4378# "我这里的羊群和牛群正在哺乳"象征内在和自然的良善尚未获得神性生命。"羊群"象征内在的良善（参2566，3783节）；而"牛群"则象征外在或自然层面的良善(（参2566，2180，2781节）。"哺乳"一词同样表示新生状态，在此特指在自然层面中正在诞生的灵性事物。在人重生的婴儿期阶段，灵性事物虽然存在但仅处于潜在状态，因为灵性的生命是从各个年龄阶段逐渐显现的，这个过程类似于从卵中孵化。从这个角度看，婴儿期就像是儿童期的"卵"，儿童期又如同青少年期和青年期的"卵"，而这些阶段则是成年期的"卵"。这意味着人在灵性上是不断诞生、持续发展的。通过这种理解，我们可以明白为什么"正在哺乳的羊群和牛群"象征着尚未获得神性生命的内在和自然的良善。这些概念也可以与前文第4377节关于婴儿期状态的解释相互参照，获得更全面的理解。
4378.“牛羊也正我管喂奶的时候”表尚未获得神性生命的良善，无论内层良善还是属世良善。这从“牛羊”和“喂奶”的含义清楚可知：“羊”是指内层良善（2566，3783节）；“牛”是指外层或属世良善（2566，2180，2781节）；“喂奶”也是指新近的良善，在此是指正在属世层里面出生的属灵良善。
在正重生之人所经历的婴儿状态下，属灵事物潜藏于内；因为属灵生命仿佛从蛋中孵化，逐渐从一个时期发展到另一个时期。婴儿时期可以说是童年时期的蛋，童年时期可以说是青少年时期的蛋，青少年时期可以说是成年时期的蛋，以致此人可以说在反复经历出生。由此明显可知，尚未获得神性生命、在此由吃奶的牛羊所表示的良善，无论内层良善还是属世良善是什么意思。也可参看刚才有关婴儿状态的阐述（4377节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 4378
4378. And that the flocks and the herds are suckling with me. That this signifies goods both interior and natural, which as yet have not acquired Divine life, is evident from the signification of "flocks," as being interior goods (n. 2566, 3783); and from the signification of "herds," as being exterior or natural goods (n. 2566, and further, n. 2180, 2781); and from the signification of "suckling," as being also recent goods, here spiritual goods that are being born in the natural. For in the state of infancy (in relation to the regeneration of man) spiritual things are in potency within; for spiritual life develops successively from one age to another, as from an egg. The age of infancy is as an egg to the age of childhood, and the age of childhood is as an egg to the age of youth and early manhood, and this as an egg to adult age; so that man is as it were being born continually. From this it is evident what is meant by goods both interior and natural which as yet have not acquired Divine life, and which are here signified by the flocks and the herds that are suckling. (See also what was said just above concerning the state of infancy, n. 4377.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 4378
4378. 'And the flocks and herds with me are suckling' means goods, interior ones and natural ones, which have not yet acquired Divine life. This is clear from the meaning of 'flocks' as interior goods, dealt with in 2566, 3783; from the meaning of 'herds' as exterior or natural goods, in 2566, and in addition in 2180, 2781; and from the meaning of 'sucklings' as goods which also are recent, and are in this case spiritual ones that am being born within the natural.
[2] In the state of infancy that a person passes through when being regenerated spiritual things are present in potentiality, for spiritual life emerges, as if from an egg, out of each consecutive age. The phase of infancy is so to speak the egg for that of childhood; the phase of childhood is so to speak the egg for that of adolescence and youth; and this phase is as it were the egg for that of adult years. Thus the person is so to speak repeatedly experiencing birth. This shows what is implied by goods, interior ones and natural ones, which have not yet acquired Divine life, meant here by 'flocks and herds that are suckling'. See also what has been stated immediately above in 4377 about the state of infancy.
Latin(1748-1756) 4378
4378. `Et greges et armenta lactentia apud me': quod significet bona interiora et naturalia quae adhuc non vitam Divinam adepta, constat a significatione `gregum' quod sint bona interiora, de qua n. 2566, 3783; ex significatione `armentorum' quod sint bona exteriora seu naturalia, n. 2566, et praeterea n. 2180, 2781; et ex significatione `lactentium' quod quoque sint recentia, hic spiritualia nascentia in naturali; [2] in statu enim infantiae cum regeneratur homo, spiritualia insunt potentia, nam spiritualis vita successive prodit a quacumque aetate, sicut ab ovo; aetas infantiae est quasi ovum aetati pueritiae, et aetas pueritiae est quasi ovum aetati adolescentiae et juventutis, et haec sicut ovum aetati adultae; sic quasi continue nascitur homo; inde patet quid intelligitur per bona interiora et naturalia quae adhuc non vitam Divinam adepta, quae hic significantur per `greges et armenta lactentia'; videantur etiam quae mox supra n. 4377 de infantiae {1} statu dicta sunt. @1 i hoc$