Everyone knows proverbs: what you sow, you will reap; sow a habit, reap a character; sow the wind, reap the storm. The meaning of these winged expressions is clear even to elementary school students. It would seem that everything is very simple. What a person sends to the world returns to him in the same form or quality. But where did the expression come from?
Old Testament
Interesting and unusual is the proverb "what goes around comes around." Its meaning must be sought in the ancient Christian writings. Here is an expression from the Old Testament: "He who sows the wind will reap the storm." In it, the prophet Hosea convicts the people of Israel in an unrighteous life. In one of the chapters, he informs the unrighteous Israelites about the troubles that will befall them because of the violation of God's laws.
The prophet uttered those words that later turned into phraseologism. He told the Israelites that in vain they sow the wind. Whoever does this reaps the storm. And they will not have bread. After all, a grain of flour will not produce. And if it turns out flour, then the bread from it will be eaten by enemies.
The wind is emptiness, and the storm is destruction. The fact that the Jews did not have a harvest meant that all their undertakings would harm them. And to the enemies of the Israeli people - to the advantage. For violation of religious laws, they had to be destroyed. The meaning "what you sow, you will reap" is close to the interpretation of the proverb "sow the wind - reap the storm."
Bible
Proverbs are a small poetic form and are rooted in the days of the birth of folk wisdom and religions. Closer to us, the meaning of “what you reap” comes from the Bible. The dictum of Galatians says: "Those who live by the interests of their flesh receive corruption, and those who live by spiritual practices receive eternal life." And here you can’t do without explanations.
What did the Apostle Paul mean? In addition to the above, the Bible also has the following lines: “God does not scold. What a man sows, he will reap ...” It means that the laws of God are unchanged. No matter how much time has passed, not one law of God has changed. According to this, there are invariable concepts of a righteous and unrighteous life. So for those who indulge in worldly pleasures and do not engage in self-development, corruption is destined. Those who do not succumb to base needs, but devote time to spiritual development, will enjoy eternal life.
Love of interpretation
Human nature is such that any wise saying begins to acquire new interpretations over time. In the course of human history, aspects of life arise to which this or that wise thought is applied. Acquiring bizarre forms, the original versions of winged expressions are not recognized.
So, the meaning of the saying that “you reap what you reap” today is interpreted exclusively from the point of view of interpersonal relations. The expression has lost its religious foundation, but has acquired a magical connotation. According to many, if you constantly do evil deeds, then from higher powers (not necessarily from God) will be punished during life. And vice versa - for good deeds you can get a reward in the form of earthly goods or peace of mind.
Proverbs with a similar meaning
The use of architects in literature gives rise to the greatest response in the hearts of people. This proves the constancy of the laws prescribed in the scriptures. Based on biblical subjects, many works appeared in various forms and genres. This phenomenon did not bypass the small form of folk art. There are phraseological units in the Russian language, similar to the proverb "what you reap." Their meaning has common roots:
- mouse tears will pour out to the cat;
- Do not dig a hole for a neighbor; you yourself will fall;
- where the needle is, there is the thread.