940、住在这个地狱的，大多是龌龊贪婪的犹太人。当他们来到其他灵人中间时，他们的存在感觉就像老鼠的臭味。关于犹太人，让我来说一说他们的城市和荒漠中的强盗，以表明他们死后的境况何等悲惨，尤其那些龌龊贪婪，并且由于与生俱来的傲慢，认为自己是唯一的选民，从而与自己相比看不起他人的犹太人。
由于他们活在肉身时就梦想并确认这种错误观念，即：他们注定要进入耶路撒冷，并占有圣地，却不想知道新耶路撒冷是指主在天上和地上的国度，所以当他们进入来世时，他们的幻觉使他们看见一座城，在欣嫩子谷或火坑左侧，稍靠前一点，他们大批涌入其中。然而，这城又泥泞又恶臭，因此被称为肮脏的耶路撒冷。他们在那里的街道上四处奔跑，嚎啕大哭，污垢和烂泥没过脚踝。他们亲眼看见这些城，包括街道。这些东西如在晴朗的白天一样呈现在他们面前。我自己也数次看见过这些城。
有一次，一个皮肤黝黑的灵人从这个肮脏的耶路撒冷出来，出现在我面前，城门似乎打开了。有星星在他周围流荡，尤其在他的左侧；在灵人界，灵人周围流荡的星星表示虚假；但当星星不四处流荡时，意思就不同了。他走到我跟前，把自己贴在我的左耳上部，似乎用嘴碰了碰，好与我说话。他说话时，声音似乎是从别人，而不是从他那里发出的；而事实上，他在自己里面说话，却仍能让我听到并明白。他说他是犹太人的拉比，在那个泥泞的城市生活了很长时间。他还说，无论你走到哪里，那城的街道上全是污垢和烂泥，并且除了烂泥外什么也吃不到。
我问他作为一个灵人，为什么想吃东西；他回答说，他的确吃了，当他想吃东西的时候，除了烂泥外什么也没给他，这让他非常难过。他声称他没有找到亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各，因此求问他该怎么办。我将这三人的一些情况告诉了他，并补充说，寻求他们是枉然，即便找到他们，他们也决不能给他提供任何帮助。提了一些更深层的问题后，我说，不可寻求任何人，唯独寻求主，祂是弥赛亚，在世时曾被他们这些犹太人轻蔑地弃绝。我接着说，祂统治整个天堂和整个大地，帮助唯独来自祂。这时，他急切地反复问道：“主在哪里？”我说，祂无处不在，祂听见并知道我们所有人。但就在这时，其他一些犹太灵人把他拖走了。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]940. This hell is where most of the Jews who had been appallingly greedy go.{*1} When they come near other spirits, the stench of rats announces their presence.
Speaking of Jews, let me tell how wretched their condition is after death — at least the condition of those who had been rapacious and despised others in comparison with themselves (from the inborn arrogance of their belief that they alone were the chosen people). Let me also say something about their cities and about some outlaws in the wilderness.
During bodily life they had dreamed up and proved to their own satisfaction the idea that they were destined to arrive in Jerusalem — in the Holy Land there — and possess it, unwilling to see that the New Jerusalem means the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and on the earth. When they reach the next life, their delusion causes them to see a city that is to the left of Gehenna{*2} and a little out in front of it, which they enter in a mob. The city is full of putrid-smelling mud, though, and for this reason is called the foul Jerusalem. There they run around through the streets, ankle deep in muck and mud, complaining and howling.
(With their eyes they see cities, and streets too. Such things are represented to them as in clear daylight. I myself have seen cities several times.)
[2] I observed one rather shadowy spirit coming from this foul Jerusalem. A kind of gate opened. There were some wandering stars around him, especially on his left. (Wandering stars around a spirit symbolize falsity in the world of spirits; the case is different with stars that do not wander.) He came up and attached himself from above to my left ear, which he seemed to touch with his mouth in order to speak with me. He did not talk in a clearly audible voice, as others do, but inwardly, to himself, though still in such a way that I could hear and understand it.
He said that he was a Jewish rabbi and that he had lived in that muddy city for a long time. "The streets you have to go on there," he said, "are nothing but muck and mud. And there's nothing to eat but mud."
