2689、“放声大哭”表示更高层面的悲伤。这从“放声大哭”的含义清楚可知，“放声大哭”是指悲伤的顶点，因为放声大哭不是别的。本节描述了那些正变得属灵的人所经历的真理荒凉和远离真理的状态。有必要简短地解释一下当如何理解这些事。那些不能被改造的人根本不知道什么叫丧失真理的悲伤，因为他们以为没有人会由于这种事而感到一丝忧虑。他们认为，唯独丧失肉体和世俗的好处，如健康、地位、名声、财富和生命，才有可能造成这种忧虑。但那些能被改造的人完全不这样看待。主把这些人保持在对良善的情感和对真理的思维中；因此，当丧失这种思维和情感时，他们就开始感到忧虑。
众所周知，所有的忧虑和悲伤都是由于丧失触动人的内心或情感，也就是他所爱的东西导致的。那些只对肉体和世俗事物充满情感，也就是只爱这些事物的人，在失去它们时就会感到悲伤；而那些对属灵的良善和真理充满情感，热爱它们的人，在失去它们时同样会感到悲伤。每个人的生命都只是情感或爱，不是别的。由此可见，那些在触动他们情感或他们所爱的良善和真理方面荒凉的人，或说那些依恋或热爱良善和真理，并失去它们的人，其状态是何性质，即：他们悲伤的状态因更内在而更严重；在丧失良善和真理时，他们不在乎肉体的死亡，因为他们不担心这种死亡，他们担心的是永恒的死亡。此处描述的，正是他们的状态。
为叫人们还可以了解哪些人能被主保持在对良善和真理的情感中，因而能被改造，并变得属灵，哪些人不能，这一点也必须简要解释一下。在童年时期，当每个人第一次被赋予良善和真理时，主总是把他保持在肯定态度中，即肯定凡父母和老师所说或所教的，都是对的。对那些能变成属灵人的人来说，这种肯定态度会通过知识或事实和认知得到强化，因为凡他们后来所学的相关内容都会添加到他们的肯定态度中，并强化它；他们越来越走向对它的情感，或说越来越吸收它，直到他们对它产生情感。他们就是那些照着他们所信仰的真理本质而变成属灵人，并在试探中得胜的人。而那些不能变成属灵人的人则截然不同。尽管在童年时期，他们也处于肯定态度；然而，随着他们长大，他们却发展出怀疑，或说允许怀疑进驻，从而摧毁对良善和真理的肯定态度。成年后，他们又允许否定进入，甚至允许对虚假的情感进驻。如果这些人真的被引入试探，他们就会彻底屈服。因此，他们被免于试探。
但他们允许怀疑，后来又允许否定进驻的真正原因，可追溯到他们的邪恶生活。那些过着邪恶生活的人，不能不持有这种态度，因为如前所述，每个人的生命就是他的情感或爱；情感或爱如何，思维就如何，或说情感或爱的性质决定了思维的性质。对邪恶的情感和对真理的思维永远不会结合在一起。在有些情况下，它们看似结合在一起了，其实并未结合在一起，因为对真理的思维缺乏对真理的情感。因此，对那些试图将两者结合起来的人来说，真理并不是真理，只是远离他们内心的空洞噪音，或挂在嘴上的东西。甚至就连最坏的人也能知道这种真理，有时知道得比其他人更清楚。有些人还被真理如此强烈地说服，以至于没有人能看到别的，只知道这真理是纯正的。然而，如果没有良善的生活，它并不是纯正的真理。正是爱自己或爱世界的情感造成了真理的这种说服，他们甚至以激烈的表面热情来捍卫它。事实上，他们甚至谴责那些不接受它，或不像他们那样相信的人。然而，这种真理因人而异，取决于他的基本思维方式：对自己或世界的爱越强烈，这种真理就越强烈。诚然，它与邪恶相伴而生，但并未与它结合，所以在来世会被根除。那些过着良善生活的人则迥然不同。纯正的真理本身会在他们里面找到自己的土地、心脏或生长的能力，并从主那里获得自己的生命。
Potts(1905-1910) 2689
2689. And she lifted up her voice and wept. That this signifies a further degree of grief, is evident from the signification of "lifting up the voice and weeping," as being the last degree of grief; for weeping with a loud voice is nothing else. The state of desolation of truth, and also of removal from truths, with those who are becoming spiritual, is described in this verse. How these things are to be understood shall be briefly told. Those who cannot be reformed do not at all know what it is to grieve on account of being deprived of truths; for they suppose that no one can feel in the least anxious about such a thing. The only anxiety they believe to be possible is on account of being deprived of the goods of the body and the world; such as health, honors, reputation, wealth, and life. But they who can be reformed believe altogether differently: these are kept by the Lord in the affection of good and in the thought of truth; and therefore they come into anxiety when deprived of this thought and affection. [2] It is known that all anxiety and grief arise from being deprived of the things with which we are affected, or which we love. They who are affected only with corporeal and worldly things, or who love such things only, grieve when they are deprived of them; but they who are affected with spiritual goods and truths and love them, grieve when they are deprived of them. Everyone's life is nothing but affection or love. Hence it is evident what is the state of those who are desolated as to the goods and truths with which they are affected, or which they love, namely, that their state of grief is more severe, because more internal; and in the deprivation of good and truth they do not regard the death of the body, for which they do not care, but eternal death. It is their state which is here described. [3] That it may be known who those are that can be kept by the Lord in the affection of good and truth, and thus be reformed and become spiritual, and who those are that cannot, we will briefly state that during childhood, while being for the first time imbued with goods and truths, everyone is kept by the Lord in the affirmative idea that what he is told and taught by his parents and masters is true. With those who can become spiritual men this affirmative is confirmed by means of knowledges [scientifica et cognitiones]; for whatever they afterwards learn that has an affinity with it, insinuates itself into this affirmative, and corroborates it; and this more and more, even to affection. These are they who become spiritual men in accordance with the essence of the truth in which they have faith, and who conquer in temptations. But it is otherwise with those who cannot become spiritual men. Although during their childhood these are in the affirmative, yet in the age that follows they admit doubts, and thus trench upon the affirmative of good and truth; and when they come to adult age, they admit negatives, even to the affection of falsity. If these should be brought into temptations, they would wholly yield; and on this account they are exempted from them. [4] But the real cause of their admitting doubts, and afterwards negatives, is to be found in their life of evil. They who are in a life of evil cannot possibly do