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  What it means

  Literally: “He who does not want to bear the burden of work has nothing to eat.” If you are unwilling to work, you should not expect to be fed or rewarded. This is a straightforward expression of the principle that survival and comfort require effort. Poles use it to motivate the lazy or to justify refusing to support those who avoid work.

  English equivalent

  He who does not work, neither shall he eat.

  Vocabulary

  • kto — he who, whoever (relative pronoun)
  • nie chce — does not want (third person singular of chcieć)
  • pracy — of work (genitive of praca)
  • znieść — to bear, to endure (perfective infinitive)
  • nie ma co jeść — has nothing to eat (idiomatic: literally 'does not have what to eat')

  Grammar note

  'Pracy' is genitive, governed by 'znieść' in the sense of bearing/enduring — the work is the thing to be borne. 'Nie ma co jeść' is an impersonal construction: 'nie ma' (there is not) + 'co' (what) + infinitive, meaning there is nothing to eat. This structure is very common in Polish for expressing lack of opportunity or resource.

  Cultural context

  This proverb echoes the biblical quote (2 Thessalonians 3:10) which is well known in Polish Catholic culture. It appears in both formal and informal contexts — from parenting and school to political rhetoric. It is somewhat moralistic in tone and can come across as harsh if used carelessly.

  Beginner

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