"Since you're a spirit, why should you want to eat?" I asked.
"I do eat," he said, "and when I want to eat, no one offers me anything but mud. So I complain bitterly.
"What's to be done, then?" he went on to ask. "I can't find Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob."
I told him a few things about the patriarchs. "There's no point in looking for them," I added. "If you do find them, they won't be able to help you at all." And I said some other, rather hard-to-grasp things. "You should not be looking for anyone but the Lord alone," I went on. "He's the Messiah, whom the Jews despised during their lives. He rules the whole of heaven and all the earth without anyone else's help."
"Where is he?" the rabbi anxiously asked me several times.
"You find him everywhere," I said, "and he hears and knows everyone." But then some other Jewish spirits dragged him away.
Footnotes:
{*1} On Swedenborg's attitude toward Jews, see note 4 in 259 and the reader's guide, pages 51-55. [JSR]
{*2} For more about Gehenna, see 825-826 and note 3 in 374. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 940
940. In this hell are for the most part Jews who have been sordidly avaricious, whose presence too when they come to other spirits is perceived as the stench of mice. In regard to the Jews something may be said about their cities and the robbers in the desert, to show how miserable is their state after death, especially that of those who have been sordidly avaricious and have despised others in comparison with themselves in consequence of their inborn arrogance in thinking themselves to be the only chosen people. In consequence of having conceived and confirmed in themselves, during their life in the body, the phantasy that they shall go to Jerusalem, and the Holy Land, to possess it (not being disposed to understand that by the New Jerusalem is meant the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and on earth), there appears to them, when they come into the other world, a city on the left of Gehenna, a little in front, to which they flock in crowds. This city, however, being miry and fetid, is called the filthy Jerusalem; and here they run about the streets, over the ankles in dirt and mud, pouring out complaints and lamentations. They see these cities-indeed I have sometimes seen them myself-and the streets therein, with all their defilements, represented as in open day. There once appeared to me a certain spirit of a dusky hue coming from this filthy Jerusalem, the gate seeming as it were to be opened. He was encompassed about with wandering stars, especially on his left side; wandering stars around a spirit signifying in the spiritual world falsities, but it is different when the stars are not wandering. He approached, and applied himself to the upper part of my left ear, which he seemed to touch with his mouth, in order to speak with me; but he did not speak in a sonorous tone of voice like others, but within himself, nevertheless in such a manner that I could hear and understand. He said that he was a Jewish Rabbi, adding that he had been in that miry city for a long time, and that the streets thereof were nothing but mud and dirt. He said also there was nothing to eat in it but dirt, and on my asking why he who was a spirit desired to eat, he replied that he did eat, and that when he desired to eat, nothing was offered him but mud, which grieved him exceedingly. He inquired what he must do, having in vain tried to meet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I related to him some particulars respecting them, informing him it was in vain to seek for them, and that even if they were found, they could not possibly afford him any assistance. After adverting to matters of deeper import, I said that no one ought to be sought after but the Lord alone, who is the Messiah whom they had despised on earth; and that He rules the universal heaven and the universal earth, and that help comes from Him alone. He then asked anxiously and repeatedly where the Lord was. I replied that He is to be found everywhere, and that He hears and knows all men. But at that instant other Jewish spirits drew him away.
Elliott(1983-1999) 940
940. The majority in this hell are Jews who have been disgustingly avaricious, and when they come among other spirits their presence is detected as the stench of mice. While on the subject of Jews let some account of their cities and of the robbers in the desert be given to show how wretched their condition is after death, that is to say, the condition of those who have been disgustingly avaricious and who, because of the arrogance bred into them, have looked down on others and imagined that they alone were the elect.
[2] As a result of their having conceived and confirmed for themselves during their lifetime the false notion that they would enter into Jerusalem and would possess the Holy Land - not wishing to know that by the New Jerusalem is meant the Lord's kingdom in heaven and on earth - a city appears to them when they enter the next life on the left side of Gehenna and a little to the front. Into the city they stream in solid masses. That city however is muddy and stinking, and is therefore called the filthy Jerusalem. There they rush in all directions through its streets, ankle-deep in sludge and mud, wailing and lamenting as they do so. This city, including its streets, they see with their eyes; it is a representation to them, as in clear daylight, of the kind of people they are. I have indeed seen that city frequently.
