"sow the wind, reap the whirlwind" meaning in English

See sow the wind, reap the whirlwind in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proverb

Etymology: A reference to Hosea 8:7. Head templates: {{head|en|proverb}} sow the wind, reap the whirlwind
  1. Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them; if one starts trouble or takes actions in spite of the discontent they cause, one will incur negative consequences. Synonyms: what goes around comes around, reap what you sow, sow the wind and reap the whirlwind, reap the whirlwind Related terms: get out what one puts in Translations (every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them): ко́йто се́е вя́тър, жъ́не бу́ри (kójto sée vjátǎr, žǎ́ne búri) (Bulgarian), 玩火自焚 (wánhuǒzìfén) (Chinese Mandarin), kdo seje vítr, sklízí bouři (Czech), wie wind zaait, zal storm oogsten (Dutch), joka tuulen kylvää, se myrskyn niittää (Finnish), qui sème le vent, récolte la tempête (French), wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten (German), aki szelet vet, vihart arat (Hungarian), siapa menabur angin, akan menuai badai (Indonesian), chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta (Italian), 業によりて果を引く (gō ni yorite ka o hiku) (alt: ごうによりてかをひく) (Japanese), 뿌린대로 거두다 (ppurindaero geoduda) (Korean), kto sieje wiatr, zbiera burzę (Polish), quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades (Portuguese), quem semeia vento colhe tempestade (Portuguese), cine seamănă vânt culege furtună (Romanian), посе́ешь ве́тер, пожнёшь бу́рю (poséješʹ véter, požnjóšʹ búrju) (Russian), ко сеје ветар, жање олују [Cyrillic] (Serbo-Croatian), ko seje vetar, žanje oluju [Roman] (Serbo-Croatian), kto seje vietor, búrku žne (Slovak), quien siembra vientos recoge tempestades (Spanish), cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos (Spanish), rüzgâr eken, fırtına biçer (Turkish), gieo nhân nào gặp quả đó (Vietnamese)
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  "etymology_text": "A reference to Hosea 8:7.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2021 January 7, “Trump Is to Blame for Capitol Attack”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Before the attack started, Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, decried efforts by his fellow Republicans to overturn the results of the election. But his eloquence was the very definition of a gesture both too little and too late. They who sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them; if one starts trouble or takes actions in spite of the discontent they cause, one will incur negative consequences."
      ],
      "id": "en-sow_the_wind,_reap_the_whirlwind-en-proverb-vFgc9u9t",
      "links": [
        [
          "decision",
          "decision"
        ],
        [
          "consequence",
          "consequence"
        ],
        [
          "person",
          "person"
        ],
        [
          "action",
          "action"
        ],
        [
          "come back",
          "come back"
        ],
        [
          "trouble",
          "trouble"
        ],
        [
          "takes actions",
          "take action"
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        [
          "discontent",
          "discontent"
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          "incur",
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      "related": [
        {
          "word": "get out what one puts in"
        }
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      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "what goes around comes around"
        },
        {
          "word": "reap what you sow"
        },
        {
          "word": "sow the wind and reap the whirlwind"
        },
        {
          "word": "reap the whirlwind"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "kójto sée vjátǎr, žǎ́ne búri",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "ко́йто се́е вя́тър, жъ́не бу́ри"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "wánhuǒzìfén",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "玩火自焚"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "kdo seje vítr, sklízí bouři"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "wie wind zaait, zal storm oogsten"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "joka tuulen kylvää, se myrskyn niittää"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "qui sème le vent, récolte la tempête"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "aki szelet vet, vihart arat"
        },
        {
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "siapa menabur angin, akan menuai badai"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta"
        },
        {
          "alt": "ごうによりてかをひく",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "gō ni yorite ka o hiku",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "業によりて果を引く"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "ppurindaero geoduda",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "뿌린대로 거두다"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "kto sieje wiatr, zbiera burzę"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "quem semeia vento colhe tempestade"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "cine seamănă vânt culege furtună"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "poséješʹ véter, požnjóšʹ búrju",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "посе́ешь ве́тер, пожнёшь бу́рю"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic"
          ],
          "word": "ко сеје ветар, жање олују"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "tags": [
            "Roman"
          ],
          "word": "ko seje vetar, žanje oluju"
        },
        {
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "kto seje vietor, búrku žne"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "quien siembra vientos recoge tempestades"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "rüzgâr eken, fırtına biçer"
        },
        {
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
          "word": "gieo nhân nào gặp quả đó"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "sow the wind, reap the whirlwind"
}
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  "etymology_text": "A reference to Hosea 8:7.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
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      "expansion": "sow the wind, reap the whirlwind",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "get out what one puts in"
    }
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          "ref": "2021 January 7, “Trump Is to Blame for Capitol Attack”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Before the attack started, Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, decried efforts by his fellow Republicans to overturn the results of the election. But his eloquence was the very definition of a gesture both too little and too late. They who sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.",
          "type": "quote"
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them; if one starts trouble or takes actions in spite of the discontent they cause, one will incur negative consequences."
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          "decision",
          "decision"
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          "consequence",
          "consequence"
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          "person",
          "person"
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          "action",
          "action"
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          "come back",
          "come back"
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          "trouble",
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          "takes actions",
          "take action"
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          "discontent",
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "what goes around comes around"
    },
    {
      "word": "reap what you sow"
    },
    {
      "word": "sow the wind and reap the whirlwind"
    },
    {
      "word": "reap the whirlwind"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "kójto sée vjátǎr, žǎ́ne búri",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "ко́йто се́е вя́тър, жъ́не бу́ри"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "wánhuǒzìfén",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "玩火自焚"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "kdo seje vítr, sklízí bouři"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "wie wind zaait, zal storm oogsten"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "joka tuulen kylvää, se myrskyn niittää"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "qui sème le vent, récolte la tempête"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "aki szelet vet, vihart arat"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "siapa menabur angin, akan menuai badai"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta"
    },
    {
      "alt": "ごうによりてかをひく",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "gō ni yorite ka o hiku",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "業によりて果を引く"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "ppurindaero geoduda",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "뿌린대로 거두다"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "kto sieje wiatr, zbiera burzę"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "quem semeia vento colhe tempestade"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "cine seamănă vânt culege furtună"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "poséješʹ véter, požnjóšʹ búrju",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "посе́ешь ве́тер, пожнёшь бу́рю"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic"
      ],
      "word": "ко сеје ветар, жање олују"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "tags": [
        "Roman"
      ],
      "word": "ko seje vetar, žanje oluju"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "kto seje vietor, búrku žne"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "quien siembra vientos recoge tempestades"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "rüzgâr eken, fırtına biçer"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them",
      "word": "gieo nhân nào gặp quả đó"
    }
  ],
  "word": "sow the wind, reap the whirlwind"
}

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This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-10 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (df33d17 and 4ed51a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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