A damping or return device for sliding door leaves, particularly for furniture, is provided. The device includes a rectilinear hollow body made of plastic material, which is slideably associated with a profile that is integral with the top of the piece of furniture and can be coupled automatically and with a snap action to an entrainer. The entainer is fixed to one of the door leaves by way of an adapted carriage. The rectilinear hollow body accommodates a bidirectional shock absorber and interacts selectively with a first or a second magnetized stroke limiting pivot which are associated with a first guide or with a second guide.