484# “神必从他们眼上擦去一切眼泪”表示虚假通过试探被移走后,来自对真理的情感的一种祝福状态。这从“从眼上擦去眼泪”的含义清楚可知,“从眼上擦去眼泪”是指除去由于虚假并来自虚假的头脑悲伤;由于当他们所经历的试探结束后,这种悲伤止息时,通过真理来自良善的祝福就随之而来,所以也表示这种祝福。事实上,天使所享有的一切祝福都通过真理从良善而来,或通过对真理的属灵情感而来;对真理的属灵情感来自良善,因为良善构成它,或说是它的原因。天使的一切祝福都来自这个源头,因为从主发出的神性真理构成天堂,无论总体还是细节,故那些处于神性真理的人就处于天堂的生命,因而处于永恒的祝福。
“眼上的眼泪”表示由于虚假并来自虚假的头脑悲伤,是因为“眼睛”表示对真理的理解;因此,“眼泪”表示悲伤,是因为没有对真理的理解,因而因为虚假。在以下经文中,“眼泪”具有相同的含义。以赛亚书:
祂要吞灭死亡,直到永远,主耶和华必擦去所有脸上的眼泪。(以赛亚书25:8)
这些话表示主将通过祂的降临移走那些从祂存活之人的邪恶和虚假,以至于将不再有由于它们并来自它们的头脑悲伤;“死亡”表示邪恶,因为属灵的死亡来自邪恶,或说邪恶是属灵死亡的原因;“眼泪”论及虚假。
值得注意的是,“流泪”和“哭泣”都表示由于虚假并来自虚假的悲伤,但“流泪”表示头脑的悲伤,“哭泣”表示由于虚假导致的内心悲伤。头脑的悲伤是属于真理的思维和理解力的悲伤,而内心的悲伤是属于良善的情感或意愿的悲伤;由于圣言处处都有真理与良善的婚姻,所以当表达由于教义或宗教的虚假导致的悲伤时,圣言就提到“哭泣”和“眼泪”这两者。“哭泣”表示内心的悲伤,这一点可从以下事实清楚看出来:“哭泣”从心里爆发出来,并通过嘴口爆发为哀号;而“流泪”是头脑的悲伤,这一点可从以下事实清楚看出来:它从思维通过眼睛发出来。无论哭泣还是流泪,都有水流出来,但这水是苦的、涩的,这是由从灵界进入人的悲伤的流注造成的;在灵界,苦水对应于由虚假造成的真理的缺乏,由此对应于悲伤;因此,那些处于真理的人会由于虚假而悲伤。由此可见,当提到“哭泣”时,圣言之所以也提到“眼泪”,是因为良善与真理的婚姻存在于圣言的每个细节中。
我只引用以下经文来证明这一点。以赛亚书:
我要为雅谢人,就是西比玛的葡萄树痛哭;希实本、以利亚利啊,我要以眼泪浇灌你。(以赛亚书16:9)
耶利米书:
我的灵魂必在暗地里哭泣,我的眼睛必流下泪水。(耶利米书13:17)
同一先知书:
但愿我的眼为泪水的泉源,我好昼夜哭泣。(耶利米书9:1)
耶利米哀歌:
她夜间痛哭,泪满脸颊。(耶利米哀歌1:2)
玛拉基书:
使眼泪、哭泣和叹息遮盖耶和华的祭坛。(玛拉基书2:13)
诗篇:
流泪撒种的,那哭着带种的。(诗篇126:5–6)
耶利米书:
要抑制你的声音,不要哭泣,抑制你的眼睛不要流泪。(耶利米书31:16)
同一先知书:
让哀悼的妇人速速为我们举哀,使我们的眼流下眼泪。(耶利米书9:18)
此处“举哀”取代了哭泣,因为它是哭泣的声音。诗篇:
我因呻吟而疲惫,整夜漂洗我的床;我用泪水浸湿我的榻。(诗篇6:6)
此处“漂洗床”表示哭泣,哭泣属于嘴,因为它论及呻吟;而具有相同含义的“浸湿榻”论及眼泪。引用这些经文是为了说明,当两个相似的词语出现在圣言中,尤其出现在先知书时,它们不是无谓的重复,而是一个与良善有关,一个与真理有关。
484. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.- That this signifies a state of blessedness from the affection of truth, after falsities have been removed by temptations, is plain from the signification of wiping away the tear from the eyes, which denotes to take away grief of mind on account of falsities and from falsities. And because, when that grief ceases after the temptations which they have undergone, blessedness by means of truths from good follows, therefore this also is signified. For all the blessedness which the angels enjoy comes by means of truths from good, or through the spiritual affection for truth, the spiritual affection for truth being from good,
because good is its cause.
[2] The reason why all the blessedness of angels is from this source is, that Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord makes heaven in general and in particular, therefore those who are in Divine truths are in the life of heaven, consequently in eternal blessedness. The reason why the tear from the eyes signifies grief of mind on account of falsities, and from falsities is, that the eye signifies the understanding of truth, and hence tears signify grief because there is no understanding of truth, and therefore because of falsities. The signification of tears in the following passage in Isaiah is similar:
"He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord Jehovih will wipe away the tear from off all faces" (25:8).
