Fig.: to have serious troubles resulting from one's actions

How did you get your brand-new car down to this pitiful state? When your father sees it, there'll be hell to pay

Come hai fatto a ridurre in questo stato pietoso la tua macchina nuova fiammante? Non appena tuo padre la vedrà, succederà un finimondo

If you cheat on your income taxes, sooner or later you'll get caught and there'll be the devil to pay

Se non paghi le tasse dovute, prima o poi verrai scoperto e sarai in grossi guai

You know that I'm absolutely prohibited to do what you ask me, but if I do it and we get caught, there'll be the devil to pay

Lo sai che non potrei assolutamente fare quello che mi chiedi, ma se lo faccio per te e veniamo scoperti, saranno guai grossi per tutti e due e la pagheremo cara

Stop it right now! If your sister catches you reading her letters tied with pink ribbon, there'll be hell to pay

Smettila immediatamente! Se tua sorella ti trova a leggere le sue lettere legate con il nastro rosa, succederà un gran casino

This expression goes back to the 1400s, when it referred to troubles resulting from making a deal with the devil and owing him something, usually one's soul. Today it applies to any kind of problem