Kto pod kim dołki kopie, ten sam w nie wpada
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What it means
“Whoever digs pits under someone else, that very person falls into them.” A variant of the same proverb with ’ten sam’ (that very one) for added emphasis. Scheming against others rebounds on the schemer.
English equivalent
He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself.
Vocabulary
- dołek — pit, small hole
- kopać — to dig
- ten sam — that very one, the same person
- wpadać — to fall into
Grammar note
'Ten sam' reinforces the subject — 'that very person'. Compare with the variant without 'ten'.
Cultural context
Two variants of this proverb circulate; both are equally common.
Intermediate
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