ProverbMoralityDutch origin

Wie kaatst, moet de bal verwachten

Meaning: If you attack or tease others, expect the same in return.

Literally: Whoever hits the ball must expect it back

Example: “Ze maakte grappen over hem, en nu krijgt ze ze terug. Wie kaatst, moet de bal verwachten.” — She made jokes about him, and now she's getting them back: what goes around comes around.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and 7 more languages

  • English: What goes around comes around
  • French: On récolte ce que l'on sème (literally: You reap what you sow)
  • Spanish: Lo que siembras, cosechas (literally: What you sow, you harvest)
  • Japanese: 因果応報 (Inga ōhō) (literally: Cause and effect retribution)
  • German: Wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus (literally: As one calls into the forest, so it echoes back)
  • Italian: Chi la fa l'aspetti (literally: Whoever does it should expect it back)
  • Portuguese: Cá se fazem, cá se pagam (literally: Here they're done, here they're paid for)
  • Russian: Как аукнется, так и откликнется (Kak auknetsya, tak i otkliknetsya) (literally: As you call into the woods, so it echoes back)
  • Polish: Jak Kuba Bogu, tak Bóg Kubie (literally: As Kuba treats God, so God treats Kuba)
  • Chinese: 善有善报，恶有恶报 (Shàn yǒu shàn bào, è yǒu è bào) (literally: Good is repaid with good, evil with evil)
  • Arabic: كما تدين تدان (Kamā tadīnu tudān) (literally: As you treat others, you will be treated)
  • Turkish: Ne ekersen onu biçersin (literally: You reap whatever you sow)

Origin: Kaatsen is an old ball game, still played in Friesland, in which the ball is hit back and forth by hand.

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