4997.“我怎能作这大恶，得罪神呢”表既然如此，它们只存在分离，而不是结合。这从“恶”，以及“得罪”的含义的含义清楚可知：“恶”和“得罪”是指当事物分离而非结合时的一种状态。也就是说，它描述了如若属灵的属世良善与非属灵的属世真理结合，将会发生的情形；因为这二者既不同也不适合，会彼此拉开距离。经上之所以说“作这大恶，得罪神”，是因为就其本身而言，恶，以及罪无非是与良善分离。此外，邪恶本身在于分离，这一点从良善明显看出来；事实上，良善就是结合，因为一切良善皆源于对主之爱和对邻之爱。对主之爱的良善将人与主，因而与从主发出的一切良善联结起来；对邻之爱的良善则将他与天堂和那里的社群联结起来；因此，他凭这爱而与主结合。严格来说，天堂就是主，因为主是那里全部中的全部。
但对邪恶来说，情况刚好相反。邪恶源于自我之爱和尘世之爱。源于自我之爱的邪恶不仅使人与主分离，还使他与天堂分离，因为除了自己外，他不爱任何人，即便爱他人也只是视他们为自身利益的一部分，或因他们与他构成一体。因此，他将每个人的注意力都转向他自己，完全远离其他人，尤其最远离主。当一个社群中许多人这样做时，那么所有人都会彼此分离，各自都从心里视他人为仇敌；若有人冒犯他的自身利益，他就会仇恨那人，并以毁灭他为乐。尘世之爱的邪恶也没什么不同，因为这爱贪恋别人的财富和货物，渴望拥有属于他们的一切；由此也产生敌意和仇恨，只是程度较小。为叫人知道何为恶，因而何为罪，只是让他研究一下，知道何为自我之爱和尘世之爱就可以了；要知道何为良善，只是让他研究一下，知道何为对神之爱和对邻之爱就可以了。通过这种方式他就会知道何为邪恶，进而知道何为虚假；由此知道何为良善，进而知道何为真理。
Potts(1905-1910) 4997
4997. And how shall I do this great evil, and sin to God? That this signifies that thus there would be disjunction and no conjunction, is evident from the signification of "evil," and also of "sin," as being disjunction and no conjunction, namely, when good spiritual natural is conjoined with truth natural not spiritual; for they are unlike and unsuited, and tear themselves away from each other. It is said "to do evil and sin to God," because regarded in itself, evil, and also sin, is nothing else than disjunction from good. Moreover, evil itself consists in disunion. This is plain from good, for good is conjunction, because all good is of love to the Lord and of love toward the neighbor. The good of love to the Lord conjoins the man with the Lord, and consequently with all the good which proceeds from Him; and the good of love toward the neighbor conjoins him with heaven, and the societies there; and therefore by this love also the man is conjoined with the Lord; for heaven properly so called is the Lord, because He is the all in all there. [2] But with evil the reverse is the case. Evil is of the love of self and of the love of the world. The evil of the love of self disjoins the man not only from the Lord, but also from heaven; for he loves no one but himself, others only so far as he regards them in himself, or so far as they make one with him. Hence he diverts to himself the attention of all, and entirely averts it from others, most especially from the Lord; and when many in a society do this, it follows that all are disjoined, and at heart each regards the others as enemies, and if anyone does aught against him, he holds him in hatred, and takes delight in his destruction. Nor is it different with the evil of the love of the world, for this covets the wealth and goods of others, and desires to possess all that belongs to them; whence also arise enmities and hatreds, but in a less degree. In order for anyone to know what evil is, and consequently what sin is, let him merely study to know what the love of self and of the world is; and in order to know what good is, let him merely study to know what love to God and love toward the neighbor is. In this way he will know what evil is, and consequently what falsity is; and from this he will know what good is, and consequently what truth is.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4997
4997. 'How then shall I do this great evil, and sin against God?' means that, this being so, they exist set apart and not joined together. This is clear from the meaning of 'evil' and likewise of 'sin' as a state when things are set apart and not joined together. That is to say, it describes what happens if spiritual natural good is joined to unspiritual natural truth; being unlike and incompatible the two pull away from each other. The expressions 'doing evil' and 'sinning against God' are used because regarded in itself evil, and sin too, is nothing else than being parted from good. Also, evil exists essentially in disunion, as is evident from what good is. Essentially good is a joining together because all good stems from love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour. The good of love to the Lord joins a person to the Lord and consequently to all good that goes forth from the Lord; and the good of love towards the neighbour joins him to heaven and the communities there, so that by means of this love as well he is joined to the Lord. For properly speaking, heaven is the Lord since He is the All in all there.