otherwise; for as before said the life of everyone is his affection or love; and such as is the affection or love, such is the thought. The affection of evil and the thought of truth never conjoin themselves together. With those in whom there is an appearance of this conjunction, there is really no such conjunction, but only the thought of truth without the affection of it; and therefore with such persons truth is not truth, but only something of sound, or of the mouth, from which the heart is absent. Such truth even the worst can know, and sometimes better than others. With some also there is found a persuasion of truth, of such a nature that no one can know but that it is genuine; and yet it is not so if there is no life of good: it is an affection of the love of self or of the world, which induces such a persuasion that they defend it even with the vehemence of apparent zeal; nay, they will even go so far as to condemn those who do not receive it, or believe in the same way. But this truth is of such a quality as is the principle with each person from which it starts, being strong in proportion as the love of self or of the world is strong. It indeed attaches itself to evil, but does not conjoin itself with it, and is therefore extirpated in the other life. Very different is it with those who are in the life of good. With these truth itself has its own ground and heart, and has its life from the Lord.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2689
2689. 'And lifted up her voice and wept' means a further degree of grief. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'lifting up the voice and weeping' as the utmost extremity of grief, for weeping with a loud voice is nothing else. Described in this verse is a state of desolation of truth and of withdrawal from truths, as experienced by those who are becoming spiritual. What this state is like must be explained briefly: People who are not able to be reformed have no knowledge at all of what it is to grieve on account of being deprived of truths, for they imagine that no one can possibly become distressed for a reason such as that. The only circumstances, they believe, which can lead to such distress exist when someone is deprived of those good gifts to men that are of a bodily and worldly kind, such as health, position, reputation, wealth, and life. But those who are able to be reformed believe altogether differently. They are maintained by the Lord in the affection for good and in the thought of truth, and therefore come to be distressed when deprived of these.
[2] It is well known that all distress and grief are the result of a person's being deprived of the things for which he has affection, that is, which he loves. Those whose affection is solely for bodily and worldly things, that is, who love solely these, grieve when deprived of them, whereas those whose affection is for spiritual goods and truths, and who love these, grieve when deprived of them. The life in any person is nothing else than affection or love. From this one may see the nature of the state of those who are desolated as regards the goods and truths for which they have affection, that is, which they love; that is to say, one may see that their state of grief, being more interior, is more severe, and that in being deprived of good and truth it is not death of the body which they are bothered about but eternal death. It is their state which is described here.
[3] So that it may also be known which people can be maintained by the Lord in the affection for good and truth and so be reformed and become spiritual, and which ones cannot, this too must be explained briefly. In childhood everyone, when being for the first time endowed with goods and truths, is maintained by the Lord in the affirmative attitude that anything said or taught by parents and teachers is true. With those who are able to become spiritual this affirmative attitude is strengthened by means of facts and cognitions, for whatever they learn and is relevant introduces itself into the affirmative outlook and strengthens it, leading more and more towards affection for it. These are ones who become spiritual in accordance with the essence of the truth in which they have faith, and who are victorious in temptations. But it is quite different with those who are not able to become spiritual. Although in childhood an affirmative attitude exists with them, when they are older they allow doubts to enter in which thus destroy the affirmative attitude towards good and truth. And when they reach adult years they allow denials to enter in, and even the affection for what is false to enter in. If such people were led into temptations they would give in completely. Consequently they are kept free from them.
