988、“空中一切的飞鸟”表示推理所产生的虚假。这从“鸟”的含义清楚可知。在圣言中，“鸟”表示理解力的事物：那些温顺、有用、美丽的鸟表示理解力中的真理，或真实概念，那些凶猛、无用、丑陋的鸟表示理解力中的虚假，或推理的虚假（它们表示理解力的事物，可参看40，776，870节）。由此也明显可知，“鸟”表示推理及其虚假。为叫人没有怀疑的余地，除了前面（866节）所引用的关于乌鸦的经文外，以下经文会有助于证实这一点。耶利米书：
耶和华说，我要对他们实行四种惩罚，就是剑杀戮、狗撕裂、空中的飞鸟和地上的走兽吞吃毁灭。（耶利米书15:3）
空中的一切飞鸟都要宿在它的废墟上；田野的一切野兽都要卧在它的枝条下。（以西结书31:13）
但以理书：
荒凉最终必临到那可憎的鸟身上。（但以理书9:27）
启示录：
巴比伦成了各样污秽可憎之鸟的牢狱。（启示录18:2）
先知书多次声称，尸首必给空中的飞鸟和地上的野兽作食物（耶利米书7:33；19:7；34:20；以西结书29:5；39:4；诗篇79:2；以赛亚书18:6）。这表示他们将被虚假，就是“空中的飞鸟”，和邪恶或恶欲，就是“地上的野兽”摧毁。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]988. The fact that on every bird of the sky means over falsities produced by skewed logic can be seen from the symbolism of a bird.
In the Word, birds symbolize matters of understanding. Those that are tame, useful, and pretty symbolize true ideas in the intellect, but those that are savage, useless, and ugly symbolize misconceptions in the intellect, or falsities produced by the misuse of reason.
See 40, 776, 870 for evidence that birds symbolize matters of understanding. The same evidence can lead to the conclusion that they symbolize shady logic and the false ideas it produces. For the removal of all doubt on this score, the following passages (in addition to the statements in 866 about ravens) will serve as proof. In Jeremiah:
I will exact punishment of four kinds on them: with the sword, to kill; and with dogs, to drag; and with the bird of the sky and the beast of the earth, to devour and destroy. (Jeremiah 15:3)
In Ezekiel:
On its wreckage will live every bird of the sky, and among its branches will stand every wild animal of the field. (Ezekiel 31:13)
In Daniel:
Then at last upon the abominable bird — ruin. (Daniel 9:27)
In John:{*1} Babylon is a prison for every unclean and loathsome bird. (Revelation 18:2)
The prophets frequently say that a corpse would be given as food to the bird of the sky and beast of the earth (Jeremiah 7:33; 19:7; 34:20; Ezekiel 29:5; 39:4; Psalms 79:2; Isaiah 18:6). The meaning was that people would be destroyed by false notions (the birds of the sky) and evil impulses, or cravings (the beasts of the earth).
Footnotes:
{*1} As was the custom in his day, Swedenborg refers to the Book of Revelation as a book of John. [Editors]
Potts(1905-1910) 988
988. And upon every bird of heaven. That this signifies upon falsities of reasoning, is evident from the signification of "bird." In the Word "birds" signify intellectual things: those which are gentle, useful, and beautiful, signifying intellectual truths; and those which are fierce, useless, and ugly, signifying intellectual falsities, or falsities of reasoning. (That they signify intellectual things may be seen above, n. 40, 776, 870.) From this it is also evident that "birds" signify reasonings and their falsities. That there may be no doubt let the following passages (in addition to those cited about the raven, n. 866) serve for confirmation. In Jeremiah:
I will visit upon them in four kinds, saith Jehovah; the sword to slay, and the dogs to drag, and the fowl of heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy (Jer. 15:3). In Ezekiel:
Upon his ruin all the fowls of the heaven shall dwell, and all the wild animals of the field shall be upon his branches (Ezek. 31:13). In Daniel:
At last upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation (Dan. 9:27). In John:
Babylon is become a hold of every unclean and hateful bird (Rev. 18:2).Many times it is said in the Prophets that carcasses should be given for meat to the fowl of the air and to the beast of the field (Jer. 7:33; 19:7; 34:20; Ezek. 29:5; 39:4; Ps. 79:2; Isa. 18:6). By this was signified that they should be destroyed by falsities, which are "birds of heaven" and by evils, or cupidities, which are the "beasts of the earth."
Elliott(1983-1999) 988
988. 'Upon every bird of the air'a means over falsities that go with reasoning. This is clear from the meaning of 'a bird'. In the Word birds mean intellectual concepts - gentle, useful, and beautiful ones mean intellectual concepts that are true, but savage, useless, and ugly ones intellectual concepts that are false, that is, falsities that go with reasoning. That they mean intellectual concepts, see 40, 776, 870. From this it is also evident that birds mean reasonings and the falsities that go with them. To leave no one in any doubt, the places quoted below, in addition to what is mentioned in 866 concerning the raven, will serve to confirm the point. In Jeremiah,
I will visit them with four kinds [of destroyers], with the sword to slay, with dogs to tear, with the birds of the air,a and with the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. Jer 15:3.
In Ezekiel,
Upon its ruin will dwell every bird of the air,a and on its branches will be every wild animal of the field. Ezek 37:13.
In Daniel,
At length upon the bird of abominations will come desolation. Dan 9:27.
In John,
Babylon, a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. Rev 18:1.
And the Prophets declare many times that dead bodies would be given as food to the birds of the aira and to the beasts of the earth, Jer 7:33; 19:7; 34:20; Ezek 29:5; 39:4; Ps 79:2; Isa 18:6.This meant that they would be destroyed by falsities, which are 'the birds of the air'b, and by evils or evil desires, which are 'the beasts of the earth'.
Latin(1748-1756) 988
988. Super omnem avem caeli': quod significet super falsitates quae sunt ratiocinii, constat a significatione 'avis': aves in Verbo significant intellectualia; mites, utiles et pulchrae significant intellectualia vera; at immites, inutiles et deformes intellectualia falsa, seu falsitates quae sunt ratiocinii: quod significent intellectualia, videatur n. 40, 776, 870; inde quoque patet quod 'aves' significent ratiocinia et eorum falsa; quod ne alicui dubium sit, praeter quae de corvo dicta sunt n. (x)866, confirmationi inservient sequentia haec loca; apud Jeremiam, Visitabo super eos quatuor generibus.... gladio ad occidendum, et canibus ad trahendum; et avi caeli, et bestiae terrae, ad devorandum et perdendum, xv 3:apud Ezechielem, Super ruina ejus habitabunt omnis avis caeli; et ad ramos ejus erunt omnis fera agri, xxxi 13:
apud Danielem, Tandem super avem abominationum, desolatio, ix 27: apud Johannem, Babylon... custodia omnis avis immundae et exosae, Apoc. xviii 2:
pluries apud Prophetas, quod 'daretur cadaver in cibum avi caeli, et bestiae terrae,' Jer. vii 33; xix 7; xxxiv 20; Ezech. xxix 5; xxxix 4; Ps. lxxix 2; Esai. xviii (x)6, per quae significabatur quod perderentur a falsis quae sunt 'aves caeli,' et a malis seu cupiditatibus quae sunt 'bestiae terrae.'