10437.“为什么使埃及人讲说”表那些只对外在事物感兴趣的人，他们论到那些被提升到内在事物之人的话。这从“埃及人”的代表和“讲说”的含义清楚可知：“埃及人”是指那些只对外在事物感兴趣的人；“讲说”是指他们论到那些被提升到内在事物之人的话，因为后者是接下来的话在内义上所论述的人。“埃及人”之所以代表那些只对外在事物感兴趣的人，是因为在古代，埃及是有代表性教会存在于其中的那些人当中的一些人。因为这个教会遍及亚洲众多地区，而且那时埃及人在属于该教会的对应和代表的知识上胜过其它所有人，他们知道外在事物所代表、因而所表示的内在事物。但随着时间推移，临到有教会存在于其中的其他人身上的事同样临到了他们身上，因为他们从内在人变成了外在人，或说从对内在事物感兴趣变成对外在事物感兴趣，直到最后他们不再关心内在事物，并将整个敬拜都置于外在事物。
当这种情形也发生在埃及人身上时，他们胜过亚洲其它所有民族的对应和代表的知识就沦为邪术。这就是当敬拜的内在事物，也就是爱和信的事物被灭绝，而外在的代表性敬拜，连同它代表的内在事物的知识仍旧存留时所发生的情形。由于埃及人已经变成这个样子，所以在圣言中，他们表示内在事物的记忆知识，以及外在或属世之物。由于没有内在之物的外在之物要么是邪术，要么是偶像崇拜，而这二者是属地狱的，所以“埃及”也表示地狱。由此明显可知为何“为什么使埃及人讲说”表示那些只对外在事物感兴趣的人。
埃及也有代表性教会（参看7097，7296，9391节）；“埃及”表示两方面意义上的这类事物的记忆知识（1164，1165，1186，1462，2588，4749，4964，4966，5700，5702，6004，6015，6125，6651，6673，6679，6683，6750，7926节）；“埃及”表示属世或外在之物（4967，5079，5080，5095，5160，5276，5278，5280，5288，5301，5799，6004，6015，6147，6252，7353，7355，7648节）；“埃及”表示地狱（7039，7097，7107，7110，7126，7142，7220，7228，7240，7278，7307，7317，8049，8132，8135，8138，8146，8148，8866，9197节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 10437
10437. Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying. That this signifies those who are in mere external things concerning those who are being raised into internal things, is evident from the representation of the Egyptians, as being those who are in mere external things; and from the signification of "speak, saying," as being concerning those who are being raised into internal things, for in the internal sense these are treated of in what presently follows. The reason why by the Egyptians are represented those who are in mere external things, is that in ancient times the Egyptians were of those with whom there was a representative church; for this church was spread through many regions of Asia, and at that time the Egyptians were above all others in the science of correspondences and representations belonging to that church, for they were acquainted with the internal things which the external ones represented and consequently signified. But in course of time the like befell them as befell others among whom the church was instituted, in that from being internal men they became external, and at last did not care about internal things, but made all worship to consist in external things. [2] When this came to pass with the Egyptians also, the science of correspondences and of representations, in which they were versed above all the rest of the nations of Asia, was turned into magic, as is the case when the internal things of worship, which are of love and faith, are blotted out, the external representative worship still remaining, together with the knowledge of the interior things which are represented. As the Egyptians became such, therefore by them in the Word is signified the memory-knowledge of such things, and also what is external or natural; and as this without what is internal is either magical or idolatrous, both of which are infernal, therefore by "Egypt" is also signified hell. From this it is evident whence it is that by "wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying," are signified those who are in mere external things. [3] (That in Egypt also there was a representative church, see n. 7097, 7296, 9391; and that "Egypt" denotes the memory-knowledge of such things in both senses, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6673, 6679, 6683, 6750, 7926; that "Egypt" denotes what is natural or external, n. 4967, 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 5799, 6004, 6015, 6147, 6252, 7353, 7355, 7648; and that "Egypt" denotes hell, n. 7039, 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7240, 7278, 7307, 7317, 8049, 8132, 8135, 8138, 8146, 8148, 8866, 9197.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 10437
10437. 'Why should the Egyptians speak, saying' means those interested solely in outward things, what they say about those raised to inward things. This is clear from the representation of 'the Egyptians' as those interested solely in outward things; and from the meaning of 'to speak, saying' as what they say about those who are raised to inward things, the latter being the ones whom the words that directly follow refer to in the internal sense. The reason why those interested solely in outward things are represented by 'the Egyptians' is that in ancient times the Egyptians were some of those among whom the representative Church existed. For this Church had spread throughout very many regions of Asia, and at that time the Egyptians excelled all others in the knowledge of correspondences and representations, which were the characteristic of that Church. For they knew the inward things which outward ones represented and consequently were meaningful signs of. But in course of time the like happened to them as happens to others among whom the Church exists, when from being interested in inward things they become interested in outward ones, till at length they do not care about inward things, and make the whole of worship consist in outward things.
