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  What it means

  An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Retaliation in kind — punishment or revenge should match the original offence exactly.

  English equivalent

  An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

  Vocabulary

  • oko — eye
  • ząb — tooth
  • za — for, in exchange for

  Grammar note

  Both 'oko' and 'ząb' appear in the nominative (subject) and then after 'za' in the accusative. The structure is parallel: noun + za + noun.

  Cultural context

  Originates from the biblical lex talionis (Exodus 21:24). Widely known across cultures.

  Beginner

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