4063# "听见拉班儿子们的话语，说"象征主在自然层通过拉班所表示的良善而获得的真理的性质。这里的"儿子们"象征真理（参489，491，533，1147，2623，3373节）。而"拉班"则象征同源旁系的良善，这一点在3612，3665和3778节中已经阐明。这种良善的功用是作为引导，帮助引入真正的良善和真理（参3974，3982，3986节）。在此特别提到其引导作用，是因为当前正在讨论与这种良善分离的过程。
当经文提到"雅各听见话语"时，其内在意义揭示了这些真理相对于主在自然层所获得的良善的本质特征。这一点从随后的描述中清晰可见：这些话语中充满了不满情绪，他们抱怨说雅各夺走了他们父亲的一切，并且雅各也注意到拉班的面容对他已不如从前那般和善。关于"雅各"的象征意义，我们可以在3659，3669，3677，3775，3829和4009节中看到，他代表主的自然层，而在前一章中则特别代表自然层中真理之良善。
【2】通过"拉班"所象征的良善与通过"雅各"所象征的真理之良善之间的关系，在前一章已有详细说明和阐述。这个关系可以通过人的重生过程得到进一步理解，因为这段经文在其代表性意义上正是在讨论这个过程。
在重生过程中，主会使人处于一种中间的良善中。这种中间良善的作用是引导人获得真正的良善和真理。然而，一旦这些真正的良善和真理被引入并建立起来，这种中间的良善就会与人分离。任何对重生过程和新人状态有所了解的人都能明白，重生后的新人与重生前的旧人有着本质的区别。新人以属灵和属天的事物为乐，这些构成了他的喜悦和幸福；而旧人则以世俗和地上的事物为乐，这些构成了他的欢愉和快乐。正因如此，新人的目标指向天堂，而旧人的目标停留在世界。这清楚地表明，新人与旧人是完全不同的两种存在状态。
【3】要将人从旧人的状态引导到新人的状态，需要一个根本的转变过程：摒弃对世界的欲望，同时培养属天的情感。这个转变过程涉及无数的中间步骤，这些步骤只有主完全知晓，天使们通过主的启示也知道其中很多，但对人类来说却几乎完全是个奥秘。不过，这所有的过程，包括每个细节，都在圣言的内在意义中得到了完整的揭示。因此，当一个人从旧人转变为新人，也就是经历重生的过程时，这并不像某些人想象的那样是瞬间发生的事。相反，这个过程需要持续多年，实际上是贯穿人的整个一生直到最后一刻。这是因为这个过程包含了根除原有的世俗欲望，植入属天的情感，并赋予人一种全新的生命——这种生命是他以前从未拥有过的，甚至可以说是完全陌生的。正因为人的生命状态需要经历如此深刻的转变，唯一可行的方式就是让他在相当长的时期内处于一种中间状态的良善中。这种中间良善的特点是既包含对世界的情感，又包含对天堂的情感。如果不是通过这种中间良善的过渡，人就无法接受真正的属天良善和真理。
【4】这种中间良善，就是通过"拉班和他的羊群"所象征的。需要注意的是，人在这种中间良善的状态中不会无限期地停留，而是仅在其发挥必要作用的时期内存在。一旦这种良善完成了其过渡作用，就会被分离出去。本章正是在讨论这种分离的过程。
要理解这种中间良善及其完成使命后被分离的过程，我们可以通过人从婴儿到老年的成长历程来加以说明。我们都知道，人生的每个阶段都有其独特的状态：婴儿期、童年期、青年期、成年期和老年期，每个阶段都有其特定的特征。
同样显而易见的是，当人从一个阶段过渡到另一个阶段时，总会脱离前一阶段的特征。比如，进入童年时会脱离婴儿期的玩乐方式，进入青年期时会脱离童年的生活方式，进入成年时会脱离青年期的特征，最后进入老年时会脱离成年期的状态。通过深入思考，我们可以认识到每个年龄阶段都有其独特的快乐和价值，这些快乐和价值不仅服务于当前阶段，更是为下一个发展阶段做准备。这种逐步递进的过程最终引导人达到老年时期，在这个阶段，人能够体会到源于聪明和智慧的更深层次的快乐。
【5】这让我们清楚地看到，每当一个新的生命状态开始时，先前的状态就会被舍弃。不过，这个人生阶段的比喻仅仅是为了帮助我们理解中间状态的快乐如何发挥作用，以及在进入新阶段时如何被舍弃。
然而，重生的过程与这种自然的成长有着本质的区别。当一个人经历重生时，他会进入一个与之前完全不同的状态。这种转变不是通过自然的方式实现的，而是通过主的超自然作为完成的。任何人都无法绕过主所预备的重生媒介而达到那种状态，这就是我们所讨论的中间良善的重要性。
当一个人通过这个过程被引导到新的状态，直到他不再以世俗、地上和肉体的事物为人生目标，而是转而以属天的事物为追求时，那么这个中间良善的使命就完成了，因此会被分离出去。这里所说的以某物为目标，实质上就是在所有事物中特别偏爱和追求它。
4063.“雅各听见拉班的儿子们有话说”表属于“拉班”所表良善的真理，相对于主由此在属世层中所获得的良善而言，是何性质。这从“儿子”的含义和“拉班”的代表清楚可知：“儿子”是指真理（参看489，491，533，1147，2623，3373节）；“拉班”是指来自共同家族的旁系良善（3612，3665，3778节），因而是指诸如服务于引入纯正良善与真理的那类良善（3974，3982，3986e节），在此是指已提供如此服务的良善，因为所论述的主题是它的分离。“雅各听见的话”在内义上就表明相对于主在属世层中所获得的良善而言，这类真理的性质。这一点从接下来的话可以看出来，因为它们都是愤怒的话，拉班的儿子声称雅各把他们父亲所有的都夺了去，并且雅各见拉班的脸色不如从前。“雅各”代表主的属世层，在前一章代表其中的真理之良善（参看3659，3669，3677，3775，3829，4009节）。
从前一章的阐述和说明可以看出，“拉班”所表示的良善相对于“雅各”所代表的真理之良善是何情形。我们可通过人重生的状态进一步说明这一点，就代表意义而言，人重生的状态也是此处所论述的主题。当人正在重生时，主将他保守在一种居间类型的良善中。这种良善是为引入纯正的良善与真理而服务的；不过，一旦这些良善与真理被引入，这居间良善就与它们分离。凡对重生和新人有所了解的人，都能明白，新人完全不同于旧人；因为新人拥有对属灵和属天事物的情感，这些构成其快乐和幸福的感觉；而旧人拥有对世俗和尘世事物的情感，这些构成其快乐和愉悦的感觉。所以，新人关注天上的目的，而旧人关注世上的目的。由此明显可知，新人完全不同并迥异于旧人。
为了将人从旧人的状态引入新人的状态，人必须脱去对世界的贪恋，披上对天堂的情感。这一过程通过无数手段实现，这些手段唯有主知道，其中许多手段，主也会让天使知道，但只有极少数手段为世人所知。尽管如此，所有这些手段，无论总体还是细节，都在圣言的内义中被揭示出来。因此，当人从旧人转变为新人时，也就是当他重生时，这一过程并非如有些人所想的那样瞬间完成，而是要历经多年。事实上，这个过程甚至贯穿人的整个一生，直到临终。因为他的贪恋必须被根除，对天堂的情感必须被植入，并且他必须被赋予之前从未拥有，甚至几乎前所未闻的生命。因此，既然他的生命状态必须被大幅度地改变，那么他就必须长期被保持在一种居间良善中，这种良善既具有对世界的情感，也具有对天堂的情感。他若不被保持在居间良善中，绝不会允许天上的良善与真理进入他自己里面。
这种居中或居间良善就是“拉班及其羊群”所表示的。不过，人只是在这居间良善提供具体功用期间被保持在它里面。一旦完成服务，它就被分离出去。这种分离就是本章所论述的主题。这居间良善的存在，以及它提供其功用之后的分离，可通过每个人从小到老所经历的状态变化来说明。众所周知，在生命的每个阶段，如婴儿期，童年期，青少年时期，成年期和老年期，人的状态各不相同。人们也都知道，当人进入少年时期的状态时，他便脱去婴幼儿时期的状态，扔掉它的玩具；当进入青年时期的状态时，他会脱去少年时期的状态；当进入成年状态时，反过来又脱去青年时期的状态；最后当进入老年状态时，他又脱去成年的状态。人若认真思考一下，还能意识到，生命的每个阶段都有其独特的快乐，并且他藉着这些快乐通过连续阶段被引入下一个阶段的快乐；这些快乐服务于这一目的：把他带入下一个阶段，直到最终他被带入老年的聪明和智慧的快乐中。
由此明显可知，当披上一种新的生命状态时，之前的事物总是被抛在身后。不过，这个比方只能说明这一点：快乐仅仅是手段，当人进入下一个状态时，它们就被抛在身后。而在人重生期间，他的状态变得完全不同于他之前的状态；主不是以任何属世的方式，而是以一种超自然的方式将他引向这种状态。若非藉着唯独主所提供的重生手段或媒介，因而通过所提到的居间良善，谁也达不到这种状态。一旦他被带入这种状态，也就是说，在这种状态下，他不再以世俗、尘世和肉体的事物为目的，而是以天上的事物为目的，那么这居间良善就被分离出去。以某种事物为目的，就意味着爱这种事物超过其它任何事物。
