The Metals: Concealed Deep
Author: Luiken, Jan, 1649-1712
Image Title: The Metals: Concealed Deep
Scripture Reference:
- Job 28 (further images / scripture text)
Description: Several miners are at work around a mineshaft set in a mountain: two operate a windlass at the entrance of the mineshaft, one pushes a wagon with ore and a few work at a smelting oven. The Dutch artist and poet Jan Luiken (1649–1712) was responsible for drawing this emblem and composed the poem that accompanies it. The etching was executed by Jan Luiken or his son Casper Luiken (1672–1708), who had used this image in an earlier work, which may be found in the Digital Image Archive under the call number 1699Weig. The attendant scripture text is Job 28:1-2.
Motto: Purity, Takes much diligence.
Poem:
The metal from the mine in the mountain,
Is accompanied by much covering,
That first must be taken away,
Before it goes out for acceptable money:
The Quality of human life,
Just as that of Nature’s Mountain,
That has come up from Adam’s Mine,
Also demands a separation through fire.
The precious Gold lies deeply wrapped,
In the earthly lump of flesh and blood,
Mixed with vanity and sins,
As covering of the soul.
The Master, who at the end of Times
Will separate the mixture of the visible All,
Through the all-smelting fire,
And give each one, his suitable place;
He is life’s Artist;
He who desires to be pure Metal,
Must give himself into his hands,
His Oven purifies the hearts.
He will unwrap the Precious Part,
And bring it into its glory,
But what does not let itself be found by him
Remains impure until the whole is thrown away.
(Translation by Josephine V. Brown, with editorial assistance from William G. Stryker)
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