~ Steigt in eu'r Herz, dir, so die Herzen ~ | |
This stein shows the trade of "der Schlotfeger" (chimney-sweep) and seems to indicate a moral analogy of cleaning one's heart of dark thoughts like cleaning a chimney of black soot. The stein is ca. post WW II. The scene and verse on the stein is from a copper engraving by Christoph Weigel circa 1700. The German is old and somewhat obscure and the translation below is as close as we can get it. | |
Steigt in eu'r Herz, dir, so die Herzen, die Lasterhaffte fehler schwartzen, zu richten und zu fegen wißt: Sonst gleicht ihr, die ihr euch sollt lehren, dem, der den Ruß vom Schlot will kehren, und selber dick' - berußet ist. |
Listen to your heart, you who understand how to sweep clean the sinful errors which darken your heart: otherwise you are like someone who wants to sweep the soot from the chimney but who himself is covered with soot. |
The text shown below the picture is incomplete, but from the engraving reads: |
Kehrt ab durch wahre Buß, in euch den Sünden-Ruß. |
Sweep away the soot of sin in you through true repentance. |
Translation: Friends of Franz Schatz Photo credit: Unknown |