He that would eat the fruit must climb the tree.
More German Proverbs:
Truth ill-timed is as bad as a lie.German
Bitter pills are gilded.
German
Almost never killed a fly.
German
The bailiff's cow and another's cow are two different cows.
German
Who rides slow, must saddle betimes.
German
If wood-hewing were an order, there would be fewer monks.
German