Meanings
alternative sow the wind and reap the whirlwind · alternative reap the whirlwind
- 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.
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.
2021 January 7, “Trump Is to Blame for Capitol Attack”, in The New York Times, →ISSNSynonyms: what goes around comes around, reap what you sow
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbEvery 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.
Origin
A reference to Hosea 8:7.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian ко́йто се́е вя́тър, жъ́не бу́ри
- ко́йто се́е вя́тър, жъ́не бу́ри (kójto sée vjátăr, žắne búri)every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Chinese Mandarin 玩火自焚
- 玩火自焚 (wánhuǒzìfén)every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Czech kdo seje vítr, sklízí bouři
- kdo seje vítr, sklízí bouřievery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Dutch wie wind zaait, zal storm oogsten
- wie wind zaait, zal storm oogstenevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Finnish joka tuulen kylvää, se myrskyn niittää
- joka tuulen kylvää, se myrskyn niittääevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
French qui sème le vent, récolte la tempête
- qui sème le vent, récolte la tempêteevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
German wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten
- wer Wind sät, wird Sturm erntenevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Hungarian aki szelet vet, vihart arat
- aki szelet vet, vihart aratevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Indonesian siapa menabur angin, akan menuai badai
- siapa menabur angin, akan menuai badaievery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Italian chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta
- chi semina vento raccoglie tempestaevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Japanese 業によりて果を引く
- 業によりて果を引く (gō ni yorite ka o hiku)every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Korean 뿌린대로 거두다
- 뿌린대로 거두다 (ppurindaero geoduda)every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Polish kto sieje wiatr, zbiera burzę
- kto sieje wiatr, zbiera burzęevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Portuguese quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades, quem semeia vento colhe tempestade
- quem semeia ventos colhe tempestadesevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
- quem semeia vento colhe tempestadeevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Romanian cine seamănă vânt culege furtună
- cine seamănă vânt culege furtunăevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Russian посе́ешь ве́тер, пожнёшь бу́рю
- посе́ешь ве́тер, пожнёшь бу́рю (poséješʹ véter, požnjóšʹ búrju)every decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Slovak kto seje vietor, búrku žne
- kto seje vietor, búrku žneevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Spanish quien siembra vientos recoge tempestades, cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos
- quien siembra vientos recoge tempestadesevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
- cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojosevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Turkish rüzgâr eken, fırtına biçer
- rüzgâr eken, fırtına biçerevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Vietnamese gieo nhân nào gặp quả đó, gieo nhân nào gặt quả nấy
- gieo nhân nào gặp quả đóevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
- gieo nhân nào gặt quả nấyevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
- ác giả ác báoevery decision has consequences; a person's actions will come back to them
Cite this entry
sow the wind, reap the whirlwind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sow%20the%20wind%2C%20reap%20the%20whirlwind
“sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sow%20the%20wind%2C%20reap%20the%20whirlwind. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sow the wind, reap the whirlwind,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sow%20the%20wind%2C%20reap%20the%20whirlwind.
Source: sow the wind, reap the whirlwind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.