Idiom: What goes around comes around

[bmo]

Dear teachers:

Hope you are not tired of the many idioms I have been asking. I know the meanings but just not in depth. for example:

1. "What goes around comes around" and "What comes around goes around. " They must be identical, right?

2. Always bad? If it can be both, then it's like "Good deed brings fortune; bad deed brings misfortune." Close? Now I am talking about karma and reincarnations.

Thanks a bunch.

BMO

[RonBee]

"What goes around comes around" means that if a person does something bad something bad will happen to him. I guess it's kind of like karma. I have never heard the other expression.

[bmo]

Originally Posted by RonBee

"What goes around comes around" means that if a person does something bad something bad will happen to him. I guess it's kind of like karma. I have never heard the other expression.

Thanks a lot.

BMO

[MW]

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you, because they eventually will.

Or, do unto others before they do unto you.

Some people believe in karma. If you say nice things about others, others will say nice things about you.

[bmo]

Thanks.

Are you saying "what goes around comes around" means both ways?

[twostep]

Originally Posted by bmo

Thanks.

Are you saying "what goes around comes around" means both ways?

Yes

@bmo: D'you mean with "what goes around comes around" the great song which is written by Lenny Kravitz?
Thank you for the question, I've always asked myself what this idiom could mean. :)

[bmo]

I don't know about the song, but you are quite welcome.

[dov1dyre]

So both "what goes around comes around" and "what comes around goes around" can be used? Or is the last one completely wrong?

[digitS']

Originally Posted by dov1dyre

So both "what goes around comes around" and "what comes around goes around" can be used? Or is the last one completely wrong?

I don't know about completely wrong. The actor acts and the universe reacts.

If what "goes" is positive; what "comes" is positive. If what "goes" is negative; what "comes" is negative.

I think that, "Good deed brings fortune; bad deed brings misfortune" is, indeed, very close. And, someone used this idiom long before Lenny Kravitz used it in a song.

Steve