
Desidiam abiiciendam.
Away with idleness.
Quisquis iners abeat, in choenice figere sedem[1]
Nos prohibent Samii[2] dogmata sancta senis.
Surge igitur, duroque manus adsuesce labori,
Det tibi dimensos crastina ut hora cibos.
Let the idle man take himself off -- the holy pronouncements of the old sage of Samos forbid us to sit tight on the bushel-box. Get up therefore, get your hands accustomed to hard work, so that tomorrow’s hour may give you your due measure of sustenance.

Chasser paresse
Voisent au loing, gens paresseux:
Dieu na point cy noz repoz mis:
Dont Pithagoras blasme ceulx
Qui sont sans art, & endormis:
Car contre le sens des formis,
Ne gaignent que pour ung jour vivre:
Comme qui leur auroit promis,
Que sante les doibt tousjours suyvre.
1. This saying, which became a proverbial expression of idleness, is quoted in various ancient sources (e.g. Plutarch, De Iside et Osiride10). A bushel was a day’s ration of corn, and ‘to sit on the bushel-box’ (a container holding a bushel measure, and convenient in size for sitting on) meant to be idle and improvident, leaving tomorrow to take care of itself, since today was provided for.
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards - AA - both arms or hands [31AA2515] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm or hand held in front of the body [31A2516] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothed in rags (+ men's clothes) [41D29(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body (+ men's clothes) [41D223(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- container of metal: bucket, can, canister, drum, tin [41A771] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gear for legs and feet (+ men's clothes) [41D233(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head bent forward; bowing [31A244] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear (+ men's clothes) [41D221(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking downwards [31B6212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mound, verge [25H1131] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting on an elevation [31A2352] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting with arms or elbows on the knees (+ variant) [31A2353(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trousers, breeches (+ men's clothes) [41D231(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- worn or torn clothes ®® KEY (7) TO 41D fashion, clothing [41D(+7)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- health [31A469] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Idleness; 'Otio' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54DD2(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Industriousness, Assiduity; 'Assiduità', 'Industria', 'Zelo' (Ripa) [54A11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- insects (with NAME) [25F711(ANT)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Poverty; 'Povertà', 'Povertàdel doni', 'Povertàin uno ch'habbia bell'ingegno' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [55BB1(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Pythagoras, the philosopher representations to which the NAME of a person from classical history may be attached [98B(PYTHAGORAS)3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Sloth, Indolence, 'Acedia', 'Desidia'; 'Accidia' (Ripa) ~ personification of one of the Seven Deadly Sins [11N37] Search | Browse Iconclass
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