ProverbMorality
Biblical origin
Biblical originYou reap what you sow
Meaning: Your actions determine your outcomes.
Where it's from: The Bible, Galatians 6:7
Origin: From Paul's letter to the Galatians (6:7): "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." The farming image — the harvest matches the seed — makes it one of the plainest statements that actions have consequences.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, and 7 more languages
French: On récolte ce que l'on sème (literally: You harvest what you sow)
Spanish: Quien siembra vientos, recoge tempestades (literally: Who sows winds, reaps storms)
Japanese: 自業自得 (Jigō jitoku) (literally: One's own karma, one's own reward)
German: Was der Mensch sät, das wird er ernten (literally: What a person sows, that he will reap)
Italian: Ognuno raccoglie quello che ha seminato (literally: Everyone reaps what they have sown)
Portuguese: Quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades (literally: Whoever sows winds reaps storms)
Dutch: Wat men zaait, zal men ook maaien (literally: What one sows, one will also mow)
Russian: Что посеешь, то и пожнёшь (Chto poseesh', to i pozhnyosh') (literally: What you sow, you will reap)
Chinese: 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆 (Zhòng guā dé guā, zhòng dòu dé dòu) (literally: Plant melons, get melons; plant beans, get beans)
Korean: 콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다 (Kong simeun de kong nago pat simeun de pat nanda) (literally: Plant soybeans, get soybeans; plant red beans, get red beans)
Arabic: من زرع حصد (Man zaraʿa ḥaṣada) (literally: Whoever sows, reaps)
Turkish: Ne ekersen onu biçersin (literally: You reap whatever you sow)
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