注：3986e节，即3986节末尾，e表末尾。
Potts(1905-1910) 4063
4063. And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying. That this signifies the truths of the good signified by "Laban," of what quality they were relatively to the good acquired thereby by the Lord in the natural, is evident from the signification of "sons," as being truths (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the representation of Laban, as being collateral good of a common stock (n. 3612, 3665, 3778), and thus such goods as may serve for the introducing of genuine goods and truths (n. 3974, 3982, 3986e); here, the good that had so served, for its separation is treated of. Jacob's "hearing the words" involves in the internal sense what their quality was relatively to the good acquired by the Lord in the natural, as may be seen from what now follows; for they were words of indignation, and declared that Jacob had taken all that was their father's, and Jacob saw the faces of Laban, that he was not as yesterday and the day before. (That Jacob represents the Lord's natural, and in the foregoing chapter the good of truth therein, may be seen above, n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 3829, 4009.) [2] How the case is with the good signified by "Laban" relatively to the good of truth represented by Jacob, may be seen from what has been stated and shown in the foregoing chapter. This may be further illustrated by the states of man's regeneration, which in the representative sense is also here treated of. When a man is being regenerated, he is kept by the Lord in a kind of mediate good. This good serves for introducing genuine goods and truths; but after these have been introduced, it is separated from them. Everyone who has learned anything about regeneration and about the new man, can understand that the new man is altogether different from the old; for the new man is in the affection of spiritual and heavenly things, and these produce its delights and pleasantnesses; whereas the old man is in the affections of worldly and earthly things, and these produce its delights and pleasantnesses; consequently the new man has regard to ends in heaven, but the old man to ends in the world. From this it is manifest that the new man is altogether different and diverse from the old. [3] In order that a man may be brought from the state of the old man into that of the new, the concupiscences of the world must be put off, and the affections of heaven must be put on. This is effected by innumerable means, which are known to the Lord alone, and many of which have also been made known by the Lord to angels; but few if any to man. Nevertheless all of them both in general and particular have been made manifest in the internal sense of the Word. When therefore a man, from being the old man is made a new one (that is, when he is being regenerated), it is not done in a moment, as some believe, but through a course of years; nay, during the man's whole life, even to its end; for his concupiscences have to be extirpated, and heavenly affections have to be insinuated; and the man has to be gifted with a life which he had not before, and of which indeed he knew scarcely anything. Seeing therefore that the man's states of life have to be so greatly changed, it must needs be that he is long kept in a kind of mediate good, that is, in a good which partakes both