[4] But the real reason why they allow doubts and subsequently denials to enter in may be traced back to their life of evil. People who lead a life of evil cannot possibly do otherwise. The life in any person, as has been stated, is affection or love, and as is the nature of that affection or love so is the nature of his thought. The affection for evil and the thought of truth never join themselves together. In cases where they seem to join themselves, they do not in fact do so, for the thought of truth exists without the affection for it. With such people therefore truth is not truth, but merely a sound or something on the lips, from which the heart is far away. Even very wicked people can know such truth, better than anybody else sometimes. Some are also so strongly persuaded by truth of that kind that no one can see it as other than genuine. But it is not genuine truth if the life of good is absent. It is affection belonging to self-love or love of the world which causes that strong persuasion of it, which they also defend with a vehemence that is evidence of apparent zeal; indeed they go so far as to condemn people who do not receive it or believe it in a similar way. But this kind of truth varies from one person to another according to his basic way of thinking, the strength of that truth depending on the strength of his self-love or his love of the world. It is, it is true, born together with evil, but it does not join itself to evil, and therefore in the next life is rooted out. It is different in the case of those who lead a life of good; in them the truth itself finds its soil, and its ability to grow, and from the Lord its life.
Latin(1748-1756) 2689
2689. `Et sustulit vocem et flevit': quod significet dolori ulteriorem gradum, constare potest a significatione `tollere vocem et flere' quod sit ultimum doloris, fletus enim cum alta voce non aliud est. {2} Status desolationis veri, tum elongationis a veris, apud eos qui fiunt spirituales, in hoc versu descriptus est; quomodo haec se habent paucis dicendum est; illi qui non reformari possunt, nesciunt prorsus quid sit dolere propter id quod depriventur veris, putant quod nusquam aliquis angi possit propter tale; solum anxietatem dari posse credunt quod quis privetur bonis corporis et mundi, ut valetudine, honore, fama, opibus, et vita: qui autem reformari possunt, aliter prorsus credunt; detinentur ii a Domino in affectione boni et in cogitatione veri, quare in anxietatem veniunt quando illis privantur: [2] notum est quod omnis anxietas et dolor sit inde quod aliquis privetur illis quibus afficitur seu quae amat; qui solum afficiuntur corporeis et mundanis, seu solum talia amant, ii dolent quando `illis privantur; qui autem afficiuntur bonis et veris spiritualibus, et haec amant, ii dolent quando illis privantur; cujusvis vita non est nisi affectio seu amor; inde constare potest qualis status est eorum qui desolantur quoad bona et vera quibus afficiuntur seu quae amant, quod nempe status doloris eorum sit gravior quia interior, et in privatione boni et veri non spectant mortem corporis, quam nec curant, sed mortem aeternam; eorum status est qui hic describitur. [3] Ut quoque sciatur quinam sunt qui in affectione boni et veri a Domino teneri, ac sic reformari et fieri spirituales possunt, et fieri non possunt, etiam paucis dicendum; unusquisque in pueritia, dum primum bonis et veris imbuitur, tenetur a Domino in affirmativo quod veram sit quod a parentibus et a magistris dicitur (c)et docetur; hoc affirmativum apud eos qui spirituales homines possunt fieri, per scientifica et cognitiones confirmatur, nam quicquid addiscunt, quod affine est, se insinuat affirmativo, et hoc corroborat, idque magis et magis usque ad affectionem {2}; hi sunt qui spirituales homines secundum veri essentiam cui fidem habent, fiunt, et qui in tentationibus vincunt. Aliter vero se res habet cum illis qui non spirituales fieri possunt; hi tametsi in pueritia in affirmativo sunt, usque succedente aetate dubitativa admittunt, et sic infringunt affirmativum boni et veri; et cum adultam aetatem intrant, admittunt negativa, usque ad affectionem falsi; hi si in tentationes inducerentur, plane succumberent, quare etiam ab illis liberantur. [4] Sed ipsa causa quod admittant dubitativa, et postea negativa, ducit omnem suam originem a vita mali; qui in vita mali sunt, nusquam aliter possunt; vita cujusvis, ut dictum, est affectio seu amor; qualis affectio seu amor, talis cogitatio; affectio mali et cogitatio veri nusquam se conjungunt; ubi apparent se conjungere, usque non [se] conjungunt, est cogitatio veri absque affectione ejus, quare apud eos verum non est verum, sed modo sonorum quoddam, seu oris, a quo cor procul abest; tale verum scire etiam possunt pessimi, et quandoque prae aliis: apud quosdam etiam datum persuasivum veri talis naturae ut nemo aliud scire possit quam quod sit genuinum, sed usque non est si non sit vita boni; est affectio amoris sui vel mundi quae inducit tale persuasivum, quod etiam cum vehementia apparentis Zeli defendunt, immo usque ut condemnent illos qui non recipiunt, aut similiter credunt; sed hoc verum est quale principium apud unumquemvis, fortius quo fortior amor sui {3} aut mundi; id quidem adnascitur malo, sed non cum malo se conjungit, quare etiam exstirpatur in altera vita. Aliter apud eos qui in vita boni sunt, ipsum verum ibi suam humum, et suum cor, et a Domino suam vitam habet. @1 A passage similar to what follows was written in A at the end of 2685, but deleted. In the margin at that place is written ad finem horum verborum (see Appendix).$ @2 i si quid dubitativi se infert, hoc non curant, sed rejiciunt$ @3 et.$