1509、我曾好几天与一些灵人在一起，他们活在世上时毫不关心社会利益，只关心自己，对公众没有任何用处；他们唯一的目的就是过上奢华的生活，穿上光鲜亮丽的衣服，发财致富；他们习惯了装模作样，通过各种谄媚处处钻营，争夺职位只是为了让自己引人注目，并掌管他们主人的财物。他们轻蔑地看待所有认真工作的人。我发觉他们曾是朝臣。他们的气场具有这种影响：它耗尽了我所有的精力，让我失去全部的注意力，并且使得实行并思想任何有价值的事，无论真理还是良善，对我来说成为如此沉重的负担，以至于我最终几乎不知道该做什么。当这样的灵人来到其他灵人中间时，他们也会使其他灵人无精打采，把类似的迟钝传染给他们。在来世，他们是无用的成员，无论到哪里都会遭到弃绝。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1509. For several days I had with me the kind of spirits who had not concentrated at all on the good of society when they lived in the world but on themselves. They had been useless, so far as political office goes, and their only goal had been to live sumptuously, wear glamorous clothes, and grow rich. They were used to putting up pretenses; to finding means of worming their way in everywhere by various kinds of flattery; and to vying for office with the sole purpose of making themselves visible and taking charge of their overlord's resources. Anyone engaged in any serious kind of work they regarded with contempt. They had been courtiers, I perceived.
The effect they had was to sap me of all my energy and to make it burdensome for me to act on or think about anything worthwhile, anything true or good 钬?so terribly burdensome that in the end I hardly knew what to do.
When spirits like this come among other spirits, they infect them with a similar sluggishness. In the other life, they are useless members of society and are rejected wherever they go.
Potts(1905-1910) 1509
1509. For several days such spirits were with me as during their life in this world had cared nothing for the good of society, but only for themselves, being useless members of the commonwealth, and who had had no end but to live sumptuously, to be clothed splendidly, and to grow rich; being well practiced in simulation, and in ways of insinuating themselves by various forms of flattering assent and a display of services, but only that they might seem devoted, and be intrusted with their master's goods, while they looked down with contempt upon all who were earnestly employed. It was perceived that they had been courtiers. The effect of their sphere was to take from me the power of close application, and to make it so irksome for me to act and to think in serious matters, true and good, that at last I scarcely knew what to do. When such as these come among spirits, they induce on them a similar torpor. In the other life they are useless members, and are rejected wherever they come.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1509
1509. There were once with me for several days spirits who during their lifetime had been such that they had not striven for the good of society, but only for themselves, serving no useful purpose to the general public. Their sole end in view had been to live sumptuously, to be dressed splendidly, and to grow rich; and they had been accustomed to false presences and to the ways of worming themselves in by various forms of flattering assent and of readiness to be of service, solely to the end that they might be noticed and be given charge of their master's property. All who were earnestly serving a purpose they looked down on with contempt. I perceived that they had been courtiers. Their sphere was such that it took away from me my whole concentration and made it so extremely troublesome for me to carry out and to think about serious things, true and good, that at length I hardly knew what to do. When such individuals as these come among spirits they bring upon them a similar listlessness. In the next life they are useless members and are cast out from wherever they go.
Latin(1748-1756) 1509
1509. Fuerunt apud me per aliquot dies tales spiritus, qui dum vixerunt in mundo, nihil societatis bono sed sibi studuerunt, ad functiones in republica inutiles, quique pro fine habuerunt solum opipare vivere, splendide vestiri, ditescere, assuefacti simulationibus et modis se insinuandi varia assentatione et affectatione officiorum, solum ut viderentur, et administrarent domini bona, cum despectu aspicientes omnes qui in seriis functionibus; quod in aulis fuerint, perceptum: illorum sphaera fuit quod tollerent mihi omne studium, et mihi inferrent molestiam agendi et cogitandi seria, vera et bona, tam grave ut tandem vix scirem quid facerem: tales cum inter spiritus veniunt, iis inducunt similem torporem; sunt in altera vita inutilia membra et rejiciuntur ubicumque veniunt.