Be Kind to the Forest (and Everyone Else, Too)
Today’s German proverb is a reminder to treat others the way you want to be treated. Always be kind to the forest!
German Proverb
Wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus.
The way you shout into the forest is the way it echoes back.
In other words . . . what goes around, comes around. What you put into something is what you get out of it. People treat you the way you treat them.
In English we can say, “You reap what you sow.” Spanish has a more creative variant:
Quien siembra vientos, cosecha tempestades.
Spanish Proverb
He who sows winds, reaps storms.
And of course, the Bible has made this same sentiment famous as the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12)
But I think the German version is my favorite. Respect fellow humans and respect the beautiful woods! For proof that I (try to) practice what I preach, I present a photo of me hugging a redwood near San Francisco a few years ago.
Final Thoughts
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out the rest of my language tidbits. And next time you see a tree or hear an echo, take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the earth.
Isn’t this a beautiful saying? Do you know of any similar expressions in English or other languages? If so, let me know in the comments!
Background photo: I took this photo in the Carpathian Mountains in southwestern Ukraine. Hiking in the Carpathians was one of my favorite travel experiences, and I recommend it to all nature lovers!
(Alas, I have no German wood photos to use for this German proverb, since the pandemic cancelled my planned trip to Germany. But I will make it there some day! Neuschwanstein and all the amazing German museums are calling me.)
And from the world of computer language, we get GIGO — garbage in, garbage out. Not nearly so lyrical a statement, but it says basically the same thing.
Ooh, great example! My limited experience with coding has taught me the accuracy of GIGO. 🙂