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  What it means

  “Better peas and cabbage at home than a fat hen at war.” Plain food at home, eaten in peace and safety, is worth more than rich food gained through danger.

  English equivalent

  Better a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

  Vocabulary

  • groch — peas
  • kapusta — cabbage
  • wojna — war
  • kura — hen, chicken
  • tłusta — fat, rich

  Grammar note

  'Na wojnie' is the locative of 'wojna' with the preposition 'na'. 'W domu' is the locative of 'dom'.

  Cultural context

  Peas and cabbage were everyday foods for poor rural families, while a fat hen was a luxury. The contrast puts peace before material gain.

  Intermediate

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