Never Wrestle with a Pig

By Anonymous

Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.

— Anonymous


Source

This saying is anonymous and evolved over decades. Despite frequent attribution to George Bernard Shaw or Mark Twain, there is no evidence either said it.

An early precursor appeared in 1776:

Don’t wrestle with a chimney sweep or you will get covered with grime.

The modern form emerged in the mid-20th century.