«مَا حَش إِلَّا مِنْ رش»

The saying holds that every result depends on something placed beforehand. Just as there is no growth to cut, such as fodder or greens, unless seed was first scattered by hand, no outcome springs from emptiness; whoever wants a return must first provide the material or effort that produces it.

Beyond stating cause and effect, the farming image carries encouragement. The more seed one casts, the more growth there will be to gather later, so the proverb can nudge listeners toward generous, deliberate investment rather than stingy or idle hope for gains. Its stress falls on needing input at all, not on moral consequence.

Suitable when someone expects returns without having put anything in, or when urging generous investment of effort, money, or resources before hoping for gains. It can also gently explain why a result failed to appear: nothing was invested at the start.