3089、“请你让我从你瓶子里抿一点水”表示看看来自这个源头的真理能否与它结合，这从“抿”和“水”的含义清楚可知。“抿”和“喝”差不多，只是量少，因为这事是要调查或测验的；“喝”表示感知（参看3069节），在内义上也表示交流并结合，论及属灵之物，正如“吃”论及属天之物（2187， 2343节）。“水”是指真理（参看680， 739， 2702节）。所以此处“请你让我从你瓶子里抿一点水”这句话表示调查，看看来自这个源头的真理能否被结合。“瓶子”是指储存并倒出真理的器皿（3068， 3079节）。调查的原因是，主对真理的最初情感还含有来自母亲的某种东西，这种东西需要被分离出去（3040， 3078节）。对一个即将重生的人来说，情况是这样：他对真理的最初情感是非常不纯的，因为该情感含有满足这样的功用和目的的欲望在里面，即：使真理服务于他自己，世界，天上的荣耀，等等；这些目的都是关注他自己，而不是共同利益、主的国度，更不是主自己。这种情感不可避免地先到来；但主会逐渐洁净它，直到最终可以说把虚假和邪恶扔到一边，并把它们驱逐周边。然而，它们仍起到了达到目的的手段的作用。
Potts(1905-1910) 3089
3089. Let me I pray sip a little water from thy pitcher. That this signifies inquiry whether anything of truth from this source could be conjoined, is evident from the signification of "sipping," as being similar to that of "drinking;" but diminutively, because exploring is implied. (That "to drink", is to perceive may be seen above, n. 3069.) In the internal sense "to drink" also denotes to be communicated and to be conjoined, and is predicated of what is spiritual, as "to eat" is predicated of what is celestial (n. 2187, 2343). The same is further evident from the signification of "water," as being truth (see n. 680, 739, 2702). Here therefore the words "let me I pray sip a little water from thy pitcher," signify exploring whether anything of truth from this source could be conjoined. The "pitcher" is the recipient, in which and out of which is truth (n. 3068, 3079). That there was an exploration is because the first affection of truth was attended with something from the maternal, which was to be separated (n. 3040, 3078). With a man about to be regenerated the case is that his first affection of truth is very impure; for there is in it an affection of use and an end for the sake of himself, for the sake of the world, for the sake of glory in heaven, and the like, which ends regard himself, but not the community, the Lord's kingdom, and still less the Lord. Such an affection necessarily precedes; nevertheless it is successively purified by the Lord, till at last falsities and evils are removed and are cast as it were into the circumference; and yet they had been of service as means.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3089
3089. 'Let me sip now a little water from your pitcher' means to see whether it was possible for any truth from that source to be joined to it. This is clear from the meaning of 'sipping' as an activity similar to that meant by 'drinking', but taking in only a small amount because it was to be an investigation - for 'drinking' means perceiving, see 3069, and also in the internal sense being communicated and joined together, and has reference to what is spiritual just as 'eating' has reference to what is celestial, 2187, 2343; and from the meaning of 'water' as truth, dealt with in 680, 739, 2702. Here therefore 'let me sip now a little water from your pitcher' means an investigation to see whether it was possible for any truth from that source to be joined. 'A pitcher' is a recipient which has truth in it and from which truth is obtained, 3068, 3079. The reason for this investigation was that the initial affection for truth also carried with it something from the mother that was to be separated, 3040, 3078. With anyone who is to be regenerated his initial affection for truth is largely impure, for it holds within it the desire to satisfy a purpose and an end that have himself in view, the world, glory in heaven, and similar things which regard himself and not the common good, the Lord's kingdom, still less the Lord Himself. Such affection inevitably comes first. Nevertheless the Lord purifies it gradually so that at length falsities and evils are removed and banished so to speak to the circumference. But they have nevertheless served as means.
Latin(1748-1756) 3089
3089. `Sorbere fac me quaeso parum aquae e cado tuo': quod significet num inde aliquid veri conjungi posset, constat ex significatione `sorbere' quod simile sit ac bibere, sed in diminutivo quia explorandum; quod `bibere' sit percipere, videatur n. 3069; est quoque `bibere' in sensu interno communicari et conjungi, et praedicatur de spirituali, sicut `comedere' quod praedicatur de caelesti, n. 2187, 2343; et ex significatione `aquae' quod sit veram, de qua n. 680, 739, 2702; hic itaque per `sorbere fac me quaeso parum aquae e cado tuo' significatur explorativum num aliquid veri inde conjungi posset; cadus {1}est recipiens in quo et e quo verum, n. 3068, 3079. Quod exploratio inde est quia prima affectio veri etiam aliquid secum habuit ex materno quod separandum, n. 3040, 3078. Apud hominem regenerandum ita se habet, quod prima ejus affectio veri admodum impura sit, inest enim ei affectio usus et finis propter se, propter mundum, propter gloriam in caelo, et similia, quae spectant versus se, non autem versus commune, regnum Domini, minus versus Dominum: talis affectio non potest quin praecedat; usque tamen successive illa purificatur a Domino, tandem ut removeantur et conjiciantur falsa et mala quasi in peripheriam; {2}inserviverunt usque pro mediis. @1 i enim$ @2 inserviunt$