These words signify that the Lord by His coming, will remove evils and falsities with those who live from Him, so that there shall be no grief of mind on account of them, or from them. Death signifies evil, for evil is the cause of spiritual death; and the term "tear" is used in reference to falsity.
[3] It must be observed that both the shedding of tears (lacrimatio) and weeping (fletus), signify grief on account of falsities, and from falsities; but the shedding of tears, denotes grief of mind, and weeping, denotes grief of heart, on account of falsities. Grief of mind is grief of thought and understanding, which pertain to truth, and grief of heart is grief of the affection or will, which pertains to good; and because the marriage of truth and good exists everywhere in the Word, therefore both weeping and tears are mentioned in the Word when grief on account of the falsities of doctrine, or religion, is referred to. That weeping is grief of heart, is evident from this fact, that weeping bursts forth from the heart, and breaks out into lamentations through the mouth; and that the shedding of tears is grief of mind, is clear from this fact, that it issues forth from the thought through the eyes. In the act both of weeping and of shedding tears water comes forth, but bitter and alkaline, and this is occasioned by the influx into man's grief from the spiritual world, where bitter water corresponds to the want of truth on account of falsities, and consequently to grief; wherefore with those who are in truths there is grief on account of falsities. From these considerations it is evident that the reason why tears are mentioned in the Word when weeping is named, is, that the marriage of Good and Truth exists in every detail of the Word.
[4] In confirmation of this I will quote only the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"I will bewail Jazer the vine of Sibmah with weeping. I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh" (16:9).
In Jeremiah:
"My soul shall weep in secret places, and mine eye shall run down with tears" (13:17).
And again:
"O that mine eyes were a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night" (9:1).
In Lamentations:
"She shall weep sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks" (1:2).
In Malachi:
"To cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing" (2:13).
In David:
"They that sow in tears; and with weeping he beareth the measure of seed" (Psalm 126:5, 6).
In Jeremiah:
"Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears" (31:15, 16).
And in the same:
Let the mourning women "hasten and take up a lamentation for us, and let our eyes run down with tears" (9:18).
In these words wailing is put for weeping, because it is the voice of weeping.
Again in David:
"I am weary with my groaning; all the night wash I my bed; I moisten my couch with my tears" (Psalm 6:6).
By washing the bed is meant weeping, which is of the mouth, because it is said of groaning, whereas to moisten the couch, which is yet a similar thing, is said of tears. These passages are quoted in order to show that when two similar expressions occur in the Word, especially in the prophets, they are not vain repetitions, but that one has reference to good, and the other to truth.
484. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, signifies a state of blessedness from the affection of truth, after falsities have been removed by temptations. This is evident from the signification of "wiping away tears from the eyes," as being to take away grief of mind on account of falsities and from falsities; and as blessedness through truths from good follows when that grief ceases after the temptations that have been endured, so this too is signified; for angels have all their blessedness through truths from good, or through the spiritual affection of truth; the spiritual affection of truth is from good, and good constitutes it. This is the source of all blessedness with angels, because Divine truth proceeding from the Lord constitutes heaven in general and in particular, therefore those who are in Divine truths are in the life of heaven, consequently in eternal blessedness.
[2] A "tear from the eyes" signifies grief of mind on account of falsities and from falsities, because the "eye" signifies the understanding of truth; a "tear" therefore signifies grief because there is no understanding of truth, consequently because of falsities. "Tear" has a similar signification in Isaiah:
He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord Jehovih will wipe away tears from off all faces (Isaiah 25:8).
This signifies that the Lord by His coming will remove evils and falsities with those who live from Him, so that there will be no grief of mind on account of them and from them; "death" signifies evil, because spiritual death is from it; and "tear" is predicated of falsity.
[3] It is to be noted, that both "shedding tears" and "weeping" signify grief on account of falsities and from falsities, but "shedding tears" grief of mind, and "weeping" grief of heart on account of falsities. Grief of mind is grief of the thought and understanding, which pertain to truth, and grief of heart is grief of the affection or will, which pertain to good; and as there is everywhere in the Word a marriage of truth and good, both "weeping" and "tears" are mentioned in the Word when grief is expressed on account of falsities of doctrine or of religion. That "weeping" means grief of heart can be seen from the fact that "weeping" bursts forth from the heart and breaks out into lamentations through the mouth; and that "shedding tears" is grief of mind can be seen from this, that it issues forth from the thought through the eyes. In both weeping and in the shedding of tears water comes forth which is bitter and astringent, and this occurs through an influx into man's grief from the spiritual world, where bitter water corresponds to the lack of truth because of falsities, and to consequent grief; therefore those who are in truths grieve on account of falsities. From this it can be seen why it is that in the Word, where "tears" are mentioned "weeping" also is mentioned, namely, that it is on account of the marriage of good and truth in every particular of the Word.
[4] I will only adduce the following passages in evidence of this. In Isaiah:
I will weep with weeping for Jazer, the vine of Sibmah; I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh (Isaiah 16:9).
