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  What it means

  “A deep bow is close to falsehood.” Excessive flattery and exaggerated deference are signs of insincerity. Beware of those who bow too low.

  English equivalent

  Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. / Flattery will get you nowhere.

  Vocabulary

  • ukłon — bow, curtsy
  • niski — low, deep
  • fałsz — falsehood, deceit
  • bliski — close, near

  Grammar note

  A nominal sentence with no verb — a common structure in Polish proverbs. 'Fałszu bliski' uses the genitive of 'fałsz' after 'bliski'.

  Cultural context

  Reflects Polish folk scepticism toward courtly manners and excessive politeness, seen as a mask for dishonesty.

  Intermediate

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