of the affections of the world, and of the affections of heaven; and unless he is kept in this mediate good, he in no wise admits heavenly goods and truths. [4] This mediate or middle good is what is signified by "Laban and his flock." But man is kept in this middle good no longer than until it has served this use; but this having been served, it is separated. This separation is treated of in this chapter. That there is an intermediate good, and that it is separated after it has subserved its use, may be illustrated by the changes of state which every man undergoes from infancy even to old age. It is known that a man's state is of one kind in infancy, of another in childhood, another in youth, another in adult age, and another in old age. It is also known that a man puts off his state of infancy with its toys when he passes into the state of youth; that he puts off his state of youth when he passes into the state of young manhood; and this again when he passes into the state of mature age; and at last this state when he passes into that of old age. And if one will consider he may also know that every age has its delights, and that by these he is introduced by successive steps into those of the age next following; and that these delights had served the purpose of bringing him thereto; and finally to the delight of intelligence and wisdom in old age. [5] From all this it is manifest that former things are always left behind when a new state of life is put on. But this comparison can serve only to show that delights are means, and that these are left behind when the man enters into the state next following; whereas during man's regeneration his state becomes altogether different from his former one; and he is led to it, not in any natural manner, but by the Lord in a supernatural manner; nor does anyone arrive at this state except by the means or media of regeneration, which are provided by the Lord alone, and thus by the mediate good of which we have been speaking. And when the man has been brought to that state in which he has no longer worldly, earthly, and corporeal things as his end, but those which are of heaven, then this mediate good is separated. To have anything as the end is to love it more than anything else.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4063
4063. 'He heard the words of Laban's sons, saying' means the nature of the truths belonging to the good meant by 'Laban' in comparison with the good thereby acquired in the Natural by the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'sons' as truths, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373, and from the representation of 'Laban' as a parallel good that springs from a common stock, dealt with in 3612, 3665, 3778, and so the kind of good which might serve to introduce genuine goods and truths, dealt with in 3974, 3982, 3986 (end), here which had in fact served to do so because the separation of that good is the subject. Jacob 'heard the words' implies in the internal sense the nature of such truths in comparison with the good which the Lord acquired in the Natural. This may be seen from what immediately follows, in that the scene was one of anger: Laban's sons said that Jacob had taken everything that belonged to their father, and Jacob saw that Laban's face was not friendly towards him as it had been before. For 'Jacob' represents the Lord's Natural, and in the previous chapter the good of truth within the Natural, see 3659, 3669,3677, 3775, 3829, 4009.
