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  What it means

  He wants to be a priest for bread, not for heaven. It is said of someone who follows a calling only for money, not from real belief.

  Vocabulary

  • chleb — bread (here: livelihood, material gain)
  • niebo — heaven
  • ksiądz — priest

  Grammar note

  'Dla chleba' and 'dla nieba' take the genitive after 'dla' and express purpose. 'Chce być' means wants to be and uses the infinitive.

  Cultural context

  It reflects an old tension between a true religious calling and the priesthood as a secure way of life.

  Intermediate

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