From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Literally, “costs go before earnings”.
- IPA(key): /də ˈkɔst xaːt voːr də ˌbaːt ˈœy̯t/
de kost gaat voor de baat uit
- one has to invest before one can reap the profits or rewards. Often used in the same context as English proverb "no pain, no gain".
