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  What it means

  “Neither fit for the pulpit nor for a wife.” Said of someone who is completely useless or unsuitable — good for nothing at all.

  English equivalent

  Good for nothing.

  Vocabulary

  • ni — neither (archaic/dialectal form of 'ani')
  • ambona — pulpit
  • żona — wife

  Grammar note

  'Ni…ni…' is an archaic correlative conjunction meaning 'neither…nor…'. 'Do ambony' and 'do żony' both use the genitive after 'do'.

  Cultural context

  The pairing of 'pulpit' and 'wife' reflects traditional Polish social roles — a man was expected to be fit for public duty and domestic life alike.

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