488、如前所述，“日”表示总体状态，“年”表示具体状态。这从圣言清楚可知，如以西结书：
你使你的日子临近，你到了你的年岁。（以西结书22:4）
这论及那些行可憎之事，罪达到极点的人，故此处“日子”与这些人的总体状态有关，“年”则与具体的这种状态有关。诗篇：
你要给王的日子加添日子，他的年岁必如代代！（诗篇61:6）
这论及主及其国度，在那里，“日子”和“年岁”也表示祂国度的状态。又：
我思想古时之日，往古之年。（诗篇77:5）
“古时之日”表示上古教会的状态，“往古之年”表示古教会的状态。以赛亚书：
报仇之日在我心中，我救赎之年已经来到。（以赛亚书63:4）
这表示末期，“报仇之日”表示一种诅咒的状态，而“救赎之年”表示一种赐福的状态。又：
宣告耶和华悦纳之年，和我们神报仇的日子；安慰一切悲哀的人。（以赛亚书61:2）
此处“日子”和“年”都表示状态。耶利米哀歌：
求你更新我们的日子，像古时一样。（耶利米哀歌5:21）
此处“日子”明显表示状态。
约珥书：
耶和华的日子将到，已经临近；一个黑暗、幽冥的日子，一个密云、乌黑的日子；从来没有这样的，以后直到代代之年也必没有。（约珥书2:1-2）
此处“日子”表示黑暗、幽冥、密云和乌黑的状态，即具体的个人和总体所有人的一个状态。撒迦利亚书：
我要在一日之内除掉这地的罪孽；在那日，你们各人要请同伴来坐在葡萄树和无花果树下。（撒迦利亚书3:9-10）
另一处：
必有一日，是耶和华所知道的。不是白昼，也不是黑夜，到了晚上的时候才有光明。（撒迦利亚书14:7）
显然，此处所指的是状态，因为经上说，“必有一日，不是白昼，也不是黑夜，到了晚上的时候才有光明”。这一含义同样从十诫明显看出来：
当孝敬父母，使你的日子得以长久，使你在地上得福。（申命记5:16；25:15）
此处“日子得以长久”并非表示寿命长，而是表示一种幸福的状态。
就字义而言，“日子”似乎只能表示时间，但就内义而言，它表示状态。专注于圣言内义的天使并不知道时间是什么，因为对他们来说，太阳和月亮的活动并不制造时间的划分。因此，他们不知道日或年是什么，只知道状态及其变化是什么。这就是为何在专注于内义的天使面前，凡涉及物质、空间和时间的东西都不会引起注意，如以西结书中这段经文的字义：
那一日近了，耶和华的日子近了，一个密云之日；这日必是列族之期。（以西结书30:3）
约珥书：
哀哉那日！因为耶和华的日子临近了，那日必像毁灭来到。（约珥书1:15）
此处“密云之日”表示云或虚假；“列族之期或日”表示诸民族或罪恶；“耶和华的日子”表示荒废或毁灭。当除去时间的概念时，剩下的就是那时所存在之物的状态的概念。这同样适用于本章多次提到的“日”和“年”。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]488. The symbolism of days as general states and of years as specific states can also be seen in the Word, as I said [482, 487]. Take these words in Ezekiel:
You have made [the end of] your days approach and have come all the way to [the end of] your years. (Ezekiel 22:4)
This is about people who do loathsome things and fill their quota of sin, so in regard to the state of such people, days describes its general outlines and years its specific nature. In David:
You will add days to the monarch's days; the monarch's years will be like those of generation after generation. (Psalms 61:6)
This is about the Lord and his kingdom. The days and years stand for the state of his kingdom. In the same author:
I thought about the ancient days, the years of old. (Psalms 77:5)
The ancient days are the states of the earliest church, and the years of old are the states of the ancient church. In Isaiah:
The day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come. (Isaiah 63:4)
This stands for the final times; the day of vengeance stands for a state of damnation, and the year of the redeemed, for a state of blessing. In similar words from the same author:
... to proclaim a year of good pleasure for Jehovah and a day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all who mourn. (Isaiah 61:2)
Here again, both the word day and the word year are used, and they symbolize states. In Jeremiah:
Renew our days as in ancient times. (Lamentations 5:21)
Here the days obviously stand for the state of those people.
