Quote Originally Posted by Deborski View Post
So, if I may use a little artistic leeway here to get across the gist of this saying -

"This I know and know it true: If it's not yours, it won't come back to you."

Short and sweet?
If it works for you it is OK. I don't like Russian rhyme though. Original Marquez quotation is much better IMO.

BTW here is the master of four-lined rhymed aphorisms. (Well, Khayyám was probably somewhat better but he didn't write in Russian )