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  What it means

  “The life of a father and mother will serve children as an effective and rare recipe.” Parents’ example is the most powerful and uncommon guide a child can have ; better than any instruction or rule.

  English equivalent

  Actions speak louder than words.

  Vocabulary

  • życie — life
  • stanąć za — to serve as, to stand for
  • dziatki — children (archaic/poetic diminutive)
  • przepis — recipe, rule, prescription
  • skuteczny — effective
  • rzadki — rare

  Grammar note

  'Stanie' is the future tense of 'stanąć'. 'Dziatkom' is the dative plural of the archaic 'dziatki'. 'Za przepis' uses the accusative after 'za' meaning 'as/for'.

  Cultural context

  'Dziatki' is an old-fashioned diminutive of 'dzieci' (children), giving the proverb a formal, literary tone.

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