[2] In Joel:
The day of Jehovah has come, because it is near: a day of shadow and darkness, a day of cloud and haze. One like it has not occurred for ages, and after it one will not occur again for the years of generation after generation. (Joel 2:1-2, 11)
Here a day stands for a state of shadow, darkness, cloud, and haze for each person in particular and everyone in general. In Zechariah:
I will carry off the wickedness of that land in one day. On that day you will shout, a man to his companion, to [come] under the grapevine and under the fig tree. (Zechariah 3:9-10)
And in another place:
There will be a single day; it is known to Jehovah; it is not day or night. And it will happen that at the time of evening there will be light. (Zechariah 14:7)
Plainly this is about some state [of mind], because it says that there will be a day that is not day or night, and that there will be light at the time of evening.{*1} Statements in the Ten Commandments provide further evidence:
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be lengthened and so that it may be well with you upon the ground. (Deuteronomy 5:16; 25:15)
The lengthening of days does not symbolize long life but a happy state.
[3] On a literal level, no other meaning for a day can be seen than that of time, but in an inner sense it means a state. Angels, who focus on the inner meaning of the Word, do not know what time is. They have no sun or moon to divide time into units, so they do not know what a day or a year is, only what a state and changes in state are.{*2} For this reason, whatever partakes of matter, space, or time dissolves under the gaze of angels alive to the Word's inner meaning. The literal sense of these words from Ezekiel does so, for instance:
The day is near; yes, the day of Jehovah is near. The time of the nations will be a day of cloud. (Ezekiel 30:3)
And from Joel:
Oh my, the day! For the day of Jehovah is near, and [it comes] as devastation. (Joel 1:15)
The day of cloud stands for a cloud, or in other words, falsity. The day of the nations stands for the nations, or in other words, wickedness.{*3} The day of Jehovah stands for devastation. When the notion of time is laid aside, there remains the notion of the state that things were in at that time. The situation is the same for the days and years mentioned so frequently in this chapter.
Footnotes:
{*1} In other words, since the literal meaning is paradoxical, there must be another meaning. [LHC]
{*2} For more on this subject, see Heaven and Hell 162-169. Swedenborg's footnotes at 165 and 167 there give extensive references back to various topics relating to state and time in Secrets of Heaven. [RS, SS]
{*3} Swedenborg assigns negative connotation to "the nations" in 139, 249 as well. In later sections, such as 1025:7, he sometimes assigns this expression a positive connotation. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 488
488. That "days" signify states in general, and "years" states in special, appears from the Word, as in Ezekiel:
Thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years (Ezek. 22:4), speaking of those who commit abominations, and fill up the measure of their sins, of whose state in general are predicated "days" and in special "years." So in David:
Thou shalt add days to the days of the king, and his years as of generation and generation (Ps. 61:6), speaking of the Lord and of His kingdom, where also "days" and "years" signify the state of His kingdom. Again:
I have considered the days of old" the years of the ages (Ps. 77:5), where "days of old" signify states of the Most Ancient Church, and "years of the ages" states of the Ancient Church. In Isaiah:
The day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed is come (Isa. 63:4), speaking of the last times, where the "day of vengeance" signifies a state of damnation, and the "year of the redeemed" a state of blessedness. Again:
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn (Isa. 61:2), where both "days" and "years" signify states. In Jeremiah: Renew our days as of old (Lam. 5:21), where state is plainly meant. [2] In Joel:
The day of Jehovah cometh, for it is nigh at hand, a day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and of obscurity; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be after it, even to the years of generation and generation (Joel 2:1-2), where "day" signifies a state of darkness and of thick darkness, of cloud and of obscurity, with each one in particular, and with all in general. In Zechariah: I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day; in that day shall ye cry a man to his companion under the vine, and under the fig tree (Zech. 3:9-10). And in another place:
It shall be one day which is known to Jehovah, not day nor night, and it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light (Zech. 14:7), where it is plain that state is meant, for it is said that there shall be a day that is "neither day nor night, at evening time it shall be light." The same appears from expressions in the Decalogue:
