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In German we have the sentence "Wer austeilt muss auch einstecken können", translated to: "Anyone who dishes it out must also be able to take it", as seen here. I was wondering if an idiomiatic english equivalent existed, similar to this more or less direct translation.

(I asked this question over at German Language, but was directed here.)

Shane --- ㄟツ ㄏ
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loopy walt
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    "Don't dish it out if you can't take it" or "If you can't take it, don't dish it out" are fairly common in English and an almost direct equivalent. – KillingTime Oct 02 '21 at 10:59
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    Who lives by the sword dies by the sword. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,... – FumbleFingers Oct 02 '21 at 11:20

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"Don't dish it out if you can't take it!" is the way I'd usually phrase it, and it's a familiar phrase.

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander" can also apply. Sometimes this is used specifically to refer to gender equality, but sometimes it's also used to indicate that someone should be treated the way they think others should be treated.

Mike Graham
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