Meaning of he who kills iron, dies iron (what is it, concept and definition)

What is He who kills iron, dies to iron:

"He who kills iron, dies iron" is a saying that implies that everyone receives the treatment they deserve according to their actions.

It is particularly used when one person has done harm against another, and then life puts him in an equivalent situation. Thus, this saying represents how popular wisdom understands the principle of reciprocity or cause and effect.

It somehow involves a certain sense of justice or revenge, so it can also be used as a warning to someone who has done harm but is not yet in time to suffer the consequences.

This principle finds a certain similarity with eastern philosophies, in which people are believed to build their future based on the actions they comment on in their lives. This law of reciprocity or cause and effect is known as karma. Thus, karma implies that everything that is done generates consequences.

Another saying that embodies an equivalent meaning is "Dogs that kill with wolves, wolves kill him". It can also be similar, but not equivalent, to "He who seeks where he should not, finds what he does not want."

A variant of the Caribbean on this saying says: "He who kills iron does not die in his bed."

See also:

• Karma. Shrimp that falls asleep is carried away by the current.