In Jeremiah:
In secret places my soul shall weep, and mine eyes shall run down with tears (Jeremiah 13:17).
In the same:
Who will give mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I may weep day and night (Jeremiah 9:1).
In Lamentations:
In weeping she will weep in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks (Lamentations 1:2).
In Malachi:
Covering the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing (Malachi 2:13).
In David:
They that sow with tears and he that weeping beareth the casting of seed (Psalms 126:5, 6).
In Jeremiah:
Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears (Jeremiah 31:16).
In the same:
Let the mourning-women make haste and take up a lamentation over us, that our eyes may flow down with tears (Jeremiah 9:18).
Here we have "lamentation" in place of weeping, because it is the voice of weeping. In David:
I am weary with my sighing, all the night do I bathe my bed; with my tears I make my couch to melt (Psalms 6:6).
Here "to bathe the bed" means by weeping, which is of the mouth, because it is said of sighing; while "to drench the couch," which has a like meaning, has reference to tears. These passages have been cited that from them also it may be known that two like expressions in the Word, especially in the Prophets, are not vain repetitions, but that one has reference to good, and the other to truth.
484. "Et absterget Deus omnem lachrymam e, oculis illorum." - Quod significet statum beatitudinis a veri affectione, postquam falsa per tentationes remota sunt, constat ex significatione "abstergere lachrymam ex oculis", quod sit auferre dolorem mentis propter falsa et ex falsis; et quia cessante illo dolore post tentationes, quas subierunt, successit beatitudo per vera ex bono, ideo etiam hoc significatur: omnis enim beatitudo angelis est per vera ex bono, seu per affectionem veri spiritualem; affectio veri spiritualis est ex bono, nam bonum facit illam: quod omnis beatitudo angelis inde sit, est quia Divinum Verum procedens ex Domino facit caelum in communi et in particulari; quare qui in Divinis veris sunt, in vita caeli sunt, proinde in beatitudine aeterna.
[2] Quod "lachryma ex oculis", significet dolorem mentis propter falsa et ex falsis, est quia per "oculum" significatur intellectus veri, et inde "lachryma" significat dolorem propter non intellectum veri, proinde propter falsa. Simile quoque significatur per "lachrymam apud Esaiam,
"Absorbebit mortem in aeternum, et absterget Dominus Jehovih lachrymam desuper omnibus faciebus" (25:8);
per quod significatur quod Dominus per adventum suum remoturus sit mala et falsa apud illos qui vivunt ex Ipso, sic ut nullus dolor mentis propter illa et ex illis erit; "mors" significat malum, quia ex illo est mors spiritualis, ac "lachryma" dicitur de falso.
[3] Sciendum est quod "lachrymatio" et "fletus" significent dolorem propter falsa et ex falsis, sed "lachrymatio" dolorem mentis et "fletus" dolorem cordis propter illa; dolor mentis est dolor cogitationis et intellectus, quae sunt veri, ac dolor cordis est dolor affectionis seu voluntatis, quae sunt boni; et quia ubivis in Verbo est conjugium veri et boni, ideo utrumque tam "fletus" quam "lachryma" in Verbo dicitur, quando exprimitur dolor propter falsa doctrinae seu religionis.
Quod "fletus" sit dolor cordis constare potest ex eo, quod fletus e corde eructetur, et in lamenta per os erumpat; et quod "lachrymatio" sit dolor mentis constare potest ex eo, quod ex cogitatione per oculos exeat; in utroque tam fletu quam lachrymatione exit aqua, sed amara et stringens, quae exit per influxum ex spirituali mundo in dolorem hominis, ubi aqua amara correspondet defectui veri propter falsa et inde dolori; quare apud illos qui in veris sunt est dolor propter falsa. Ex his videri potest unde est, quod in Verbo, ubi dicitur "lachryma" etiam dicatur "fletus", quod nempe propter conjugium boni et veri in singulis ibi
[4] In confirmationem velim sequentia loca modo adducere:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Deflebo fletu Jaeserem, Vitem Sibmae; rigabo te lachryma mea, chesbon et Eleale" (16:9);
apud Jeremiam,
In occultis locis flebit anima mea, .... ac descendet oculus meus lachryma" (13:17);
apud eundem,
"Quis dabit.... oculum meum scaturiginem lachrymae, ut fleam diu noctuque?" (8:23 [B.A. 9:1]);
in Threnis,
"Flendo flebit in nocte, et lachryma super gena ejus" (1:2);
apud Malachiam,
"Operire lachryma altare Jehovae, fletu et suspirio" (2:13);
apud Davidem,
"Qui serunt cum lachryma.., ac flendo portat jactum seminis" (Psalms 126:5, 6);
apud Jeremiam,
"Inhibe vocem tuam a fletu, et oculos tuos a lachryma" (31:16):
per "lavare lectum" intelligitur fletu, qui est oris, quia dicitur de anhelitu; at "madefacere cubile", quod tamen simile est, de lachryma. Haec adducta sunt, ut ex his quoque sciatur quod binae expressiones similes in Verbo, imprimis Prophetico, non sint repetitiones vanae, sed quod una se referat ad bonum et altera ad verum.