The meaning of the whole sentence is to feel sad for someone's misfortune, and feel angry and regretful that he/she did not fight and failed to live up to expectations

"Sorrow for someone's misfortune, anger for him/her The phrase "not contending" comes from Lu Xun's essay "On the Power of Moro Poetry". A few lines from the original text say this: "(The poet) values ??independence and loves freedom. If a slave stands in front of him, he will feel sad and look down on him. He will be sad because he mourns his misfortune, and he will be angry because he will not fight..." It was the words used by Lu Xun when he commented on the British poet Byron, describing Byron's attitude towards his unawakened British compatriots. These two sentences are often understood as his attitude towards Kong Yiji.

It is generally believed that it is Lu Xun’s feeling of both sympathy and resentment towards those unconscious and mentally numb people living in the dark and decadent old society. Sympathy for their suffering and misfortunes, anger at their lack of awareness and resignation, and lack of character in taking the initiative to fight. This kind of resentment is actually full of Lu Xun's love and care for the people at the bottom of China.