Here is today's emblem and distich by
Joachim Camerarius, 1:1. This emblem sets up a direct equation between the way the mountain depends on the rays of the sun with the way that we depend on the illumination of God. In the little essay that accompanies the emblem, Camerarius cites the Letter of James, 1.18, πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστιν, καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, which Camerarius cites in Latin as:
Omne munus bonum et omne donum perfectum descendit desuper a Patre luminum (in the Vulgate:
Omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre luminum).
Si Serenus Illuxerit
Mons omni hoc, nisi Sol foveat, viduatur honore:
Quicquid ages, cassum disperit, absque Deo.Here is the vocabulary:
mons - mountain
omnis - each, every, all,
hic, haec, hoc - this, these
nisi - unless, except for
Sol - the sun
foveo - to keep warm, foster
viduo - to widow, deprive of a husband, deprive
honos - honor, esstem, public office
quicquid - whatever
ago - drive, act, do
cassus - empty, in vain
dispereo - die, disappear, be ruined
absque - without, apart from
deus - god
