4689.“向我的捆下拜”表敬拜。这从“下拜”和“约瑟的捆”的含义清楚可知：“下拜”是谦卑的表现（参看2153节），因而是指敬拜；“约瑟的捆”在此是指关于主的神性人身的教义（4686节），因而表示那些处于教会更内在部分之人所敬拜的神性人身。但那些更外在的人，也就是那些持守分离之信的信徒，则尽可能地远离对它的敬拜。与仁分离之信之所以导致缺乏这种敬拜，是因为如前所述，主存在于仁爱中，并且若不通过仁爱，就不存在于信仰中；事实上，仁爱是实现联结的媒介。没有良善的真理算什么呢？没有意愿的理解力算什么呢？因此，没有仁爱的信仰又算什么呢？或没有其本质的信心算什么呢？
持守与仁分离之信的信徒根本不敬拜主的神性人身，这一事实从具有这种秉性、从基督教界进入来世的人向我清楚显明，我曾与他们当中的许多人交谈过。因为在来世，说话的是人们的心，而不像在世上那样是他们的口唇。在那里，每个人的思维都被交流，远远比用世上的任何语言交流清晰得多；除了所想和所信的外，谁不也许说任何话。有许多在世时传讲过主的人到了来世竟完全否认祂。有人若问他们为什么目的或原因传讲祂，表面上还以神圣的形式敬拜祂，就会获知，他们之所以如此行，是因为这是他们的职业所需，还因为他们由此能获得重要地位和财富。那些不传讲祂，却承认祂的人如此行，是因为他们出生在教会，若出言反对宗教，就会担上坏名声。来自基督教界的人没有一个知道主的人身是神性；几乎没有人知道唯独祂统治天堂和宇宙，更不知道祂的神性人身是天堂中的全部。事实的确如此，这一点已被清楚揭示出来，因为主预见基督教会将从仁转向信，由此与祂分离，进而不仅弃绝，还亵渎从祂的神性人身发出的神圣。因为与仁分离之信只会做这种事。
如今信与仁分离了，这是显而易见的。事实上，教会因各自的信条而彼此分离，凡所信的不同于他们的信条所教导的之人都被逐出教会，还受到诬蔑。但是，行事像强盗，毫无怜悯地剥夺他人财物的人，只要不明目张胆地这样做，或不欺骗邻舍，或败坏仁爱的名声，或犯下奸淫，反而仍被称为基督徒，因为他经常参加教会圣事，照教义说话。由此明显可知，如今，构成教会的是教义，而非生活；与信仰联结的果实只在他们的教义里，根本不在他们的头脑中。
Potts(1905-1910) 4689
4689. And bowed down themselves to my sheaf. That this signifies adoration, is evident from the signification of "bowing down themselves," as being the effect of humiliation (see n. 2153), consequently adoration; and from the signification of "Joseph's sheaf," as here being the doctrine concerning the Lord's Divine Human (n. 4686), thus it signifies the Divine Human which those in the interior of the church adored. But those who are exterior, that is, those who are of faith separate, are as far as possible from adoring. Faith separate from charity has this effect because as before said the Lord is present in charity, and in faith only through charity; for charity is the conjoining medium. What is truth without good? And what is the intellect without the will? Thus what is faith without charity? Or what is confidence without its essence? [2] That they who are in faith separate from charity do not at all adore the Lord's Divine Human, was made evident to me from those of this character who come into the other life from the Christian world, with many of whom I have spoken; for in that life the heart speaks, and not the mouth as in the world. The thoughts of everyone are there communicated much more clearly than by any speech in the world; and no one is allowed to speak otherwise than as he thinks and believes. Many of those who in the world have even preached the Lord, there wholly deny Him; and when it is inquired from what end or for what reason they preached Him, and also in outward holy form adored Him, it is found that they did so because it was incumbent upon them on account of the office which they held, and because they thereby gained honors and wealth; and that those who did not preach Him, but yet confessed Him, did so because they were born in the church, and because they would lose their reputation if they should speak against religion. Not a single person from the Christian world knew that the Lord's Human is Divine; and scarcely anyone knew that He alone rules heaven and the universe, still less that His Divine Human is the all in heaven. That this is so, could not be openly revealed, because it was foreseen by the Lord that the Christian Church would turn away from charity to faith, consequently would separate itself from Him, and so not only reject but also profane the holy which is from His Divine Human; for faith separate from charity cannot do otherwise. [3] That faith is at this day separated from charity, is evident; for churches separate from one another according to their dogmas, and whoever believes differently from what their dogma teaches is cast out from their communion, and is also defamed. But one who robs, and without mercy deprives others of their possessions, provided he does not do it openly, who schemes craftily against the neighbor, who brings the works of charity into disrepute, and who commits adultery - he is nevertheless called a Christian, provided he frequents sacred observances and speaks in accordance with doctrine. From this it is evident that at this day it is doctrine, not life, that constitutes the church; and that the fruits which are adjoined to faith are in their doctrine only, and not at all in their minds.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4689
4689. 'And bowed down to my sheaf' means worship. This is clear from the meaning of 'bowing down' as the expression of humility, dealt with in 2153, and therefore as worship; and from the meaning of 'Joseph's sheaf' here as the teaching concerning the Lord's Divine Human, dealt with in 4687, and so means the Divine Human which those in the more internal part of the Church worshipped. But those who are more external, that is, the adherents to faith separated from charity, do anything but worship it. Faith separated from charity leads to this lack of worship because, as stated above, the Lord is present within charity but not within faith except through charity, for charity is the means by which a joining together is effected. What is truth without good, and what is the understanding without the will? So what can faith be without charity, or what can confidence be without the essence of it?
