cast pearls before swine

Idioms  

1. Give something of value of someone who won't appreciate it, as in The old professor felt that lecturing on Dante to unruly undergraduates would be casting pearls before swine. This term comes from the New Testament (Matthew 7:6), appearing in Tyndale's translation (1526). It was repeated often by writers from Shakespeare to Dickens and remains current.

---

Example Sentences

We may find, that we have cast pearls before swine.

From The Growth of Thought As Affecting the Progress of Society by Withington, William

"I answer," he said with set face and flashing eyes, "that I will not cast pearls before swine."

From Pearl-Maiden by Haggard, Henry Rider

Every one knows the expression to cast pearls before swine, and its meaning, "to give good things to people who are too ignorant to appreciate them."

From Stories That Words Tell Us by O'Neill, Elizabeth (Elizabeth Speakman)

I am always a little angry that my friends don't do something better on such occasions; but why cast pearls before swine?

From Early Letters of George Wm. Curtis by Cooke, George Willis

No, my dear Gneisenau, one must not cast pearls before swine.

From Napoleon and Blucher by Mühlbach, L. (Luise)