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  What it means

  Another common form of the same proverb: lighting a candle for God and a stub for the devil. Describes someone who tries to appease both good and evil, or who is hypocritically two-faced.

  English equivalent

  To run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.

  Vocabulary

  • świeczka — candle
  • ogarek — candle stub, burnt-down candle

  Grammar note

  The comma and 'a' (but/and) create a contrast between the two offerings. Both nouns are in the accusative as direct objects.

  Cultural context

  This is the most widely cited form of the proverb in modern Polish.

  Intermediate

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