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  What it means

  “A deep bow is close to falsehood.” Too much flattery and exaggerated respect can be signs of insincerity. Be careful of people who bow too low.

  English equivalent

  Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. / Flattery will get you nowhere.

  Vocabulary

  • ukłon — bow, curtsy
  • niski — low, deep
  • fałsz — falsehood, deceit
  • bliski — close, near

  Grammar note

  This is a nominal sentence with no verb, a common pattern in Polish proverbs. 'Fałszu bliski' uses the genitive of 'fałsz' after 'bliski'.

  Cultural context

  It reflects Polish folk suspicion of courtly manners and excessive politeness, which may hide dishonesty.

  Intermediate

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