Ludovicus van Leuven, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1629)
Table of contents ↑Laqueus Amoris [17]
Laqueus Amoris.
XVII.
1 Tim.6.
Chrysost.
Idiot.
Chrysost.
INfidiæ sunt in diuitiarū amplitudine; est enim
illarum Amor, rete, vinculumque tenacissimum.
diuites quanto copiosius suis opibus ambiuntur,
tantò onerosius vinciuntur. experientiâ discimus
nihil esse laboriosius in hoc mundo quam terre-
nis æstuare desiderijs. terrenarum diuitiarum
amor insatiabilis est, & longe amplius desiderio
te torquet quam refrigeret vsu suo. illarum quo-
que acquisitio, magni laboris est; possessio, magni
timoris; amissio, magni doloris, qui illas amat
Deum amare non potest, sed cum ipsis labentibus
labitur in perditionem: & qui eis innititur per
amorem, cum ipsis defluit in mærorem. qui enim
eas inuenit, requiem perdit: & cum vigilat aug-
mentum cogitat: cum dormit, fures somniat. in
die est afflictus, & in nocte pauidus, semper au-
tem mendicus. O Anima, vides per effectum
quod laqueus est in auro, viscus in argento, & pe-
dica in prædio. quia qui aurum petit, strangula-
tur; qui argentum, visco hæret; & qui prædia,
alligatur. qui manè quærit lucrum, vesperi repe-
rit animæ detrimentum. amat namque illa quæ
possessa onerant, amata inquinant, & amissa cru-
ciant, quæque arctius parta, quam concupita cō-
stringunt. Disrupto igitur vinculo è laqueo prosi-
li, & non reponatur aurum tibi in domo, sed
quod innumeris est prætiosius pecunijs; eleemo-
sina & humanitas pro auro: nam hæ fiduciam tibi
apud Deum præbebunt. illud vero vehementer
contra te diabolum spirare facit.
INfidiæ sunt in diuitiarū amplitudine; est enim
illarum Amor, rete, vinculumque tenacissimum.
diuites quanto copiosius suis opibus ambiuntur,
tantò onerosius vinciuntur. experientiâ discimus
nihil esse laboriosius in hoc mundo quam terre-
nis æstuare desiderijs. terrenarum diuitiarum
amor insatiabilis est, & longe amplius desiderio
te torquet quam refrigeret vsu suo. illarum quo-
que acquisitio, magni laboris est; possessio, magni
timoris; amissio, magni doloris, qui illas amat
Deum amare non potest, sed cum ipsis labentibus
labitur in perditionem: & qui eis innititur per
amorem, cum ipsis defluit in mærorem. qui enim
eas inuenit, requiem perdit: & cum vigilat aug-
mentum cogitat: cum dormit, fures somniat. in
die est afflictus, & in nocte pauidus, semper au-
tem mendicus. O Anima, vides per effectum
quod laqueus est in auro, viscus in argento, & pe-
dica in prædio. quia qui aurum petit, strangula-
tur; qui argentum, visco hæret; & qui prædia,
alligatur. qui manè quærit lucrum, vesperi repe-
rit animæ detrimentum. amat namque illa quæ
possessa onerant, amata inquinant, & amissa cru-
ciant, quæque arctius parta, quam concupita cō-
stringunt. Disrupto igitur vinculo è laqueo prosi-
li, & non reponatur aurum tibi in domo, sed
quod innumeris est prætiosius pecunijs; eleemo-
sina & humanitas pro auro: nam hæ fiduciam tibi
apud Deum præbebunt. illud vero vehementer
contra te diabolum spirare facit.
Lacet de l'Amour.
XVII.
L'or, & l'argent, & les biens de la terre,
Sont vn lacet, qui nous estrangle, & serre
Par le collet, quand nous n'y pensons pas.
Infame Amour, qui nous emporte, & traisne
Par ces attraicts à ceste fin vilaine,
Et d'vn nœud d'or, à l'eternel trespas.
XVII.
L'or, & l'argent, & les biens de la terre,
Sont vn lacet, qui nous estrangle, & serre
Par le collet, quand nous n'y pensons pas.
Infame Amour, qui nous emporte, & traisne
Par ces attraicts à ceste fin vilaine,
Et d'vn nœud d'or, à l'eternel trespas.
Translations
|
The snare of love. |
|
There are traps hidden in vast riches. The love for these is a net and is a very gripping bond. The more the rich are surrounded
by ever wealthier affluence, the more they are weighed down and tied down by it. Through experience we learn that nothing
weighs us down more in this world than to burn with earthly desires. Love for earthly riches is unsatiable and tortures you
to a much greater extent by the desire it causes, than that wealth would cool you down by enjoying it. The attainment of it
takes a lot of effort. The possession thereof a lot of anxiety, the loss a lot of grief. Who loves it cannot love God, but
together with its owners as they lapse, wealth slides into perdition. And who leans on it for love, slides away together with
it onto sorrow. For who finds it loses peace and quiet: he think of extending it when he is awake, he dreams of thieves when
he sleeps. By day he is stricken, by night he panics, but always he is needy. O soul, you see by its effect that there is
a snare in gold, glue in silver, a shackle in a mansion. Because he who strives to acquire gold is strangled by it, who goes
after silver will stick to the glue, who tries to get a mansion is tied to it. Who searches for gain early in the morning
finds damage to his soul in the evening. For he loves that of which the possession weighs him down, the love of which makes
him evil, the loss of which tears him apart, and what he has gained ties him down more than his desire for it ever had. Break
the fetter therefore and jump out of the noose, and do not store gold in your home, but what is worth more than an innumerable
amount of money: compassion and humanity instead of gold. For the latter will make that you set your trust with God. The former
will make the devil breathe heavily against you. |
|
But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped. |
Sources and parallels
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Possibly based on, not mirrored, the word 'mvndani' removed from the motto, blindfolded Cupid taking place of the
devil and background landscape added, in: Laqueus amoris mundani. [5] (in: anonymous, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1628))
[Compare
]
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Same copperplate, slightly altered, in: De liefde ziet na geen rykdommen [33] (in: Willem den Elger, Zinne-beelden der liefde (1703))
[Compare]
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TESTQuæstus Amoris [18] (in: Ludovicus van Leuven, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1629))
[Compare]
References, across this site, to this page:
- Laqueus amoris mundani. [5] (in: anonymous, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1628))
- Quæstus Amoris [18] (in: Ludovicus van Leuven, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1629))
- De liefde ziet na geen rykdommen [33] (in: Willem den Elger, Zinne-beelden der liefde (1703))