• Listen

  What it means

  “Whoever rises early, God gives to them.” Early risers are rewarded. Hard work and an early start bring divine favour and material success.

  English equivalent

  The early bird catches the worm.

  Vocabulary

  • rano — early, in the morning
  • wstawać — to get up, to rise
  • dawać — to give

  Grammar note

  'Temu' is the dative of 'ten' in the 'kto … temu' correlative pattern. 'Pan Bóg' (Lord God) is the subject.

  Cultural context

  One of the most widely known Polish proverbs, reflecting both religious faith and the work ethic of an agrarian society.

  Beginner

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