We can only reap what we sow

THE EDITOR: A great deal of people believe that they can do whatever they wish, bad deeds or good ones, yet fail to realise that there is proverb “As you sow, so will you reap.” This proverb reveals the very close connection between cause and effect. We cannot reap unless we sow and reaping will be according to the sowing. This relation between cause and effect is of two types. The harvest depends on the quality and quantity of the seeds sown. This is not all. The harvest also depends not only on the act of sowing but also on the manner in which the complete operation of agriculture is carried out.

The truth of this proverb may be illustrated with reference to reading. Reading may be compared to the act of sowing. Culture is the harvest. True culture depends not only on the act of reading but also on the quality and quantity of books read and also on the intellectual ability of the reader. Thus the proverb warns students against wasting their time over novels and romances which belong to an inferior class of literature. True culture cannot result from the study of books of such frivolous nature. They can only reap as they sow. There are some people who remain idle and wait for a favourable turn of luck or fortune. If they are failures in life they simply say: “We were not lucky.”

This proverb warns them against sinful indolence and a foolish belief in luck. Luck, if there is ever any such thing, always comes to those who have pluck and are industrious. Napoleon once said that God was on the side of the strongest soldiers. We cannot sit idle and hope for good fortune. We cannot reap wheat if we sow rice. Our fortunes will be according to our efforts. We can only reap as we sow. 

AHAMAD KHAYYAM
Graduate, Fatima College