WISE & FOOLISH

Metropolitan Museum

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Matthew - Pillips Translation

25:1-13 - "In those days the kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were sensible and five were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. But the sensible ones brought their lamps and oil in their flasks as well. Then, as the bridegroom was a very long time, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But in the middle of the night there came a shout, 'Wake up, here comes the bridegroom! Out you go to meet him!" Then up got the bridesmaids and attended to their lamps. The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, 'Please give us some of your oil - our lamps are going out!' 'Oh no,' returned the sensible ones, 'there might not be enough for all of us. Better go to the oil-shop and buy some for yourselves.' But while they had gone off to buy the oil the bridegroom arrived, and those bridesmaids who were ready went in with him for the festivities and the door was shut behind them. Later on the rest of the bridesmaids came and said, 'Oh, please, sir, open the door for us!' But he replied, 'I tell you I don't know you!' So be on the alert - for you do not know the day or the time.

Blake read the Bible as vision and symbol. He painted this illustration similarly. Matthew likens the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins or bridesmaids - as Phillips translates the word. The young women prepared themselves to attend a marriage feast. They hoped to join a ceremony bringing together a man and a woman in holy matrimony. Their part in the festivities will be to bring light. 

But the virgins themselves are divided into two groups: those who bring oil for their lamps and those whose lights will cease to burn if the arrival of the bridegroom is delayed. Five miss the arrival of the bridegroom because they leave to replenish their oil when it is depleted.

The story that Blake tells in the picture is of the two groups of girls. Five are ready to receive the blessing of participating in a wedding. Five are anguished because their lamps can no longer furnish any light for the commemoration of the union.

In the sky above the women, the angel already sounds the trumpet indicating that the time has come that signals the completion of a phase of development and the beginning of a new world.

Milton, Plate 23 [25], (E 118)

"Awake thou sleeper on the Rock of Eternity Albion awake
The trumpet of Judgment hath twice sounded: all Nations are awake
But thou art still heavy and dull: Awake Albion awake!" 

Milton, Plate 25 [27], (E 121) 

"And Los stood & cried to the Labourers of the Vintage in voice of awe.

Fellow Labourers! The Great Vintage & Harvest is now upon Earth
The whole extent of the Globe is explored: Every scatterd Atom
Of Human Intellect now is flocking to the sound of the Trumpet
All the Wisdom which was hidden in caves & dens, from ancient    
Time; is now sought out from Animal & Vegetable & Mineral

The Awakener is come. outstretchd over Europe! the Vision of God is fulfilled
The Ancient Man upon the Rock of Albion Awakes," 

Four Zoas, Night IX, Page 117, (E 386)

"But Jesus stood beside them in the Spirit Separating
Their Spirit from their body. Terrified at Non Existence 

For such they deemd the death of the body. Los his vegetable hands
Outstretchd his right hand branching out in fibrous Strength
Siezd the Sun. His left hand like dark roots coverd the Moon
And tore them down cracking the heavens across from immense to immense
Then fell the fires of Eternity with loud & shrill 
Sound of Loud Trumpet thundering along from heaven to heaven
A mighty sound articulate Awake ye dead & come
To judgment from the four winds Awake & Come away"