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  What it means

  “The devil stokes the fire in an old stove.” Old people can still have strong passions, desires, or vices. Age doesn’t necessarily extinguish inner fire — for better or worse.

  English equivalent

  There's no fool like an old fool.

  Vocabulary

  • piec — stove, furnace
  • diabeł — devil
  • palić — to burn, to stoke (a fire)
  • stary — old

  Grammar note

  'W starym piecu' uses the locative of 'piec' after 'w'. 'Diabeł pali' — subject-verb with diabeł in the nominative.

  Cultural context

  Often said of older people who still pursue romantic or other passionate interests.

  Intermediate

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