Nie wszystko złoto, co się świeci
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What it means
“Not all that glitters is gold.” Appearances can be deceiving — something that looks valuable or attractive may not be so in reality.
English equivalent
All that glitters is not gold.
Vocabulary
- złoto — gold
- świecić się — to glitter, to shine, to gleam
Grammar note
'Co się świeci' is a relative clause: 'that glitters/shines'. 'Złoto' is a predicate nominative after the implied 'jest' (is).
Cultural context
A proverb found across many European languages, popularised in Polish partly through Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' in translation.
Beginner
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