[2] How the good meant by 'Laban' compares with the good of truth, represented by 'Jacob', may be seen from what has been stated and shown in the previous chapter. The same may be further illustrated by means of the states which a person passes through when being regenerated, a subject which is also dealt with here, in the representative sense. When someone is being regenerated the Lord maintains him in an intermediate kind of good, a good which serves to introduce genuine goods and truths. But once those goods and truths have been introduced, that intermediate good is separated from them. Anyone who knows anything at all about regeneration and about the new man can appreciate that the new man is entirely different from the old, for the new man has an affection for spiritual and celestial matters since these constitute his feelings of delight and blessedness, whereas the old man's affections are for worldly and earthly things, and these constitute his feelings of delight and pleasure. The new man's ends in view therefore lie in heaven, whereas the old man's lie in the world. From this it is evident that the new man is entirely different from and unlike the old.
[3] So that a person may be led from the state of the old man into that of the new, worldly passions have to be cast aside and heavenly affections assumed. This is effected by countless means known to the Lord alone, many of which the Lord has made known to angels but few if any to man. Even so, every single one of those means is revealed in the internal sense of the Word. When therefore a person is converted from an old man into a new one, that is, when he is regenerated, it does not take place in an instant as some people believe, but over many years. Indeed the process is taking place throughout the person's whole life right to its end. For his passions have to be rooted out and heavenly affections implanted, and he has to have a life conferred on him which he did not possess previously, and of which in fact he scarcely had any knowledge previously. Since therefore his states of life have to be changed so drastically he is inevitably maintained for a long time in an intermediate kind of good which partakes both of worldly affections and of heavenly ones. And unless he is maintained in that intermediate good he in no way allows heavenly goods and truths into himself.
[4] That intermediate good is the kind meant by 'Laban and his flock'. But a person is maintained in that good only so long as it serves its particular use. Once it has served it, it is separated. This separation is the subject in this chapter. The existence of this intermediate good, and its separation when it has served its use, may be illustrated from the changes of state which everyone undergoes from early childhood even to old age. It is well known that in each phase of life - early childhood, later childhood, youth, adulthood, and old age - a person's state is different. It is also well known that a person lays aside the state of early childhood and its playthings when he passes into the state of later childhood, and that he lays aside the state of later childhood when he passes into that of youth, and this in turn when he passes into the state of adulthood, and that he finally lays this aside when he passes into the state of old age. And if anyone thinks it over he can also recognize that each phase of life has its particular delights. He can recognize that by means of these he is introduced by consecutive stages into those which belong to the next phase and that such delights have served to bring him through to that next phase, till at length he is brought to the delight of intelligence and wisdom in old age.
[5] From this it is evident that former things are always left behind when a new state of life is assumed. But this comparison merely serves to make the point that delights are simply means and that they are left behind when a person enters whatever state comes next. When however a person is being regenerated his state is made entirely different from the previous one, towards which the Lord is leading him not by any natural process but by a supernatural one. Nor does anyone reach that state except by the means belonging to regeneration which the Lord alone provides, and so by the intermediate good which has been referred to. And once he has been brought to that state, to the point of his no longer having worldly, earthly, and bodily things as his end in view but those of heaven, that intermediate good is separated. Having something as one's end in view means loving it more than anything else.
