# reap what one sows

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/reap-what-one-sows
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To receive as a return or reward in the same measure as one's exertions or intentions, in a good or a bad sense; to receive justice or one's just deserts.

## Examples

- If you work hard now, you will reap what you sow later.
- He spent years treating his colleagues poorly, and now that he needs their help, he is truly reaping what he sowed.
- After neglecting her garden for months, she reaped what she sowed when the weeds finally choked out all the flowers she had planted in the spring.
- The politician spent his career spreading division among the voters, only to find himself reaping what he sowed when the public turned against him during the final election.

## Origin

The expression is drawn from the King James Version of the Bible, specifically Galatians 6:7. The text advises that one be not deceived, for God is not mocked, and establishes the agricultural principle that whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. The modern idiom preserves this biblical warning, maintaining the correspondence between the character of one’s initial actions and the quality of the eventual result.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.