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may be well with thee upon the ground (Deut. 5:16; 25:15), where to have the "days prolonged" does not signify length of life, but a happy state. [3] In the literal sense it must needs appear as if "day" signifies time, but in the internal sense it signifies state. The angels, who are in the internal sense, do not know what time is, for they have no sun and moon that distinguish times; consequently they do not know what days and years are, but only what states are and the changes thereof; and therefore before the angels, who are in the internal sense, everything relating to matter, space, and time disappears, as in the literal sense of this passage in Ezekiel:
The day is near, even the day of Jehovah is near, a day of cloud; it shall be the time of the nations (Ezek. 30:3), and of this in Joel:
Alas for the day for the day of Jehovah is at hand, and as vastation shall it come (Joel 1:15), where a "day of cloud" signifies a cloud, or falsity; the "day of the nations" signifies the nations, or wickedness; the "day of Jehovah" signifies vastation. When the notion of time is removed, there remains the notion of the state of the things which existed at that time. The case is the same with regard to the "days" and "years" that are so often mentioned in this chapter.
Elliott(1983-1999) 488
488. As has been stated, 'days' means states in general, and 'years' states in particular. This too becomes clear from the Word, as in Ezekiel,
You have brought your days near, and you have come even to your years. Ezek 22:4.
This refers to people who behave abominably and sin to the fullest extent, and so 'days' has reference in this case to such people's state in general, 'years' to that state in particular. In David,
You will add days to the king's days; and his years as generation after generation! Ps 61:6.
This refers to the Lord and His kingdom, where again 'days' and 'years' stand for the state of His kingdom. In the same author,
I have considered the days of old, the years of long ago. Ps 77:5.
Here 'days of old' is states of the Most Ancient Church, and 'years of long ago' states of the Ancient Church. In Isaiah, The day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come. Isa 63:4.
This stands for the final times, where 'the day of vengeance' stands for a state of condemnation, and 'the year of the redeemed' for a state of blessedness. Similarly, in the same prophet,
To proclaim the year of Jehovah's good pleasure, and the day of vengeance for our God; to comfort all who mourn. Isa 61:2.
Here again 'days' and also 'years' are mentioned and mean states. In Jeremiah,
Renew our days as of old. Lam 5:21.
Here 'days' plainly stands for state.
[2] In Joel,
The day of Jehovah is coming, for it is near, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a tiny of cloud and gloom, as has never happened of old, nor will be again after it through the years of generation after generation. Joel 2:1, 2, 11.
Here 'day' stands for a state of darkness, thick darkness, cloud and gloom - a state of individuals in particular and of all in general. In Zechariah,
I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. On that day you will shout, each to his companion, under his vine and under his fig tree. Zech 3:9, 10.
And elsewhere in Zechariah,
There will be one tiny, it is known to Jehovah, which is neither day nor night, and at evening time there will be light. Zech 14:7.
State is clearly meant here, for it is said that 'it will be a day, which is neither day nor night; at evening time there will be light'. The same meaning is also clear from the following in the Decalogue,
Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged, and that it may be well with you in the land. Deut 5:16; 25:75.
Here 'a prolonging of days' does not mean living on into old age but a state that is happy.
[3] In the sense of the letter 'day' cannot be seen to mean anything other than a period of time, but in the internal sense it means a state. Angels, who abide in the internal sense of the Word, do not know what a period of time is, for the activity of the sun and moon with them does not produce divisions of time. As a consequence they do not know what a day or a year is, but only what states and changes of state are. This is why among angels, who abide in the internal sense of the Word, anything connected with matter, space, and time, goes unnoticed, as with the following usages in the sense of the letter in Ezekiel,
The day is near, even the day of Jehovah is near, a day of cloud; it will be a time of the nations. Ezek 30:3.And in Joel,
Alas for the day! For the day of Jehovah is near, and as destruction. Joel 1:15.Here 'a day of cloud' stands for cloud or falsity, 'a day of the nations' for the nations or wickedness, and 'the day of Jehovah' for vastation. When the concept of time is removed there remains the concept of the state of the things existing during that period of time. The same applies to the days and the years that are mentioned so many times in this chapter.
