Ezra's Aphorism
Pearls Before Swine
Never share knowledge with a fool,
Their foolishness will turn learning into ignorance.
Share knowledge with the wise,
Even your foolishness becomes lessons of wisdom.
The scriptures warn us never to throw our pearls before swine. This warning teaches us that valuable knowledge should be limited to close friends, peers, and colleagues who respect us and will receive our words with an honest heart and an open mind. At one point in time, everyone has dealt with a cynic who just didn’t get it. Instead of taking our advice, they insulted us by disrespecting our counsel, experience, and insight.
As poets and writers, we’re always exposing parts of ourselves—our psyche, our creativity, uncomfortable truths about our lives. Some of us bleed on the page and pass it to strangers in writing groups or online platforms with hopes to develop our craft and seek feedback about our art. When reaching out to beta readers, critics, or fellow authors, make sure the vibe-check lines up with your gut feeling so you won’t get burned by harsh words or trolls looking to tear you down as a way to feel better about themselves.
When we do something foolish, a wise person will kindly correct us, creating a teachable moment that reveals our error without the need to humiliate us in a showy display of a gotcha moment or one-upsmanship. Remaining humble, taking sound advice, and sharing what we’ve learned helps us and others to navigate the winding road of life with less stress and more certainty as complications constantly arise. Wisdom is like a precious gemstone that should be passed on to the next generation. Taking in knowledge and wisdom is a recipe that turns sour grapes into fine wine, pressures coal into diamonds, and transforms caterpillars into butterflies. So the next time you want to share a deep truth or epiphany, make sure you’re not talking to a fool, their foolishness turns learning into ignorance.