544、“是将来要用铁棒照管所有民族的”表示那通过源于圣言字义的真理，同时通过源于属世之光的理性事物将说服所有因与仁分离之信而处于死的敬拜、愿意被说服之人的。这句话论及新教会的教义，因为它论及“男孩子”，而“男孩子”表示这教义(AR 543节)；“照管”表示教导和指示(AR 383节)，在此表示说服那些愿意被说服的人；“民族”表示那些处于生活邪恶的人(AR 483节)，在此表示那些因与仁分离之信而处于死的敬拜之人，因为此处论述的是这些人；他们处于生活的邪恶，因为当仁被分离时，就没有任何生活良善了，哪里没有良善，哪里就有邪恶。“用铁棒照管”表示通过圣言字义的真理，同时通过源于属世之光的理性事物(可参看AR 148节)。
544. Who would shepherd all nations with a rod of iron. This symbolizes doctrine which by truths drawn from the literal sense of the Word, together with rational arguments in accord with people's natural sight, will convince all those willing to be convinced whose worship is a lifeless worship owing to their divorcing faith from charity.
This refers to the doctrine of the New Church, because it is said about the male child, which symbolizes that doctrine (no. 543). To shepherd means, symbolically, to teach and instruct (no. 383), here to convince those people who are willing to be convinced. Nations symbolize people caught up in evil practices (no. 483), here people engaged in dead worship in consequence of their divorcing faith from charity, because these are the subject here, and they are caught up in evil practices. For when charity is set aside, no goodness is practiced, and where there is no goodness, evil is present instead. To rule with a rod of iron means, symbolically, to do so by means of the truths in the Word's literal sense, and at the same time by rational considerations drawn from people's natural sight, as may be seen in no. 148 above.
544. 'Who is going to lead all nations to pasture with an iron rod' signifies which, by means of truths derived from the sense of the letter of the Word and at the same the by means of rational things derived from natural light, will convince all who are willing to be convinced, who are in dead worship derived from faith separated from charity. These things [are said] concerning the doctrine of the New Church, because concerning the 'male child' by which that doctrine is signified (543). By 'lead to pasture' (pascere) is signified to teach and instruct (383), here to convince those who are willing to be convinced. By 'nations' are signified those who are in evils of life (483), here those who are in dead worship derived from faith separated from charity, because it treats of those here; and they are in evils of life, for when charity is separated there is not any good of life, and where there is no good, there is evil. That 'to rule with an iron rod' signifies by means of the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word and at the same the by means of rational things derived from natural light may be seen above (148).
544. Who was to tend all nations with a rod of iron, signifies which, by truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, and, at the same time, by rational things from natural light, will convince all who are in dead worship from faith separated from charity, that are willing to be convinced. This is concerning the doctrine of the New Church, because it is spoken of "the son a male," by whom that doctrine is signified, (543); "to tend" signifies to teach and instruct, (383); here to convince those who are willing to be convinced; by "nations" are signified they who are in evils of life, (483); here, they who are in dead worship from faith separated from charity, because these are here treated of; and these are in evils of life, for when charity is separated, there is not any good of life, and where good is not, there evil is. That "to rule with a rod of iron" signifies by the truths of the literal sense of the Word, and, at the same time, by rational things from natural light, may be seen above, (148).
544. "Qui futurus pascere omnes gentes virga ferrea," significat quae omnes, qui in cultu mortuo ex Fide separata a Charitate sunt, per vera ex Sensu literae Verbi, et simul per rationalia ex naturali lumine, convincet, qui volunt convinci. - Haec de Doctrina Novae Ecclesiae, quia de "filio masculo," per quem illa doctrina significatur (543); per "pascere" significatur docere et instruere (383), hic convincere qui volunt convinci; per "gentes" significantur qui in malis vitae sunt (483), hic illi qui in cultu mortuo ex Fide separata a Charitate sunt, quia de illis hic agitur, et hi in malis vitae sunt; nam dum charitas separatur, non est aliquod bonum vitae, et ubi non bonum, ibi est malum. Quod "regere virga ferrea" significet per vera Sensus literae Verbi, et simul per rationalia ex naturali lumine, videatur supra (148).