17、创世记1:2.地是空虚混沌，渊面黑暗；神的灵运行在水面上。
重生之前，人被称为空虚混沌之地，以及没有播入良善或真理之种的土壤。“空虚”表示缺乏良善，“混沌”表示缺乏真理。结果就是黑暗，也就是愚蠢，以及对属于信主的一切，因而对属于属灵和属天生命的一切的无知。主通过耶利米如此描述这样一个人：
我的百姓愚顽，不认识我。他们是愚昧无知的儿女，有智慧行恶，没有知识行善。我观看地，看，地空虚混沌。我观看天，天也无光。（耶利米书4:22-23）
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]17. Genesis 1:2. And the earth was void and emptiness, and there was darkness on the face of the abyss, and the Spirit of God was constantly moving on the face of the water.
Before regeneration a person is called the void, empty earth, and also soil in which no seed of goodness or truth has been planted.{*1} Void refers to an absence of goodness and empty to an absence of truth. The result is darkness, in which a person is oblivious to or ignorant of anything having to do with faith in the Lord and consequently with a spiritual or heavenly life. The Lord portrays such a person this way in Jeremiah:
My people are dense; they do not know me. They are stupid children, without understanding. They are wise in doing evil but do not know how to do good. I looked at the earth, and there — void and emptiness; and to the heavens, and these had no light. (Jeremiah 4:22-23, 25)
Footnotes:
{*1} Swedenborg seems to have in mind Christ's parable of the sower and the seed, in which individuals are likened to ground on which the "seed" of the word is sown (Mark 4:3-20). See 29:2. [RS]
Potts(1905-1910) 17
17. Verse 2. And the earth was a void and emptiness, and darkness was upon the faces of the deep [abyssi]; and the Spirit of God was brooding upon the faces of the waters. Before his regeneration, man is called the "earth void and empty" and also the "ground" wherein nothing of good and truth has been sown; "void" denotes where there is nothing of good, and "empty" where there is nothing of truth. Hence comes "thick darkness" that is, stupidity, and an ignorance of all things belonging to faith in the Lord, and consequently of all things belonging to spiritual and heavenly life. Such a man is thus described by the Lord through Jeremiah:
My people is stupid, they have not known Me; they are foolish sons, and are not intelligent; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. I beheld the earth, and lo a void and emptiness, and the heavens, and they had no light (Jer. 4:22-23).
Elliott(1983-1999) 17
17. Verse 2 And the earth was a void and an emptiness, and there was thick darkness over the facea of the deep; and the Spirit of God was hovering over the facea of the waters. The person who has yet to be regenerated is called 'a void and an empty earth', and also 'ground', in which no good or truth at all has been sown - 'void' where there is no good, and 'empty' where there is no truth. Consequently there is 'thick darkness', or stupidity and lack of knowledge about anything that has to do with faith in the Lord and so anything that has to do with spiritual and celestial life. This kind of person is described by the Lord through Jeremiah, My people are foolish, they know Me not; they are stupid children, having no understanding; they are wise to do evil, and know not how to do good. I looked to the earth, and, behold, a void and an emptiness; and towards the heavens, and they had no light. Jer 4:22, 23, 25.
Latin(1748-1756) 17
17. Vers. 2. Et terra erat vacuitas et inanitas, et caligo super faciebus abyssi; et Spiritus Dei se motitans super facies aquarum: Homo ante regenerationem vocatur 'terra vacua et inanis,' etiam 'humus,' cui nihil boni et veri inseminatum est; 'vacuum' ubi nihil boni, et 'inane' ubi nihil veri; inde 'caligo,' seu stupor et ignorantia omnium quae sunt fidei in Dominum, proinde quae sunt vitae spiritualis et caelestis; qui homo describitur a Domino per Jeremiam, Stolidus populus Meus, Me non norunt; stulti filii ii, et non intelligentes; sapientes ad malum faciendum, et bonum facere non sciunt; vidi terram, et ecce vacuitas et inanitas, et ad caelos, et non lux eorum, iv 22, 23, 25.{1} @ 1 Verse 25 is not quoted, but contains matter relevant to the subject dealt with here. This will be found to be the case with many of S's. refs.$