Such SEED such harvest

Meaning & Analysis

The type and quality of a planted seed will determine the nature and quality of the crop that is ultimately harvested.

Insights

Actions and Consequences

This proverb serves as a powerful metaphor for the law of cause and effect, asserting that one's actions, intentions, or efforts (the 'seed') will inevitably lead to corresponding results (the 'harvest').

Personal Responsibility

It underscores the principle of personal accountability, suggesting that individuals are the primary authors of their own fortunes and misfortunes. The outcomes one experiences are not random but are a direct result of their previous choices.

Moral Justice

The proverb implies a sense of cosmic or moral justice, where good deeds are rewarded and negative actions lead to undesirable outcomes. It suggests an inherent fairness in the way consequences are matched to actions.

Importance of Foundations

It highlights the critical importance of initial conditions and foundations. A successful outcome ('harvest') is contingent upon a high-quality starting point ('seed'), warning that poor beginnings cannot yield positive results.

Agricultural and Biblical Roots

The proverb's authority stems from its deep origins in both agricultural wisdom and religious scripture, notably the biblical passage from Galatians. This dual grounding makes its central metaphor of sowing and reaping universally accessible and morally resonant.

Psychological Reciprocity

This proverb encapsulates the psychological principle of reciprocity. The energy, intentions, and quality of effort one invests in any endeavor—be it personal relationships, work, or self-development—directly shape the nature of the outcome.

Universal Principle of Causality

The concept transcends its biblical origins, aligning with universal philosophical and spiritual principles like the Eastern concept of karma. This highlights a cross-cultural human understanding of moral and practical causality.

Rhetorical Devices

Metaphor

The core of the proverb is a metaphor comparing the agricultural cycle of planting and harvesting to the broader human experience of actions and their ultimate consequences.

Parallelism

The 'Such X, such Y' construction creates a direct and forceful parallel, structurally reinforcing the inseparable link between the cause (seed) and the effect (harvest).

Sibilance

The repetition of the 's' sound in 'Such SEED such' creates a soft, memorable sonic quality that enhances its proverbial feel and impact.

causalityconsequencesresponsibilitykarmajusticemetaphor
Analyzed with gemini-2.5-pro on November 21, 2025

Transcription

Quotations

Such seede as ye sow, such reape or else mowe.

1573, TUSSER, 500 Points Husb., 56, p. 126

Looke how you sow so shall you reape.

1611, COT., s.v. Semence
1623, WOD., p. 516

Bible Citations

Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

— The Bible, Gal vi:7

Cross References

Original Scan

Such SEED such harvest - a scanned entry from Tilley's 1950 Dictionary of Proverbs.
Scan courtesy of HathiTrust Digital Library.
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.

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Last updated: January 27, 2026