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  What it means

  Literally “a Job’s tidings.” Means terrible news — devastating information that brings suffering or despair, like the biblical Job’s afflictions.

  Vocabulary

  • hiobowy — of Job / Job-like (adjective)
  • wieść — tidings / news (literary)

  Grammar note

  'Hiobowa' is a feminine adjective agreeing with 'wieść'. Also appears as 'hiobowa nowina' — same meaning.

  Cultural context

  A biblical reference to the Book of Job, well known in Poland's Catholic culture. Used in journalism and formal speech for catastrophic news.

  Intermediate

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