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  What it means

  Literally “he who fights by the sword dies by the sword.” Means those who use violence or aggression will eventually suffer the same fate — “live by the sword, die by the sword.”

  Vocabulary

  • miecz — sword
  • wojować — to wage war, to fight
  • ginąć — to perish, to die

  Grammar note

  'Mieczem' is instrumental of 'miecz' — instrumental of means (fights with a sword). 'Od miecza' is genitive after 'od' — cause of death.

  Cultural context

  From the Gospel of Matthew (26:52) — 'all who draw the sword will die by the sword.' Deeply embedded in Polish Catholic culture.

  Intermediate

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