[2] When this also happened with the Egyptians the knowledge of correspondences and representations, in which they excelled all others in Asia, was turned into magic. This is what comes about when the inner things of worship, which are those of love and faith, are wiped out, while the outward representative worship still remains, together with knowledge of the inner things that are represented by it. Because the Egyptians came to be like this, in the Word they mean knowledge of inner things, and also that which is outward or natural. And since that which is outward devoid of what is inward is either magic or idolatry, both of which are hellish, 'Egypt' also means hell. From this it is evident why it is that 'why should the Egyptians say' means those interested solely in outward things.
[3] In Egypt as well the representative Church existed, see 7097, 7296, 9391. 'Egypt' means the knowledge of such things in both senses, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6673, 6679, 6683, 6750, 7926. 'Egypt' means that which is natural or external, 4967, 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 5799, 6004, 6015, 6147, 6252, 7353, 7355, 7648. 'Egypt' means hell, 7039, 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7240, 7278, 7307, 7317, 8049, 8132, 8135, 8138, 8146, 8148, 8866, 9197.
Latin(1748-1756) 10437
10437. `Quare dicent Aegyptii, dicendo': quod significet illos qui in meris externis sunt inde illis qui elevantur in interna, (n) constat ex repraesentatione `Aegyptiorum' quod sint qui in meris externis sunt, et ex significatione `dicere, dicendo' quod sit de illis qui elevantur in interna, nam de his in nunc sequentibus in sensu interno agitur; quod per `Aegyptios' {1}repraesententur illi qui in meris externis (x)sunt, {2}est quia Aegyptii antiquis temporibus inter illos fuerunt apud quos etiam Ecclesia repraesentativa fuit; haec enim Ecclesia per {3}plures regiones Asiae extensa fuit, et eo tempore erant Aegyptii prae reliquis in scientia correspondentiarum et repraesentationum, quae illius Ecclesiae, sciverunt enim interna quae externa repraesentabant et inde significabant; sed temporis tractu similiter cum illis factum est, prout cum aliis apud quos Ecclesia, quod ab internis hominibus fiant externi, et tandem ut non curent interna, ponendo omnem cultum in externis; [3] cum ita quoque factum est cum Aegyptiis, tunc scientia correspondentiarum et {4}repraesentationum, in qua prae reliquis in Asia fuerunt, versa fuit in magiam, quod fit cum interna cultus, quae sunt amoris et fidei, obliterantur, permanente usque cultu externo repraesentativo, {5}simul cum cognitione interiorum quae repraesentantur; quia tales facti sunt Aegyptii, ideo per illos in Verbo significatur scientia talium et quoque externum seu naturale, et quia hoc absque interno est vel magicum vel (x)idololatricum, {6}quod utrumque est infernale, ideo per `Aegyptum' etiam significatur {7}infernum; inde patet unde est quod per `quare dicent Aegyptii' significentur qui in meris externis sunt; [3] quod in Aegypto etiam Ecclesia repraesentativa fuerit, videatur n. 7097, 7296, 9391, quod {8}`Aegyptus' sit scientia talium in utroque sensu, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, (x)6673, 6679, 6683, 6750, 7926, quod `Aegyptus' sit naturale seu externum, n. 4967, 5079, 5080, 5095, (x)5160, 5276, 5278, (x)5280, 5288, 5301, 5799, 6004, 6015, 6147, 6252, 7353, 7355, 7648, et quod `Aegyptus' sit infernum, n. 7039, 7097, (x)7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7240, 7278, 7307, 7317, 8049, 8132, 8135, 8138, 8146, 8148, 8866, 9197. @1 significentur$ @2 Aegyptii enim$ @3 multum$ @4 repraesentativorum$ @5 et$ @6 per illos$ @7 infernale$ @8 i inde$