The Insanity
Author: Luiken, Jan, 1649-1712
Image Title: The Insanity
Scripture Reference:
- Isaiah 65 (further images / scripture text)
Description: A king offers a crown to a swine herder who refuses it, because a piece of his torn cloak is demanded in return. The Dutch artist and poet Jan Luiken (1649-1712), whose initials are at the lower right, was responsible for drawing and etching this emblem and for the poem that accompanies it (below). The attendant scripture text is Isaiah 65:2.
Poem:
The King offered a Princely Crown,
To someone, who herds Pigs,
Provided that he as reimbursement,
Would compensate the large gift.
But with what? since a poor man,
Devoid of wisdom and possessions,
Cannot give anything substantial,
Let alone a gift worthy of a King?
The demand was little and trifling;
A piece of the Cloak that covered him,
So that he would go with that tear,
A short way, with few steps.
But to that man it [the Crown] wasn’t worth that much,
He did not want to leave his rags,
So that he (of strange disposition),
Would not own that Princedom at too high a price.
How is the mind of each one regarded,
Sensible, or bereft of senses?
He is made fun of by everyone:
So we will start with you;
Oh Man! who is only a herder,
Of the many Pigs of thoughts,
That root in the dung of time,
And graze in marsh and canals.
The King of the highest Throne,
Offers thee the Crown of Heavenly life,
Provided that thou as evidence of payment,
Wouldst in return give up the World:
And not the whole World,
Because that is not possessed by thee,
But only a piece, the smallest part,
A rag, a fragment, short in measure.
The desire of the eyes, flesh and greatness,
And all the earthly comforts,
The idle pleasure and false rest,
And whatever desire has gathered together.
That is the rag of the world’s cloak,
Which thou dost need to tear from the heart,
So that, it marvelously spent,
Thee mayest receive Heaven’s Princedom.
But no; that purchase is thee too dear,
Thou dost want to keep thine Pig’s cloak,
That tear is too sour for flesh and blood,
And too ungraceful to behold.
Thine state must remain respectable,
If the Lord of the Eternal life,
Wants to throw thee his Crown he may do so,
Thou dost not want to give that in return.
Who has now a nobler nature?
Thou, or the poor Pig herder?
Who is more worthy to be laughed at,
And further from righteous Judgment?
That weighs, after Crown, Person and Status,
So the heaviest will fall into thine hand.
(Translation by Josephine V. Brown, with editorial assistance from William G. Stryker)
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