Kto mieczem wojuje, od miecza ginie
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What it means
Literally “he who fights by the sword dies by the sword.” Means those who use violence or aggression will eventually suffer the same fate — “live by the sword, die by the sword.”
Vocabulary
- miecz — sword
- wojować — to wage war, to fight
- ginąć — to perish, to die
Grammar note
'Mieczem' is instrumental of 'miecz' — instrumental of means (fights with a sword). 'Od miecza' is genitive after 'od' — cause of death.
Cultural context
From the Gospel of Matthew (26:52) — 'all who draw the sword will die by the sword.' Deeply embedded in Polish Catholic culture.
Intermediate
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