• Listen

  What it means

  “When a person hurries, the devil rejoices.” Rushing leads to mistakes and poor decisions — exactly what the devil wants. Take your time and do things properly.

  English equivalent

  Haste makes waste. / The devil is in the details.

  Vocabulary

  • spieszyć się — to hurry, to rush
  • diabeł — devil
  • cieszyć się — to rejoice, to be glad

  Grammar note

  Both verbs are reflexive ('się'). 'Spieszy się' and 'cieszy się' rhyme, giving the proverb its memorable rhythm.

  Cultural context

  One of the most commonly used Polish proverbs in everyday speech, often said to someone who is rushing and making errors as a result.

  Beginner

Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!