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<\/a><\/p>\nToday I will try to explain the meaning of some of them to you.<\/p>\n
Let’s start with this one:<\/p>\n
“S\u0142owo si\u0119 rzek\u0142o, koby\u0142ka u p\u0142otu”<\/span><\/p>\n Few have a chance to understand the meaning of this old Polish saying. Most Poles might point to the very sense of it and they know why they pronounce these few strange-arranged words to say what is intended, but few understand their real meaning.<\/p>\n It seems nonsense when translated literally: “A word was said – a mare is standing by the fence”. This old saying has a long historic background. In the 15th century, before there were newspapers and photographs, the kings could often venture out “incognito” among their subjects and “check up on them”.<\/p>\n The story goes that the famous Polish King Jan Sobieski III, the savior of Vienna (1683), notot far from his palace, made a bet with a petty noble (ma\u0142ostkowy\u00a0szlachetny<\/strong>) who didn’t recognize him. Sobieski was kidding him that a man in his position would never get a chance to speak to the King. Jan bet his favourite mare. He was obviously going to “throw” the bet and let the poor man win, just for the amusement of his traveling companions. The hot-headed gentry-man demanded that his partner must present him immediately to the King. Sobieski then said to the confused gentryman: “s\u0142owo si\u0119 rzek\u0142o, koby\u0142ka u p\u0142otu”, pointing to the horse.<\/p>\n Hundreds of such wonderful sayings are functioning in the Polish language making it rich and nice to hear. The language is really a living monument.<\/p>\n Another great saying:<\/p>\n “Nie dla wszystkich skrzypce graj\u0105”<\/span><\/p>\n “The violin doesn’t play for everybody”<\/p>\n This is the reason why Itzhak Perlman can make pretty music with the cheapest fiddle, while even a Stradivarius is of no help to me…:)<\/p>\n “Co po trze\u017awemu my\u015bli, to po pijanemu powie”<\/span><\/p>\n “What one thinks when sober, one says when drunk”<\/p>\n \u00a0This one is as old as the hills. “In vino veritas” is Latin for “In wine there is truth” – “W winie jest prawda”<\/strong><\/p>\n “Potrzebny jak dziura w mo\u015bcie”<\/span><\/p>\n “As necessary as a hole in the bridge”<\/p>\n \u00a0I need that like a hole in the head!<\/p>\n \u00a0“R\u0119ka r\u0119k\u0119\u00a0myje, noga nog\u0119\u00a0wspiera”<\/span><\/p>\n “Hand washes hand, leg supports leg”<\/p>\n \u00a0You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours! Quid pro quo (Latin for “something for something”) Polish – “co\u015b za co\u015b”<\/strong><\/p>\n Here are few more:<\/p>\n “Jak ci\u0119\u00a0widz\u0105, tak ci\u0119\u00a0pisz\u0105”<\/span><\/p>\n How they see you, that’s how they perceive you<\/p>\n “Gdyby k\u00f3zka nie skaka\u0142a, to by n\u00f3\u017cki nie z\u0142ama\u0142a”<\/span><\/p>\n If the goat didn’t jump, she wouldn’t have broken her leg<\/p>\n “Gdyby k\u00f3zka nie skaka\u0142a, to by smutne \u017cycie mia\u0142a”<\/span><\/p>\n If the goat didn’t jump, she’d have a miserable life<\/p>\n “Sw\u00f3j ci\u0105gnie do swojego”<\/span><\/p>\n Same kinds attract<\/p>\n “Ka\u017cdy s\u0105dzi wed\u0142ug siebie”<\/span><\/p>\n Everyone judges according to themselves<\/p>\n “Z kim si\u0119 zadajesz, takim si\u0119 stajesz”<\/span><\/p>\n You become whom you befriend<\/p>\n “Kto si\u0119 czubi, ten si\u0119 lubi”<\/span><\/p>\n Those who argue, like each other<\/p>\n “Baba z wozu koniom l\u017cej”<\/span><\/p>\n When the woman gets off the wagon, horses have an easier time<\/p>\n “Lepszy wr\u00f3bel w gar\u015bci ni\u017c go\u0142\u0105b na dachu”<\/span><\/p>\n It’s better to have a sparrow in your hand, than a pigeon on the roof<\/p>\n “Co nagle, to po diable”<\/span><\/p>\n The devil dictates when you’re in a hurry<\/p>\n “W zdrowym ciele, zdrowy duch”<\/span><\/p>\n Healthy soul in a healthy body<\/p>\n “M\u0105dry Polak po szkodzie”<\/span><\/p>\n Smart Pole after the damage is done<\/p>\n “Co kraj to obyczaj”<\/span><\/p>\n Each country has it’s own tradition<\/p>\n “Co cia\u0142o lubi, to dusz\u0119 zgubi”<\/span><\/p>\n What likes the body will lose the soul<\/p>\n “Komu pora, temu czas”<\/span><\/p>\n When it’s your time, you have to go<\/p>\n “Kwiat bez zapachu, jak cz\u0142owiek bez duszy”<\/span><\/p>\n A flower without a smell is like a man without a soul<\/p>\n “Komu w drog\u0119, temu gw\u00f3\u017ad\u017a\u00a0w nog\u0119”<\/span><\/p>\n who wants\/needs to leave, stick a nail in his foot<\/p>\n “Sukces ma wieju ojc\u00f3w, pora\u017cka jest sierot\u0105”<\/span><\/p>\n A success has many fathers, a failure is an orphan<\/p>\n “Musi to na Rusi, a w Polsce jak kto chce”<\/span><\/p>\n A must is in Russia, in Poland you do however you want<\/p>\n “Kto pije i pali ten nie ma robali”<\/span><\/p>\n The one who both smokes and drinks doesn’t get roundworms<\/p>\n “Modli si\u0119 pod figur\u0105 a diab\u0142a ma za skor\u0105”<\/span><\/p>\n He(she) prays but has a devil under the skin.<\/p>\n “Panu Bogu\u00a0\u015bwieczk\u0119, a diab\u0142u ogarek”<\/span><\/p>\n A candle for God, a stump for the devil (said about two faced people)<\/p>\n “Szcz\u0119\u015bcie jest pomi\u0119dzy ustami i brzegiem kielicha”<\/span><\/p>\n Happiness is between the lips and the rim of a glass<\/p>\n “\u0141adnemu we wszystkim \u0142adnie”<\/span><\/p>\n A pretty person looks pretty in everything<\/p>\n “Nie chwal dnia przed zachodem s\u0142o\u0144ca”<\/span><\/p>\n Don’t praise the day before sunset<\/p>\n “Wsz\u0119dzie dobrze, ale w domu najlepiej”<\/span><\/p>\n Everywhere’s fine, but best at home<\/p>\n “Potrzeba jest matk\u0105 wynalazk\u00f3w”<\/span><\/p>\n Necessity is the mother of invention<\/p>\n Do nast<\/strong>\u0119pnego razu… <\/strong>(Till next time…)<\/p>\n Each country has its’ own sayings. Some of them may be similar or have similar meanings as in other countries. However Polish sayings, when translated exactly, word by word, most of the times don’t make to much sense. Today I will try to explain the meaning of some of them to you. Let’s start with…<\/p>\n
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