950、有一群灵人从欣嫩子谷或火坑那一侧上来，朝前方的高处走来。我从他们发出的气场觉察到（因为就在灵人开始靠近的那一刻，仅从他们的气场就能发现他们的性质），他们把主看得一文不值，蔑视一切神性敬拜。他们的言语起伏不定。其中一个人以一种可耻的方式出言反对主，立刻就被扔到欣嫩子谷或火坑那一侧。他们正从前面移到我的头顶上，意在寻找他们可以联合的人，以便掌控他人。然而，他们一路上被放慢了脚步，并被告知要放弃他们的计划，因为结果会对他们不利。于是他们停了下来。这时我看了他们一眼。他们的脸是黑的，头上裹着一条白色头巾，这表示他们视神性敬拜，因而视主的圣言为黑色的东西，只对以良心的束缚来约束普通百姓有用。他们的居所在欣嫩子谷或火坑附近，那里有无毒的飞龙或飞蛇，这就是为何它被称为“龙的居所或蛇窝”。不过，他们不是骗子，所以他们的地狱不是那么阴森。这些灵人把一切都归于自己和自己的谨慎，并吹嘘他们无所畏惧。但事实证明，仅仅一声嘶嘶声就能把他们吓跑。一听到这声音，他们就惊恐地以为整个地狱要起来把他们带走，突然从勇士变得像女人。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]950. There was a troop of spirits surging out on one side of Gehenna,{*1} rising high up in front. From their aura{*2} I could tell that they held the Lord{*3} in contempt and despised all worship of God. (At the first approach of spirits, one can sense their character just from their aura.) Their speech rose and fell. One of them made scandalous charges against the Lord and was immediately tossed down to one side of Gehenna.
From in front they moved back over my head, intent on finding kindred souls they could band together with in order to dominate others. They were slowed down along the way, though, and told that they should give up their plan because it would turn out badly for them. So they came to a halt. I then had a look at them. Their faces were black,{*4} and around their heads each wore a white headband, meaning that they saw the worship of God — and the Lord's Word{*5} too — as something black, useful only for binding the fetters of conscience on the great mass of people.{*6} Their residence is near Gehenna, and nonpoisonous flying snakes live there, which is why it is called a snakes' nest.{*7} But since they are not charlatans, their hell is not very oppressive.
People like this ascribe everything to themselves and their own shrewdness and boast that they fear nothing, but they were shown that a mere hiss can drive them to terrified flight. Hearing one once, they assumed in their fright that all hell was rising up to carry them off, and from being heroes they suddenly became like women.{*8}
Footnotes:
{*1} On Gehenna, see both 374:1 and note 3 in 374. See also 825-831 and 940-942. [LHC, RS]
{*2} "Aura" is a translation of the Latin sphaera, literally a "sphere" of influence surrounding an individual. For more on auras, see 1504-1520 and note 2 in 1512. [RS]
{*3} By "the Lord" Swedenborg generally means Jesus; see 14 and note 2 in 1. [Editors]
{*4} The reference to color is not racial here; see both 814:2 and note 1 in 814. [RS, JSR]
{*5} By "the Lord's Word" here Swedenborg means the Bible. For a more nuanced description of the meaning of "the Word" in Swedenborg's theology, see note 1 in 981. [Editors]
{*6} The white band around the head does not seem to point to any historically attested group of skeptics; rather, it seems to symbolize the belief in conscience as a "binding" of the mind. The notion that religion is a substitute for public conscience was a philosophical commonplace throughout the Enlightenment period. For example, in the early Enlightenment the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) describes the use of religion "to keep the people in obedience and peace" (Hobbes [1651] 2012; 2:176 [chapter 12]). For a related note, see Swedenborg [1771] 2006, page 731 note 383 [NCBSP: This is a reference to a work in the bibliography from the Swedenborg Foundation]. [SS]
{*7} This is a reference to a phrase that occurs in Isaiah 34:13; 35:7; Jeremiah 9:11; 10:22; 49:33; 51:37. The Hebrew word that Swedenborg understands as "snakes" (Latin dracones, as in Schmidt 1696) is translated by most scholars as "jackals." The Hebrew is תַּנִּים (tannîm). [LHC]
{*8} It can be inferred here that these spirits are all male, but that inference is in any case irrelevant to the point of the final metaphor, which is that they stopped acting bold when they were threatened. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the practice of insulting a man's courage by comparing him to a woman goes back at least as far as Old Testament times: see Isaiah 19:16; Jeremiah 50:37; 51:30; to any or all of which Swedenborg may actually be alluding. Although Swedenborg at times mirrors common cultural prejudices against women, as in this passage, in other passages he goes against the current of his age and attributes superior qualities to them. For a general comment on characterizations of women in his works, see the reader's guide in volume 1, pages 55-56. [KK, JLO, LSW]
Potts(1905-1910) 950
