Literal translation
he who always takes and never gives, in the end everyone leaves him
Meaning
who always takes and never gives ends up abandoned by all
Explanation
This proverb states, through an internal rhyme that eases oral memorization, a social law of reciprocity: the one who keeps taking without ever giving back ends up isolated, abandoned by people around him who grow weary of giving without return. The two-part structure, first the observation of selfish behavior, then its inevitable consequence, gives the proverb the shape of a gradual, almost narrative warning, letting the outcome be sensed before it is named. The proverb belongs to a universal tradition of popular wisdom about social exchange, where generosity calls for generosity and a prolonged imbalance between giving and receiving eventually breaks the bond. It is said in a moral register, often as a warning to someone too inclined to take advantage of others without ever giving anything back, or as an after-the-fact explanation of such a person's eventual isolation, with the quiet certainty that life eventually restores the balance.