Matthew 7:6 Quotes
Shmoop will make you a better lover...of quotes
ALL QUOTES POPULAR BROWSE BY AUTHOR BROWSE BY SOURCE BROWSE BY TOPIC BROWSE BY SUBJECT
Source: Matthew 7:6
Speaker: Jesus
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Context
Jesus speaks this line as he's finishing up the ultra-famous Sermon on the Mount. It comes right after he condemns hypocrisy and right before he urges his followers to ask, seek, and knock.
Pearls were, of course, a valuable treasure to the ancient world. And swine were metaphors for sinfulness, un-holiness, and outsider-ness.
Bible: explained.
Where you've heard it
Whenever someone fails to appreciate something precious—or there's a risk of that happening—you might hear this phrase. A dying New York Yankees fan, for example, would not bequeath her autographed Babe Ruth rookie card to a grandson who roots for the Boston Red Sox. It would be like casting pearls before swine.
Oh, and there's a great comic strip called Pearls Before Swine. It doesn't have much to do with the original phrase, but it's got swine.
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
Careful with this one: people might think you're calling them swine. And even if they are swine, it's probably still pretty offensive. Pigs are awesome.