[3] A swarthy person coming out of this filthy Jerusalem once appeared before me, the gate seeming to be opened. Roving around him, chiefly on his left side, there were stars - in the world of spirits stars roving around a spirit mean falsities; the meaning is different when the stars are not roving around. He came up to me and pressed himself to the upper part of my left ear which he seemingly touched with his mouth so as to speak to me. No sound came from him as from others when he spoke; instead he spoke within himself, yet his speech was such that I heard and understood. He said that he was a Jewish rabbi and had been in that muddy city for a long time. He also said that the streets of the city were nothing but sludge and mud wherever you went, and that there was nothing else but muck to eat.
[4] I asked why it was so that he, being a spirit, should desire to eat at all. He said that he did eat, and when he desired to eat, he was offered nothing other than muck, which he moaned about exceedingly. Saying that he had not found Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he asked what he ought therefore to do. I told him certain facts concerning these three, and added that he was seeking them in vain. Even when he found them, I said, they could be no possible help whatever. In addition to mentioning other deeper matters I said that nobody at all ought to be sought except the Lord alone, who is the Messiah whom during their lifetime these Jews had rejected with contempt. I went on to say that He rules the whole heaven and the whole earth, and that help comes from none other. He asked eagerly and repeatedly, 'Where is He?' I said that He is found everywhere, and that He hears and knows us all. But at that point some other Jewish spirits dragged him away.
Latin(1748-1756) 940
940. In hoc inferno sunt quoad multam partem Judaei qui sordide avari fuerunt; quorum praesentia quoque, cum ad alios spiritus veniunt, ex fetore murium sentitur. Quia de Judaeis, quam miserabilis eorum status post mortem sit, nempe eorum qui sordide avari fuerunt et contempserunt alios prae se ex innata arrogantia, quod putaverint se solos esse qui electi, de urbibus eorum et latronibus in deserto licet referre.[2] Ex phantasia quam in vita corporis conceperunt et apud se confirmarunt, quod venturi in Hierosolymam et ibi in terram sanctam quam possessuri, non volentes scire quod per Novam Hierosolymam intelligatur regnum Domini in caelis et in terris, quando in alteram vitam veniunt, apparet iis urbs a sinistro Gehennae paulo antrorsum in quam confertim alluunt; sed urbs illa est caenosa et putida, quare spurca Hierosolyma vocatur; ibi discurrunt per plateas, in luto et caeno supra talos, querentes et ejulantes. Urbem {1} vident oculis, etiam plateas; est iis repraesentatio talium ut in clara die: vidi etiam aliquoties urbem {1}.
[3] Apparuit nihil quidam obscurus veniens spurca hac Hierosolyma; aperiebatur tanquam porta; circum eum errantes stellae erant a sinistra ejus imprimis; stellae errantes circum spiritum significant in mundo spirituum falsitates; aliter dum stellae non errantes sunt; accessit ad me et applicuit se sinistrae meae auri superne, quam tangebat quasi ore ut mecum loqueretur; sed non locutus est voce sonora ut alii, verum intus in se usque tamen ut audirem et intelligerem; dicebat quod Rabbinus Judaeus esse et quod a longo tempore fuerit in urbe ista caenosa; dicens quod plateae ibi nihil nisi lutum et caenum essent, ubi eundum; et quod non alio cibo vesceretur quam caeno.
[4] Quaerebam cur ita, quia spiritus, quod cuperet edere. Dixit quod edat, et cum cupit edere, nihil aliud ei offerri quam caenum, quare valde lamentatus: quaerebat ergo quid faciendum, dicens se non invenire Abrahamum Isacum et Jacobum; de quibus aliqua ei referebam et quod frustra quaererentur et dum inveniuntur, prorsus nihil opis ferre possint, praeter alia quae arcaniora sunt; dicebam quod nullus alius quaerendus quam solus Dominus, Qui est Messias, Quem in vita contempserunt, et quod Ipse regat universum caelum et universam terram, et quod a nullo alio auxilium: quaesivit sollicite aliquoties ubi est. Dixi quod inveniatur ubivis et quod audiat et norit omnes: sed tunc alii spiritus Judaei eum retrahebant.
@1 urbes I.$