950. There was a phalanx of spirits rising up from the side of Gehenna on high toward the front, from whose sphere it was perceived-for the quality of spirits may be perceived from their sphere alone, at their first approach-that they accounted the Lord as vile, and held all Divine worship in contempt. Their speech was undulatory. One of them spoke in a scandalous way against the Lord, and was at once cast down toward one side of Gehenna. They were being carried from the front up overhead, in the endeavor to meet with some with whom they might conjoin themselves in an attempt to reduce others to subjection, but they were retarded on the way, and were told to desist, because the attempt would be hurtful to them, so they came to a halt. Then they were seen. They had black faces, and had a white bandage round their heads, by which is signified that they regard Divine worship-and therefore the Lord's Word-as black, and useful only to keep the vulgar under the restraint of conscience. Their abode is near Gehenna, where are flying dragons, not venomous, from which it is called the Habitation of Dragons. But because they are not deceitful, their hell is not so grievous. Such spirits ascribe all things to themselves and their own prudence, and boast that they fear no one. But they were shown that a mere hiss would terrify them and put them to flight, for on a hiss being heard they thought in their terror that all hell was rising to carry them off, and from heroes they suddenly became like women.
Elliott(1983-1999) 950
950. There was a formation of spirits rising from the side of Gehenna up to an elevated position towards the front. I perceived from the sphere emanating from them (for the moment spirits start to approach their characters are perceptible merely from their sphere) that they regarded the Lord as worthless and despised all Divine worship. Their speech was undulatory. One of their number spoke against the Lord in a scandalous way and was instantly cast down towards one side of Gehenna. They were being carried along from a more forward region overhead, their intention being to meet those with whom they could join forces and bring others under their control. But they were stopped en route and were told to refrain from what they intended as this would be turned against them to their own harm. They accordingly came to a halt, at which point they could be seen. They had black faces and a white band around the head, which meant that they looked upon Divine worship, and thus the Word of the Lord too, as something black, useful only for restraining the common people by the bond of conscience. Their dwelling-place is near Gehenna where there are non-poisonous flying dragons, for which reason it is called 'the dwelling-place of dragons'. But because they are not given to deceit their hell is not so grim. Such spirits also attribute everything to themselves and their own prudence, and boast that they stand in fear of none. They were shown however that just a hissing sound would frighten them and put them to flight. On hearing the hissing they thought in their fright that the whole of hell was rising up to carry them away, and from being heroes they suddenly became as women.
Latin(1748-1756) 950
950. Erat phalanx spirituum exsurgens a latere Gehennae in altum antrorsum, ex quorum sphaera perceptum, (spiritus ad primum adventum possunt ex sola sphaera percipi quales sunt) quod vilem haberent Dominum et contemnerent omnem cultum Divinum; loquebantur undulatorie; unus ex iis scandalose contra Dominum locutus, qui ilico dejectus versus unum latus Gehennae: ferebantur ab anteriore supra caput animo ut offenderent, cum quibus se conjungerent ut subjugarent alios; sed retardabantur in via, et iis dictum quod desisterent quia hoc verteretur iis in malum; ita subsistebant; tunc visi sunt, facie erant nigri et circum caput habebant fasciam albam, quo significatur quod spectent cultum Divinum sicut nigrum, ita quoque Verbum Domini, modo utile ut teneat vulgus in vinculo conscientiae. Domicilium eorum est prope Gehennam ubi dracones volantes non venenati, unde vocatur hoc 'domicilium draconum'; sed quia non dolosi, infernum eorum non ita grave est. Tales quoque sibi suaeque prudentiae adscribunt omnia et se nullum timere jactant; sed ostensum iis quod modo sibilus eos in terrorem et fugam ageret; audito sibili ex terrore putabant totum infernum ascendere ut eos auferret, et ex heroibus facti subito sicut mulieres.