joy

Hi
How is my translation of the following...
"was joy sown before pain was reaped?"

(context: taken from an informal conversation between a milkman and a customer......the latter has not respected some kind of deal and it's the milkman who asks the question..........)

I say:
Fut la joie semée avant que la douleur ne fut récoltée?

I'm afraid that my translation may be too direct..?
Thanks

DD

I don't think the translation is too direct, because there is the french expression saying "qui sème le vent récolte la tempête", "qui sème la joie, récolte l'amitié"...

However:
La joie fut-elle semée avant de récolter la douleur?

ok thanks a lot