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  What it means

  Literally: “Not the robe/clothing adorns the person.” This proverb warns against judging people by their outward appearance, clothes, or social status. True worth lies in character, actions, and inner qualities — not in what someone wears or how they present themselves. Poles use it both as genuine moral advice and as a wry observation when someone flashy turns out to be shallow, or someone plain turns out to be excellent.

  English equivalent

  Don't judge a book by its cover.

  Vocabulary

  • szata — robe, garment, clothing (slightly archaic/literary)
  • zdobi — adorns, graces, beautifies (third-person singular of zdobić)
  • człowieka — the person, the man (accusative of człowiek)
  • zdobić — to adorn, to decorate, to grace

  Grammar note

  The negation 'nie' precedes the verb 'zdobi' and negates the entire predicate. 'Szata' is the nominative subject; 'człowieka' is the accusative object. The word order (subject–verb–object) is standard, but the initial 'nie' gives the proverb a declarative, absolute tone. 'Szata' is more literary than the everyday 'ubranie' (clothing), lending the saying a formal, timeless quality.

  Cultural context

  This proverb has roots going back to medieval European thought (Latin: 'Non vestis virum ornat') and is closely related to the English 'clothes make the man' — but as a negation. In modern Poland it is used particularly in job interview advice, parenting, and social commentary. It is fully neutral in register and appropriate in any context.

  Beginner

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