[2] The fact that adherents to faith separated from charity do anything but worship the Lord's Divine Human has been proved to me quite clearly from this kind of people entering the next life from the Christian world, many of whom I have spoken to. For in that life it is not their lips that speak, as in the world, but people's hearts. Everyone's thoughts there are communicated far more perfectly than by the use of any speech in the world; nor are those there allowed to say anything other than what they think, and so what they believe. Many of those who have also preached the Lord in the world deny Him altogether in the next life. If one asks what end or purpose they had in view when they preached Him and also worshipped Him outwardly with reverence, one learns that they did so because the office they held required them to do so and because they thereby acquired important positions and wealth. And those who did not preach Him but did nevertheless confess Him did so because they were born inside the Church and would have earned themselves a bad reputation if they had spoken out against religion. Not a single person from the Christian world knows that the Lord's Human is Divine, and scarcely any that He alone rules heaven and the whole world, let alone that His Divine Human is the all in heaven. The truth of this could not have been plainly revealed because the Lord foresaw that the Christian Church would turn aside from charity to faith, thereby separating itself from Him, and so would not only cast aside but would also profane the holiness proceeding from His Divine Human. For faith separated from charity cannot do anything other than this.
[3] Faith is clearly separated from charity at the present day. For doctrinal reasons one Church separates itself from another, and any individual who believes something different from what official doctrine teaches is excommunicated and also vilified. But anyone who acts like a robber, mercilessly depriving others of their goods, provided he does not do so openly, or who practices deceit against his neighbour, or infects the works of charity with dishonour, or commits adultery, is for all that called a Christian, provided that he attends church services and utters what doctrine teaches. From this it is evident that at the present day doctrine constitutes the Church, not life, and that the fruits which people link with faith reside merely in doctrine and have no place at all in their minds.
Latin(1748-1756) 4689
4689. Et incurvaverunt se manipulo meo': quod significet adorationem, constat ex significatione `incurvare se' quod sit effectus humiliationis, de qua n. 2153, proinde adoratio; et ex significatione `manipuli Josephi' quod hic sit doctrinale de Domini Divino Humano, de qua n. 4686, ita est Divinum Humanum quod adoraverunt nempe illi qui in interiore Ecclesiae sunt; qui autem exteriores sunt, hoc est, illi qui a fide separata, nihil minus quam adorant; fides separata a charitate hoc secum habet quia, ut supra dictum, Dominus in charitate est praesens, ac in fide non nisi quam per charitatem nam charitas est medium conjungens; quid verum absque bono, et quid intellectuale absque voluntario, {1} ita quid fides absque charitate, aut quid confidentia absque essentia sua? [2] Quod illi qui in fide separata a charitate (o)sunt, nihil minus quam adorent Divinum Humanum Domini, constare mihi potuit manifeste a talibus qui in alteram vitam e Christiano orbe veniunt, cum quorum pluribus locutus sum, ibi (o)enim non ora sicut in mundo, sed corda loquuntur; cujusvis {2} cogitationes ibi communicantur multo apertius quam per aliquam loquelam in mundo, nec ibi loqui aliter conceditur quam sicut cogitant, ita sicut credunt; multi eorum qui etiam praedicarunt Dominum in mundo, ibi prorsus negant Illum, et cum inquiritur ex quo fine seu ex qua causa praedicarunt Ipsum et quoque (o)in externa forma sancte adoraverunt Ipsum, compertum est quod fecerint quia illis ex officio id injunctum et quia sic honores et opes lucrati; et qui non praedicarunt sed {3} usque confessi Ipsum, quod fecerint quia nati in Ecclesia, et quod diffamarentur si contra religionem locuti fuissent {4}; {5} ne quidem unus ex orbe Christiano novit quod Humanum Ipsius Divinum sit, et vix aliquis quod Ipse Solus caelum ac universum regat, minus quod Divinum Humanum Ipsius sit omne in caelo; quod ita sit, non {6} potuerat aperte revelari quia praevisum a Domino quod Ecclesia Christiana deflecteret a charitate ad fidem, proinde se separaret ab Ipso et si non modo rejiceret sed etiam profanaret sanctum quod a Divino Humano Ipsius, nam fides separata a charitate non aliter potest. [3] Quod fides separata a charitate hodie sit, constat, separant se Ecclesia secundum dogmata et qui aliter credit quam sicut dogma {7} docet e communione eorum ejicitur et quoque diffamatur; qui autem latrocinatur, absque misericordia deprivat alios suis bonis solum ne fiat apertis modis, qui dolose machinatur contra proximum, qui charitatis opera ignominia afficit, quique adulteratur, is usque Christianus vocatur, modo frequentet sacra et loquatur ex doctrina; inde patet quod hodie sit doctrina quae facit Ecclesiam, non autem vita, et quod fructus quos fidei adjungunt, sint modo in doctrina et nihil in mentibus eorum. @1 i et quid doctrina absque vita$ @2 i enim$ @3 et$ @4 fuerint$ @5 i et$ @6 nec$ @7 doctrina$