3748.有一个灵人在世时因学问而在普通人当中享有盛誉。他特别擅长证实虚假，但在良善与真理方面极其愚蠢。他和在世时一样，以为自己无所不知，因为这类灵人认为自己最有智慧的，没有什么东西能瞒得住他们。他们在世时什么样，到了来世仍是什么样，因为构成人的生命，也就是他的爱与情感的一切事物都会跟随他，并像灵魂存在于其身体中那样存在于他里面，他通过这些将形态和品质赋予他的灵魂。这个灵人来与我交谈，由于他具有这种品质，我便问他，谁更聪明？是那知道许多虚假的，还是那知道少许真理的？他回答说，是那知道少许真理的。他之所以给出这样的答复，是因为他以为自己所知道的虚假是真理，并且他因知道这些而有智慧。
后来，他很想推理大人，以及从它进入人的每一部分的流注。但由于他对此什么也不懂，于是我就问他如何理解这些观念：属于灵的思维驱动整张脸，以面部表情来表达自己，还驱动所有发音器官，并且精准地照着对这种思维的属灵感知这样做；还有，意愿驱动整个身体的肌肉和遍布全身的成千上万根纤维，以执行一个动作。因此，驱动之物是属灵的，被驱动之物是肉体的。但他不知道该怎么回答。接着，我又谈到意图，问他是否知道意图产生活动和行为，并且一切活动和行为必须有意图在里面，以便意图在它们里面显现并持续存在。他说，这一切他也不知道。于是，我问他，既然连基本原理都不知道，他怎能想去推理。在这种情况下，推理就像散落的尘土，没有连贯性，而这些虚假则会消散，直到此人什么也不知道，什么也不信。
Potts(1905-1910) 3748
3748. There was a certain spirit who while he had lived in the world had gained a great public reputation for learning, being of a subtle genius in confirming falsities, but very stupid as regards goods and truths. As he had previously done in this world, he imagined that he knew everything; for such spirits believe themselves to be most wise and that nothing is hidden from them; and such as they have been in the life of the body, such they remain in the other life; for all things that belong to anyone's life, that is, which are of his love and affection, follow him and are in him as the soul is in its body, because from these he has formed and given quality to his soul. This spirit came to me and conversed with me, and because he was of such a quality, I asked him, Who is the more intelligent, he who knows many falsities, or he who knows a little truth? He replied, He who knows a little truth. The reason of his giving this answer was that he imagined that the falsities which he knew were truths, and thus that he was wise. [2] He afterwards desired to reason about the Grand Man, and about the influx therefrom into everything of man; but as he understood nothing about it, I asked him how-seeing that the thing which moves is spiritual, and that which is moved is corporeal-he understood the fact that thought, which is spiritual, moves the whole face and exhibits its own expression; and also moves all the organs of speech, and this distinctly according to the spiritual perception of such thought; and that the will moves the muscles of the whole body, and the thousands of fibers dispersed throughout it, to one action. But he knew not what answer to give. I conversed further with him on the nature of endeavor, and asked him whether he knew that endeavor produces actions and motions, and that all action and motion must have endeavor within them in order that they may come forth and subsist. He replied that he did not know this; and he was therefore asked how he could desire to reason, seeing that he did not know even first principles, in which case reasoning is like scattered dust with no coherence, which falsities dissipate in such a manner that at last the man knows nothing, and consequently believes nothing.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3748
3748. There was a certain spirit who during his lifetime had the reputation among ordinary people for being learned. He was well-skilled in the art of confirming falsities, but extremely stupid so far as goods and truths were concerned. He imagined, as he had done previously in the world, that he knew everything, for such people believe that they are very wise and that nothing is hidden from them. And such as they have been during their lifetime, so they are in the next life, for all the things that constitute someone's life, that is, that constitute his love and affection, follow him and are present in him like the soul in its body, since it is from these that he has given form and character to his soul. This person who was now a spirit came and spoke to me, and such being his character I asked him, 'Who understands more, someone who knows many falsities or someone who knows a little truth?' He replied, 'The one who knows a little truth', for he imagined that the falsities which he knew were truths and that in knowing these he was wise.
[2] Then he wanted to reason about the Grand Man and about the influx from it into every individual part of a human being. But since he understood nothing at all about it I asked him how he understood the idea that thought, which belongs to the spirit, moves the whole face and expresses itself in the countenance, and also sets in motion all the organs of speech, and doing this so accurately as to lead to a spiritual perception of that thought. Then how he understood the idea that the will sets in motion the muscles of the whole body and the thousands of fibres spread throughout it, to perform a single activity. What belongs to the spirit therefore is that which sets in motion, and what belongs to the body is that which is set in motion. But he did not know what to say in reply. I then went on to speak about intention. Did he know that intention produced activity and motion, and that intention is present within activity and motion, so that it manifests itself and continues to do so within them? He said that he did not know this. I therefore asked him how in that case could he want to reason about something when he did not even know the first thing about it. And I went on to say that such reasoning is like loose dust scattered about, which falsities drive away until at length nothing is known and so nothing believed.
Latin(1748-1756) 3748
3748. Quidam spiritus qui dum vixit in mundo, inter vulgus eruditum famigeratus, subtilis ingenio ad confirmanda falsa, et admodum crassus quantum ad bona et vera; is putabat sicut prius in mundo, quod omnia sciret, nam tales (t)se credunt sapientissimos, et illos nihil latere, et quales fuerunt in vita corporis, tales sunt in altera vita; {1}omnia enim quae sunt vitae alicujus, hoc est, quae sunt amoris et affectionis, sequuntur illum, et insunt ei sicut anima suo corpori, quia animam suam quoad quale ex illis formavit: ille qui tunc spiritus, ad me venit et mecum locutus est, et quia talis, interrogavi quis plus intelligit, qui multa falsa novit, quam qui paucum veri; respondit qui paucum veri, quia putabat falsa quae novit fuisse vera, et sic quod sapiens; [2] ratiocinari dein voluit de Maximo Homine, et de influxu in singula hominis inde, sed cum nihil intellexit de eo, dicebam ei, quomodo intelligit quod cogitatio quae est spiritualis, moveat totam faciem, et sistat {2}sui vultum; et quoque moveat omnia organa loquelae, et hoc distincte ad perceptionem spiritualem ejus cogitationis; et quod voluntas moveat musculos totius corporis, et millia fibrarum quae sparsae sunt, ad unam actionem, cum illud spirituale sit quod movet, et hoc corporeum quod movetur; sed nescivit quid responderet locutus {3}porro de conatu, num sciat quod conatus producat actus et motus, et quod actui et motui insit conatus ut existat et subsistat; dixit quod hoc nesciret; quare dictum ei, quomodo tunc velit ratiocinari cum ne quidem sciat principia, et quod tunc se habeat ratiocinatio sicut pulvis sparsus nullius cohaerentiae, quem falsa {4}dissipant ita ut tandem nihil sciat, ita nihil credat. @1 nam omnia$ @2 ejus$ @3 i sum$ @4 i tunc$