Cast pearls before swine
Pearls are small, lustrous round objects which are formed inside the shell of a pearl oyster. They are used to make precious jewellery. If we cast pearls before swine, how will the swine react? Since swine need a lot of feed, they will behave aggressively and fight among themselves if they go hungry.
The proverb has a biblical origin from the Gospel of Matthew7:6.
Jesus advised his disciples: " Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. "
While Jesus's disciples should preach to all people on earth, Jesus warned them to exercise right judgement because some people might not appreciate the Word of God and turn to ridicule God.
Nowadays, if you say that someone is casting pearls before swine, you mean that they are offering something that is valuable to someone who does not appreciate its value. This expression is usually used in its negative form as an admonition:
Don't cast pearls before swine. He won't listen to your good advice.
珍珠是在珠蚌殼內形成的細小而富有光澤的圓滑物體。它們被用來做寶貴的首飾。如果我們把珍珠丟在豬前（cast pearls before swine），豬會有何反應？由於豬需要大量飼料，要是牠們肚子餓，就會變得兇悍、互相打架。
這個諺語源自《聖經》中《瑪竇福音》（第7章第6節）。
耶穌忠告門徒：「你們不要把聖物給狗，也不要把你們的珠寶投在豬前，怕它們用腳踐踏了珠寶，而又轉過來咬傷你們。」
雖然耶穌的門徒應當向世上所有的人傳教，但是耶穌告誡他們要運用正確的判斷力，因為有些人未必珍惜天主聖言，反而嘲笑天主。
現今如果你說某人casting pearls before swine，你的意思是他們把珍貴的東西送給人家，但人家卻不懂得其價值。這個語句通常使用否定形式來表示勸告：
別對牛彈琴（cast pearls before swine）。他不會聽取你的金玉良言。
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