If you are interested in the Polish culture, literature and want to learn Polish language in an interesting way – this s a great book for you! And it is bilingual!
It contains the selection of 207 Polish aphorisms written by the best Polish writers, poets, journalists and even some politicians in bilingual version – in Polish original and in its English translation. It also had a variety of Polish folk proverbs – some of them unique to Polish culture, the other common in many cultures but still unique in the way how Poles express their common wisdom.
The selection was arranged by Jacek Gałązka. The general introduction to the history of Polish language and the literature was written by prof. Jerzy Krzyżanowski, famous Polish literature expert. Jacek Gałązka wrote the introductions to the aphorisms and proverbs sections.
According to Jacek Gałązka – the aphorisms were chosen so that they would be easily understandable for English culture readers, the ones who depended on some Polish context or on the play of words were excluded since their meaning could be obscured. The volume of Polish aphorisms is dedicated to Stanisław Jerzy Lec, the most famous Polish aphorism writer and poet.
Jacek is an excellent translator. All his translations sound the same good or even better than the originals but convey the same message. The book is enriched by several illustrations done by Barbara Świdzińska.
This is not a book which you should read from cover to cover during one day but you should read it if you have a minute of time and think over through the wisdom of these small aphorisms. It definitively helps to understand Polish culture better!
Below is a short selection of aphorisms and proverbs in Polish and English – to give you a taste of a book:
Niejeden bumerang nie wraca, wybiera wolność
Not every boomerang returns, some choose freedom
–Stanisław Jerzy Lec (1909-1966)
Różnica między intelektualistą zachodnim i wschodnim na tym polega, że pierwszy nie dostał dobrze w dupę
The difference between western and eastern intellectuals is that the former has not been kicked in the ass enough.
–Witold Gombrowicz (1904-1969)
Kłamstwo ma krótkie nogi ale biegnie szybciej od prawdy
A lie has a short legs but it runs faster than the truth
–Antoni Marianowicz (1924-2003)
Przyjaźń po wygaśnięciu miłości jest jak dym po pożarze
Friendship after love is like smoke after fire
–Magdalena Samozwaniec (1899-1972)
Rodzynek – stroskane winogrono
Raisin – a worried grape
–Julian Tuwim (1894-1953)
Pieniądz dobry sługa lecz zły przewodnik
Money is a good servant but a poor guide
–Polish folk proverb
Na szyi żyrafy pchła zaczyna wierzyć w nieśmiertelność
On the neck of a giraffe a flea begins to believe in immortality
— Stanisław Jerzy Lec (1909-1966)
Nie pytaj Boga o drogę do nieba bo wskaże ci najtrudniejszą
Do not ask God for the way to heaven, he will show you the hardest one.
— Stanisław Jerzy Lec (1909-1966)
Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)
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My name is Kasia Scontsas. I grew near Lublin, Poland and moved to Warsaw to study International Business. I have passion for languages: any languages! Currently I live in New Hampshire. I enjoy skiing, kayaking, biking and paddle boarding. My husband speaks a little Polish, but our daughters are fluent in it! I wanted to make sure that they can communicate with their Polish relatives in our native language. Teaching them Polish since they were born was the best thing I could have given them!
I have been writing about learning Polish language and culture for Transparent Language’s Polish Blog since 2010.
Comments:
aphorism:
I like:
– There is nothing in this world which a resolute man, who exerts himself, cannot attain.
– It is easy to lose important opportunities, and difficult to regain them; therefore when they present themselves it is the more necessary to make every effort to retain them.
– We rather confess our moral errors, faults, and crimes than our ignorance.
I never met an aphorism I did not like, or at least like not that I did.
Keith Herny:
I was excited to uncover this great site. I want to to thank you for your time due to this wonderful read!! I definitely savored every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new information in your website.
Drew Byrne:
An aphorism is like a hernia of words – it pops up wherever it pleases. Although this concept, I believe, could perhaps be said somewhat better; or, as someone neatly said (and it may even have been James Geary, the American aphorism aficionado, although I am not quite sure – but it’s definitely a translation from a Slavic language) about the nature of aphorisms: “An aphorism is like a popped cork bobbing in an ocean of words: you may know what it is, you may even know where it’s coming from – but you don’t know where it’s been.”
Comments:
aphorism:
I like:
– There is nothing in this world which a resolute man, who exerts himself, cannot attain.
– It is easy to lose important opportunities, and difficult to regain them; therefore when they present themselves it is the more necessary to make every effort to retain them.
– We rather confess our moral errors, faults, and crimes than our ignorance.
source: http://aphorism4you.com/topic-wise-saying-page22.html
Drew Byrne:
I never met an aphorism I did not like, or at least like not that I did.
Keith Herny:
I was excited to uncover this great site. I want to to thank you for your time due to this wonderful read!! I definitely savored every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new information in your website.
Drew Byrne:
An aphorism is like a hernia of words – it pops up wherever it pleases. Although this concept, I believe, could perhaps be said somewhat better; or, as someone neatly said (and it may even have been James Geary, the American aphorism aficionado, although I am not quite sure – but it’s definitely a translation from a Slavic language) about the nature of aphorisms: “An aphorism is like a popped cork bobbing in an ocean of words: you may know what it is, you may even know where it’s coming from – but you don’t know where it’s been.”
Cheers! –DB, Paddy’s Bar, Blarney, Ireland.