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  What it means

  Literally “everyone is the blacksmith of their own fate.” Means you are responsible for shaping your own destiny — “every man is the architect of his own fortune.”

  Vocabulary

  • kowal — blacksmith
  • los — fate, destiny
  • swój — one's own

  Grammar note

  'Kowalem' is the instrumental of 'kowal' — predicate instrumental after 'jest' (is). 'Swojego losu' is genitive of possession.

  Cultural context

  A translation of the Latin 'faber est suae quisque fortunae' — the blacksmith metaphor resonates strongly in Polish culture, where craftsmanship and hard work are deeply valued.

  Intermediate

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