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  What it means

  “Learning without virtue is like a sword in the hands of a madman: it harms both oneself and others.” Knowledge or skill divorced from moral character is dangerous. Education must be paired with ethics.

  English equivalent

  A little learning is a dangerous thing.

  Vocabulary

  • nauka — learning, science, education
  • cnota — virtue
  • miecz — sword
  • szalony — madman, lunatic
  • szkodzić — to harm, to damage

  Grammar note

  'Bez cnoty' uses the genitive after 'bez'. 'U szalonego' uses the genitive after 'u'. 'Szkodzi' takes the dative: 'sobie' (to oneself) and 'ludziom' (to people).

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