань etc)) to pretend to be miserable and complain about one's fate in an attempt to move s.o. to pity

X пел Лазаря = X was moaning and groaning about his fate

X was playing on person Y4 sympathies X was playing Lazarus (the beggar, the pauper) X was pleading poverty.

(Иванов:) А я-то, какой смешной болван! Православный народ смущаю, по целым дням Лазаря пою (Чехов 4). (I..) And I - I'm just a ludicrous dolt! Day in and day out I go about upsetting decent people, playing Lazarus (4a)

«Да полно тебе Лазаря петь», - перебил опять Базаров... «Лазаря петь! - повторил Василий Иванович. - Ты, Евгений, не думай, что я хочу... разжалобить гостя...» (Тургенев 2). "Now that's enough playing the beggar," Bazarov cut him short again...."Playing the beggar'" repeated Vasily Ivanovich. "Don't you take it into your head that I want to make our guest sorry for us.. " (2e) "Come, that's enough of your pleading poverty," Bazarov interrupted him again.. "Pleading poverty!" echoed the father. "Don't get the notion, Evgenii, that I want to win the sympathy of our guest. ." (2d).

From the Biblical parable about the beggar Lazarus (Luke 16:20-21).