The Scrub-Brush
Author: Luiken, Jan, 1649-1712
Image Title: The Scrub-Brush
Scripture Reference:
- James 4 (further images / scripture text)
Description: The biblical admonition to moral purity in James 4:8 is illustrated in this domestic scene, where one maid busily scrubs the paving stones of an interior courtyard, as a second brings more water. The poem nearby observes, though, that though a scrub-brush cleans the dirty footsteps, the feet of much that is evil tramp through the open court yard of the house of the soul and so leave dirty footprints. 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 wrote the accompanying poem.
Motto: The courtyard is perfect.
Poem:
The dirty footsteps,
Require, the Scrub-brush to clean:
But, alas! how the feet tread there,
Through the open unlocked court,
Of the Heart’s House,
Of many who should not be there!
From, the front, the back, the side,
With Mud, Dirt, and stains,
From untrodden and deep paths;
From East, from West, from here and there,
The whole day back and forth,
From the Market, from streets and alleys.
And not only from the world’s quarter,
But feet from hell’s realm,
Yes claws and dragon feet,
Dirtied and filthy from devil’s dung,
Make a stain with each step,
From Satan and his partners.
And this Ground, made so filthy,
Remains unscrubbed and unclean:
That must be a sight for God’s eyes!
While man keeps the House built for the Flesh,
Neat, clean, and tidy,
How the poor man is deceived!
(Translation by Josephine V. Brown, with editorial assistance from William G. Stryker)
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