The phrase is:
“Do not cast pearls before swine.”
It comes from Gospel of Matthew 7:6:
“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”
The imagery is straightforward:
- Pearls represent something precious—wisdom, truth, beauty, the Gospel, or anything of great value.
- Swine (pigs) represent those who are unwilling or unable to appreciate that value.
The teaching is not that some people are inherently worthless. Rather, it’s about discernment. Don’t keep offering your deepest truths, your best work, or sacred things to people who consistently mock, despise, or exploit them. Doing so not only wastes what is valuable but can provoke hostility.
In a broader sense, it can apply to:
- Not arguing endlessly with someone who has no interest in listening.
- Not seeking validation from people committed to misunderstanding you.
- Protecting your time, energy, and creative work until it’s shared with people who can genuinely receive it.
It’s a call to pair generosity with wisdom. Christians are commanded to love everyone, but they are not commanded to expose everything precious to those who will only ridicule or abuse it.