Latin(1748-1756) 488
488. Quod 'dies' significet status in genere, et 'anni' status in specie, constare etiam potest ex Verbo, ut dictum; ut apud Ezechielem, Appropinquare fecisti dies tuos, et venisti usque ad annos tuos," xxii 4;ubi de iis qui abominanda faciunt et peccatorum mensuram implent, ita de talium statu hic praedicantur in genere 'dies,' in specie 'anni:' apud Davidem, Dies super dies regis addes, anni ejus sicut generationis et generationis, Ps. lxi 7 [A.V. 6];
de Domino et Ipsius regno, ubi etiam 'dies et anni' pro statu Ipsius regni: apud eundem, Cogitavi dies ab antiquo, annos saeculorum, Ps. lxxvii 6 [A.V.5];
ubi 'dies ab antiquo' sunt status Ecclesiae Antiquissimae, et 'anni saeculorum' status Ecclesiae Antiquae: apud Esaiam, Dies ultionis in corde Meo, et annus redemptorum Meorum venit, lxiii 4;
pro ultimis temporibus, ubi 'dies ultionis' pro statu damnationis, et 'anni redemptorum' pro statu beatitudinis: similiter apud eundem, Ad proclamandum annum beneplaciti Jehovae, et diem quis Deo nostro, ad consolandum omnes lugentes, lxi 2;
ubi etiam dies ut et anni dicuntur et significant status: apud Jeremiam, Renova dies nostros sicut antiquitus, Thren. v 21;
ubi manifeste pro statu: [2] apud Joelem, Venit dies Jehovae, quia propinquus, dies tenebrarum et caliginis, dies nubis et obscuritatis,... sicut ille, non factus est a saeculo, et post eum non addet usque in annos generationis et generationis, ii 1, 2, 11;
ubi 'dies' pro statu tenebrarum, caliginis, nubis et obscuritatis, cujuscumque in particulari et omnium in genere: apud Zachariam, Removebo iniquitatem terrae istius in die uno, in die illo... clamabitis vir ad socium suum, ad subter vitem, et ad subter ficum, iii 9, 10:
et alibi, Erit dies unus, ille notus est Jehovae, non dies, nec nox; et fiet, ad tempus vesperae erit lux, xiv 7;
ubi manifeste, quod status, quia dicitur 'erit dies, non dies nec nox ad tempus vesperae lux:' {x}tum ex illis quae in decalogo, Honora patrem tuum, et matrem tuam,... ut prolongentur dies tui, et ut sit bene tibi super humo, Deut. v 16; xxv 15;
ubi 'prolongare dies' non significat longaevitatem sed statum felicem. [3] In sensu litterae non aliter videri potest quam quod 'dies' significet tempus, sed in sensu interno significat statum; angeli, qui in sensu interno Verbi sunt, non sciunt quid tempus, nam illis non est sol et luna distinguens tempora, proinde non sciunt quid dies et annus, se quid status et ejus mutationes; quare coram angelis, qui in sensu interno Verbi sunt, quicquid est materiae, spatii et temporis, disparet ut quae in sensu litterae apud Ezechielem, Propinquus est dies, et propinquus dies Jehovae, dies nubis tempus gentium erit, xxx 3:
et apud Joelem, Ah diei, quia propinquus dies Jehovae, et sicut vastatio, i 15; ubi 'dies nubis' pro nube seu falsitate; 'dies gentium' pro gentibus seu malitia; 'dies Jehovae' pro vastatione. Cum temporis noti removetur, manet notio status rerum, quae tempore illo fuerunt Similiter se habet cum 'diebus et annis' in hoc capite, qui toties nominantur.