--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: but why should I waste wisdom on a…" description: "\"“but why should I waste wisdom on a river-turtle?”\" — Rudyard Kipling" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/rudyard-kipling-527_turtle_but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river_787274.png" --- # but why should I waste wisdom on a river-turtle? ![“but why should I waste wisdom on a river-turtle?” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/rudyard-kipling-527_turtle_but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river_787274.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/rudyard-kipling-527_turtle_but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river_787274.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/rudyard-kipling-527_turtle_but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river_787274.png) > ““but why should I waste wisdom on a river-turtle?”” [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning the value of sharing knowledge with those who may not appreciate it. **In simple terms:** Is sharing wisdom always worthwhile? Key Takeaway Consider who truly benefits before sharing. Themes wisdom communication value discretion Mood reflective skeptical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - teaching - mentoring - personal relationships - professional advice Key Concepts knowledge transfer audience assessment intentional sharing Questions to Reflect On - Who truly benefits from your insight? - When is silence more powerful than speech? A Different Perspective Not all listeners are receptive; sharing may be wasted effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [River Turtle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river-turtle-6053783/) [Turtle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turtle/) [Waste Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-wisdom-4063540/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-river-6053784/) ## Related quotes > [“It is seriously believed by some that the intention may have been geodetic, or, in the view of the cannier, domestic economical. But by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/it-is-seriously-believed-by-some-that-the-intention-may-have-been/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“A lizard fucks a crab and nine months later a turtle pops out. It's called evolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/a-lizard-fucks-a-crab-and-nine-months-later-a-turtle-pops-out-it-s/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [Turtle backpack turtle spin. Turtle backpack turtle pushup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-marbles/turtle-backpack-turtle-spin-turtle-backpack-turtle-pushup/) [Jenna Marbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-marbles/) > [“It's turtles all the way down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/it-s-turtles-all-the-way-down/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [No turtle can be a revolutionist, because revolution requires high speed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/no-turtle-can-be-a-revolutionist-because-revolution-requires-high/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [First of all, Turtle Island is the name of this continent we live on... that's right, not 'America... as in North America,' but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/first-of-all-turtle-island-is-the-name-of-this-continent-we-live-on/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [the body is simple as a turtle / and straight as a dog: / the body cannot lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/the-body-is-simple-as-a-turtle-and-straight-as-a-dog-the-body-cannot/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [“Don't insult me. Everyone knows a turtle is a crustacean on its mother's side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/don-t-insult-me-everyone-knows-a-turtle-is-a-crustacean-on-its-mother/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [It's okay to play turtle for a while, as long as you don't get too fond of your shell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-wilks/it-s-okay-to-play-turtle-for-a-while-as-long-as-you-don-t-get-too/) [Eileen Wilks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-wilks/) > [“See the TURTLE of enormous girth! On his shell he holds the earth. His thought is slow but always kind; He holds us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/see-the-turtle-of-enormous-girth-on-his-shell-he-holds-the-earth-his/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The Serpent raises its head from the water and slides onto the ice, the stars blazing above in the night sky. The Turtle sinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-chan/the-serpent-raises-its-head-from-the-water-and-slides-onto-the-ice/) [Kylie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-chan/) > [“Naturally I left the turtle on its back in the baking sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brookes/naturally-i-left-the-turtle-on-its-back-in-the-baking-sun/) [Michael Brookes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-brookes/) > [Rabbits are played. Nowadays it's all about the turtles. Tell them it's a ninja, they'll freak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/rabbits-are-played-nowadays-it-s-all-about-the-turtles-tell-them-it-s/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [Be like the turtle. If he didn't stick his neck out, he wouldn't get anywhere at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/be-like-the-turtle-if-he-didn-t-stick-his-neck-out-he-wouldn-t-get/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [“I wonder about turtles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/i-wonder-about-turtles/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) ## More by Rudyard Kipling > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) [Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More Turtle quotes > [“I wonder about turtles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/i-wonder-about-turtles/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [Be like the turtle. If he didn't stick his neck out, he wouldn't get anywhere at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/be-like-the-turtle-if-he-didn-t-stick-his-neck-out-he-wouldn-t-get/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Rabbits are played. Nowadays it's all about the turtles. Tell them it's a ninja, they'll freak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/rabbits-are-played-nowadays-it-s-all-about-the-turtles-tell-them-it-s/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [“Naturally I left the turtle on its back in the baking sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brookes/naturally-i-left-the-turtle-on-its-back-in-the-baking-sun/) [Michael Brookes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-brookes/) > [“The Serpent raises its head from the water and slides onto the ice, the stars blazing above in the night sky. The Turtle sinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-chan/the-serpent-raises-its-head-from-the-water-and-slides-onto-the-ice/) [Kylie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-chan/) > [“See the TURTLE of enormous girth! On his shell he holds the earth. His thought is slow but always kind; He holds us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/see-the-turtle-of-enormous-girth-on-his-shell-he-holds-the-earth-his/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [It's okay to play turtle for a while, as long as you don't get too fond of your shell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-wilks/it-s-okay-to-play-turtle-for-a-while-as-long-as-you-don-t-get-too/) [Eileen Wilks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-wilks/) > [“Don't insult me. Everyone knows a turtle is a crustacean on its mother's side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/don-t-insult-me-everyone-knows-a-turtle-is-a-crustacean-on-its-mother/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [the body is simple as a turtle / and straight as a dog: / the body cannot lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/the-body-is-simple-as-a-turtle-and-straight-as-a-dog-the-body-cannot/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [First of all, Turtle Island is the name of this continent we live on... that's right, not 'America... as in North America,' but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/first-of-all-turtle-island-is-the-name-of-this-continent-we-live-on/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [No turtle can be a revolutionist, because revolution requires high speed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/no-turtle-can-be-a-revolutionist-because-revolution-requires-high/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“It's turtles all the way down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/it-s-turtles-all-the-way-down/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Turtle backpack turtle spin. Turtle backpack turtle pushup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-marbles/turtle-backpack-turtle-spin-turtle-backpack-turtle-pushup/) [Jenna Marbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-marbles/) > [“A lizard fucks a crab and nine months later a turtle pops out. It's called evolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/a-lizard-fucks-a-crab-and-nine-months-later-a-turtle-pops-out-it-s/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“A rat is more alive than a turtle. A turtle is slow, cold, mechanical, nearly a toy, a shell with legs. Their deaths didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-rat-is-more-alive-than-a-turtle-a-turtle-is-slow-cold-mechanical/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Browse all 177 Turtle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turtle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“but why should I waste wisdom on a river-turtle?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudyard Kipling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river-turtle/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Turtle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river-turtle/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/rudyard-kipling-527_turtle_but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river_787274.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/rudyard-kipling-527_turtle_but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river_787274.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/rudyard-kipling-527_turtle_but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river_787274.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“but why should I waste wisdom on a river-turtle?” — Rudyard Kipling", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rudyard Kipling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“but why should I waste wisdom...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river-turtle/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/but-why-should-i-waste-wisdom-on-a-river-turtle/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```