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  What it means

  Literally “For the poor man, the wind is always in his eyes.” It means that trouble often seems to hit people who are already struggling. Wind blowing into someone’s face suggests constant hardship. People use the proverb to sympathise with bad luck or comment on how unfair life can be.

  English equivalent

  When it rains, it pours / The poor get poorer

  Vocabulary

  • biednemu — to/for the poor person (dative of 'biedny')
  • zawsze — always
  • wiatr — wind
  • w oczy — in the eyes (accusative plural of 'oko')

  Grammar note

  'Biednemu' is the dative singular of 'biedny' (poor, unfortunate), used as a noun meaning 'the poor person.' The dative marks the person affected: 'for the poor man.' 'W oczy' uses the accusative plural of 'oko' (eye) to show direction. The sentence has no finite verb, a common proverb pattern.

  Cultural context

  This saying shows sympathy for poor or unlucky people. It is used in everyday speech about a run of bad luck or unfair disadvantage. The tone is kind but resigned, and it recalls older experiences of poverty, especially in rural life.

  Beginner

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