Latin(1748-1756) 4063
4063. `Audivit verba filiorum Labanis, dicendo': quod significet boni per `Labanem' significati vera qualia respective ad bonum acquisitum inde in Naturali a Domino, constat ex significatione `filiorum' quod sint vera, de qua n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, (x)3373; et ex repraesentatione `Labanis' quod sit bonum communis stirpis collaterale, de qua n. 3612, 3665, 3778, ita tale bonum quod inserviret introducendis bonis et veris genuinis n. 3974, 3982, 3986; hic quod inserviverit, nam agitur de separatione ejus;quod `audiverit Jacob verba' involvit in sensu interno qualia essent respective ad bonum acquisitum in Naturali a Domino, ut constare potest a nunc sequentibus, nam indignationis {1} erant, et dixerunt quod `sumpserit Jacob omnia quae patri illorum, et vidit Jacob facies Labanis, quod non sicut heri nudius tertius'; quod `Jacob' repraesentet Naturale Domini, et in capite praecedente bonum veri ibi, videatur n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 3829, 4009. [2] Quomodo cum bono per `Labanem' significato respective ad bonum veri quod per `Jacobum' repraesentatur, se habet, constare potest ab illis quae in capite praecedente dicta et ostensa sunt;
illustrari hoc amplius potest per status regenerationis hominis, de quo etiam in sensu repraesentativo hic agitur; quando regeneratur homo, tunc in bono quodam medio tenetur a Domino, hoc bonum inservit bonis et veris genuinis introducendis, sed postquam haec bona et vera introducta sunt, tunc separatur inde; quisque qui de regeneratione et de novo homine aliquid novit, capere potest quod novus homo prorsus sit alius quam vetus, est enim novus homo in affectione rerum spiritualium et caelestium; hae enim faciunt jucunda et beata ejus; at vetus homo est in affectionibus rerum mundanarum et terrestrium, et hae faciunt jucunda et amoena ejus;
proinde novus homo spectat fines in caelo, vetus autem homo fines {2} in mundo; inde patet quod homo novus prorsus alius et diversus sit a veteri; [3] ut homo perducatur a statu veteris hominis in statim novi, exuendae erunt concupiscentiae mundi, et induendae affectiones caeli; hoc fit per innumerabilia media, quae soli Domino nota sunt, et quorum plura etiam nota sunt angelis a Domino, at pauca si ulla homini; sed usque omnia et singula manifestata sunt in sensu interno Verbi; cum itaque homo a veteri homine fit novus, hoc est, cum homo regeneratur, non fit momento ut aliqui credunt, sed per plures annos, immo per totam hominis vitam usque ad ultimam ejus; exstirpandae enim sunt concupiscentiae ejus et insinuandae affectiones caelestes, et vita donandus est homo {3} quam prius non habuit, immo de qua prius vix aliquid novit; cum itaque status vitae ejus in tantum mutandi, non aliter potest quam ut diu teneatur in bono quodam medio, nempe in bono quod tam participat de affectionibus mundi quam de affectionibus caeli, et nisi in (t)illo bono medio teneatur, nusquam admittit bona et vera caelestia; [4] illud bonum, nempe bonum medium, est quod per `Labanem et gregem ejus' significatur; sed homo in bono illo medio non diutius tenetur quam cujusque dum id inserviverit usui illi;
eum autem inserviverat tunc separatur; de separatione hac in hoc capite agitur: quod bonum medium sit, et postquam hoc inserviverat usui, quod separetur, illustrari: potest a status mutationibus quas unusquisque homo subit ab infanti usque ad senectutem; notum est quod alius status hominis sit in infantia ejus, alius in pueritia, alius in juventute, alius in adulta aetate, et alius in senectute;
etiam notum est quod homo statum infantiae cum ejus lusoriis exuat cum transit in statum pueritiae, et quod statum pueritiae exuat cum transit in statum juventutis, et hunc iterum cum transit in statum adultae aetatis, et demum hunc cum transit in statum senectutis; et si expendit, etiam ei notum esse potest quod unaquaevis aetas sua jucunda habeat, et quod per illa successive introducatur in ea quae sunt sequentis aetatis, et quod illa jucunda inserviverint ei ad illuc perveniendum, et tandem ad jucundum intelligentiae et sapientiae in aetate senili; [5] inde patet quod priora semper relinquantur cum novus vitae status induitur: sed comparatio haec inservire solum potest ad sciendum quod jucunda media sint, et quod ea relinquantur cum homo intrat statum sequentem; cum autem homo regeneratur, tunc fit status ejus prorsus alius a priore ad quem non naturali modo ducitur sed supernaturali a Domino; nec ad illum statum aliquis pervenit nisi per regenerationis media, quae a solo Domino providentur, ita per bonum medium de quo actum est; et cum ad illum statum perductus est, usque ut non amplius pro fine habeat mundana, terrestria et corporea, sed illa quae caeli sunt, tunc bonum illud medium separatur; pro fine habere est amare unum prae altero. @1 in indignatione$ @2 i spectat$ @3 A d homo$