[2] But with evil the opposite applies. Evil stems from self-love and love of the world. Evil stemming from self-love sets a person apart not only from the Lord but also from heaven, for he loves no one but himself and others only insofar as he sees them as part of his self-interest, or as they identify themselves with him. Consequently he turns everyone's attention towards himself and entirely away from others, most of all away from the Lord. When a large number act like this within a single community it follows that all are set apart from one another; inwardly each sees another as his enemy. If anyone acts contrary to his self-interest he hates that person and takes delight in his destruction. The evil of the love of the world is not dissimilar, for this consists in a longing for other people's wealth and goods, and in a longing to gain possession of everything owned by others; and these longings too lead to all kinds of enmity and hatred, though in a lesser degree. For anyone to come to know what evil is, and so what sin is, let him merely try to see what self-love and love of the world are; and to come to know what good is, let him merely try to see what love to God and love towards the neighbour are. By trying to do this he will come to see what evil is, and as a consequence what falsity is; and from this he will come to see what good is, and as a consequence what truth is.
Latin(1748-1756) 4997
4997. `Et quomodo faciam malum magnum hoc, et peccarem Deo?': quod [significet quod] sic disjunctio et nulla conjunctio, constat ex significatione `mali' et quoque peccati' quod sit disjunctio et nulla conjunctio, (m)nempe cum bonum naturale spirituale conjungitur cum vero naturali non spirituali, sunt enim dissimilia et imparia, quae se a mutuo distrahunt. `Facere malum' dicitur et `peccare Deo' quia(n) malum in se spectatum et quoque peccatum non aliud est quam disjunctio a bono, ipsum malum etiam in disunione consistit; hoc patet a bono; bonum est conjunctio quia omne bonum est amoris in Dominum et amoris erga proximum; bonum amoris in Dominum conjungit illum Domino, et consequenter omni bono quod procedit a Domino; et bonum amoris erga proximum conjungit illum caelo et societatibus ibi, ita quoque per hunc amorem conjungitur Domino, nam caelum proprie dictum est Dominus; Ipse enim est omne in omnibus ibi. [2] Contra vero malum; malum est amoris sui et amoris mundi; malum amoris sui disjungit illum non modo a Domino, sed etiam a caelo, nam neminem amat quam se, et alios solum quantum spectat illos in se, seu quantum unum faciunt cum se; inde derivat omnium intuitiones (o)in se, et prorsus avertit ab aliis, et maxime a Domino, et cum plures hoc faciunt in una societate, sequitur quod omnes disjuncti sint, et quisque alterum ex interiore aspicit ut {1} inimicum, et si quis contra illum quicquam facit, odio habet illum, et jucundum habet in ejus pernicie; nec dissimiliter malum amoris mundi, hoc enim cupit aliorum opes et aliorum bona, et cupit possident omnia aliorum {2}, inde quoque inimicitiae et odia, sed in minore gradu. Ut quis sciat quid malum, proinde quid peccatum, modo studeat scire quid amor sui et mundi; utque sciat quid bonum, modo studeat scire quid amor in Deum et amor erga proximum; inde sciet quid malum, et consequenter quid falsum et inde sciet quid bonum, et consequenter quid verum. @1 sicut$ @2 quae aliorum sunt$