play the lute to a cow—choose the wrong audience; preach to deaf ears; a sheer waste of breath; talk over people’s heads;whistle jigs to a milestone ❍ ～——何必～！ (杨沫《青春之歌》604) Sheer waste of breath—like casting pearls before swine…/“～” 当然引不起小孩们的兴趣。(李六如《六十年的变迁》Ⅰ—9) Just like “music played before an ox”this book naturally failed to interest the boys./“～”这句话，含有讥笑对象的意思。(《毛泽东选集》793) The saying “to play the lute to a cow”implies a gibe at the audience.
对牛弹琴dui niu tan qin
play the lute to a cow—address the wrong audience
对牛弹琴
play the lute to the cow; cast pearls before swine—address the wrong audience
对牛弹琴duì niú tán qín
比喻对蠢人说理，白费口舌。cast(throw) Pearls before Swine, choose the wrong audience, play the harp to a cow, preach to deaf ears, talk over people’s heads