“Pearls before swine; what is holy to dogs”
Matthew 7:6
Figure of speechWell-supportedJesus
Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:6 BSB)
What it sounds like today
'Pearls before swine' now means wasting refinement on people too crude to appreciate it, which is faintly snobbish.
The cultural key
Dogs were scavenging pack animals, not pets; pigs were the emblem of ritual uncleanness. 'What is holy' likely means consecrated sacrificial meat; giving it to scavengers was sacrilege. Pigs, finding pearls inedible, trample them and, disappointed, maul the giver. The saying sits right after 'do not judge,' balancing it.
Recovered meaning
Don't judge, but do discern. Sacred things forced on those determined to profane them are not generosity; they end trampled, and you end bitten. Wisdom about when to speak and when to stop.