7870.“那夜”表他们邪恶的状态。这从“夜”的含义清楚可知，“夜”是指当只有邪恶和虚假外什么也没有之时的状态。因为“夜”是“昼”的对立面，“幽暗”是“光明”的对立面，“昼”和“光明”表示真理和良善掌权的状态。因此，“夜”也表示教会的最后阶段；事实上，那时由于没有信或仁，掌权的是虚假和邪恶（参看2353，6000节）。“夜”也表示完全的荒凉（7776节），以及诅咒（7851节）。由此明显可知，那些在地狱里的人的状态被称为“夜”。倒不是说夜间的黑暗笼罩他们，因为他能看见彼此。但由于存在于天堂中的真理和良善的状态被称为“昼”，所以虚假和邪恶的状态被称为“夜”。此外，当有一丝天堂之光流入时，地狱就有幽暗存在；因为这时，他们用来看见的光化为乌有，变成幽暗。
诚然，他们用来看见的光之源头是从主经由天堂而来的光，因为来世没有来自任何其它源头的光。但在地狱里的人当中，来自主的光通过理解真理的能力进入。能使他们理解的这种能力仍与他们同在，正如它与每个人同在一样，无论他们多么深深陷入邪恶和虚假之中。但当天堂之光从这种能力进入他们的意愿（他们的意愿就是不想去理解），并从这种意愿进入与他们同在的邪恶和虚假时，对他们来说，天堂之光就转化为类似炭火所发出的那种光。如前所述，当天堂之光流入时，这光就因天堂之光而转化为完全的幽暗。地狱就有这种如同炭火所发出的那种光（参看1528，3340，4418，4531节）；当天堂之光出现时，这光就转化为幽暗（1783，3412，4533，5057，5058，6000节）。由此可见，在来世，各人拥有哪种光取决于他的理解力是在源于良善的真理上接受指教，还是在由邪恶所生的虚假上接受指教。
Potts(1905-1910) 7870
7870. In that night. That this signifies the state of their evil, is evident from the signification of "night," as being a state when there is nothing but evil and falsity; for "night" is opposed to "day," and "thick darkness" to "light," and by "day" and "light" is signified when there is truth and good; consequently by "night" is also signified the last time of the church, for then, because there is no faith and charity, falsities and evils reign (see n. 2353, 6000); by "night" is also signified total devastation (n. 7776), and likewise damnation (n. 7851). From all this it is evident that the state of those who are in hell is called "night"-not that the darkness of night prevails with them, for they see one another; but because the state of truth and good which is in the heavens is called "day," consequently the state of falsity and evil is called "night." Moreover, there is thick darkness there when anything of light from heaven flows in; for then their light from which they see is dissipated and becomes thick darkness. [2] The light from which they see is indeed derived from the light from the Lord through heaven, for in the other life there is no light from any other source; but this light with those in hell is received by the capacity they have of understanding truth. This capacity of being able to understand remains with them, as it does with every man, however much they are in evil and falsity; but when that heavenly light passes from this capacity into the will, so that they do not wish to understand, and from this passes into evil and falsity, then the heavenly light with them is turned into a light which is like the light from a coal fire; and this light, as already said, is turned into dense thick darkness by the light of heaven when it flows in. (That in the hells there is such a light as is that from a coal fire, see n. 1528, 3340, 4418, 4531; and that this light is turned into thick darkness at the presence of the light of heaven, n. 1783, 3412, 4533, 5057, 5058, 6000.) From all this it can be seen that in the other life everyone has light according as his capacity of understanding is instructed in truths from good, or in falsities from evil.
Elliott(1983-1999) 7870
7870. 'On that night' means their state - a state of evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'night' as a state when there is nothing but evil and falsity. For night describes the opposite of day and thick darkness the opposite of [clear] light, and 'day' and '[clear] light' mean a state in which truth and good reign. This being so, 'night' also means the last phase of the Church, for at that time falsities and evils reign because there is no faith or charity, see 2353, 6000. In addition 'night' means when vastation is completed, 7776, and also damnation, 7851. From all this it is evident that the state of those who are in hell is called 'night'. Not that the thick darkness of night envelops them, for they can see one another. But since the state of truth and good which exists in heaven is called 'day', the state of falsity and evil is called 'night'. Also thick darkness exists in hell when any light at all from heaven flows into it; for then the inferior light which they see by is reduced to nothing and becomes thick darkness.
[2] The source of the inferior light they see by is, it is true, light from the Lord coming through heaven; for in the next life no light comes from anywhere else. But among those in hell that light from Him enters by way of the ability to understand what is true. The ability enabling them to understand remains with them, as it does with every human being, however much they may be steeped in evil or falsity. But when that heavenly light passes on into their will - that is to say, into unwillingness to understand - and consequently passes into the evil and falsity that reside with them, the heavenly light is turned for them into inferior light resembling that emitted from a coal fire. And, as has been stated, that inferior light is converted into utterly thick darkness by the light of heaven when this flows into it. Regarding the inferior light in hell, its being like that emitted from a coal fire, see 1528, 3340, 4418, 4571; and regarding its conversion into thick darkness at the presence of the light of heaven, 1783, 3412, 4533, 5057, 5058, 6000. From all this it may be recognized that in the next life the kind of light each one has depends on whether his ability to understand is furnished with truths springing from good or with falsities arising from evil.
Latin(1748-1756) 7870
7870. `In nocte illa': quod significet statum mali illorum, constat (c)ex significatione `noctis' quod sit status cum non nisi quam malum et falsum; opponitur enim nox diei {1}et caligo luci, et per `diem' (c)et `lucem' significatur statum cum verum et bonum; inde per `noctem' etiam significatur ultimum tempus Ecclesiae, nam tunc quia nulla fides et charitas, falsa et mala regnant, videatur n. 2353, 6000; etiam per `noctem' significatur devastatio totalis, n. 7776, (d)ut et damnatio, n. 7851. Ex his patet quod status illorum qui in inferno sunt dicatur `nox'; non quod caligo noctis apud illos sit, nam se mutuo vident, sed quia status veri et boni, qui in caelis, dicitur `dies,' inde status falsi et mali dicitur `nox'; etiam est caligo ibi cum aliquid lucis e caelo illuc {2}influit; tunc (d)enim lumen illorum, ex quo vident, dissipatur et fit caligo. 2 Lumen ex quo vident est quidem ex luce a Domino per caelum, nam in (x)altera vita non aliunde est aliqua lux, sed haec apud illos in inferno recipitur a facultate intelligendi verum apud illos; facultas, quod possint intelligere, remanet apud illos ut apud omnem hominem, utcumque in malo {3}aut falso sunt, sed cum lux illa caelestis a facultate illa transit in {4}voluntatem, quod nempe non velint intelligere, et inde in malum et falsum, quae apud illos, tunc lux caelestis {5}illis vertitur in lumen quod simile lumini ex igne carbonario est; quod lumen, ut dictum, vertitur in densam caliginem a luce caeli cum influit; quod in infernis sit lumen {6}quale est quod ex igne carbonario, videatur n. 1528, 3340, 4418, 4531; et quod lumen illud vertatur in caliginem ad praesentiam lucis caeli, n. 1783, 3412, 4533, 5057, 5058, 6000. Ex his constare potest quod in altera vita cuique sit lux secundum facultatem intelligendi instructam veri ex bono, aut falsis ex malo. @1 seu$ @2 incidit$ @3 et$ @4 facultatem non volendi$ @5 apud illos$ @6 quasi$