5217.“这细弱的穗子吞了那七个又肥大又饱满的穗子”表没有用处的记忆知识驱逐了好的记忆知识。这从“细弱的穗子”、“又肥大又饱满的穗子”和“吞”的含义清楚可知：“细弱的穗子”是指没有用处的记忆知识，如前所述（5214节）；“又肥大又饱满的穗子”是指信与仁的事物能被注入的记忆知识（5213节），因而是指好的记忆知识；“吞”是指驱逐，这与前面（5206节）论及母牛的“吃尽”是一样的。好的记忆知识被没有用处的记忆知识驱逐，或真理被虚假驱逐（参看5207节）。
这同样适用于灵界。凡虚假所在之处，真理就无法生存；反之，真理所在之处，虚假也无法生存。这一个会驱逐那一个，因为它们是对立面。原因在于，虚假来源于地狱，而真理来源于天堂。有时虚假与真理看似在同一个主体中；但在这种情况下，他里面并没有与真理对立的虚假，只有因使用而依附于这些真理的虚假。真理与虚假共存于其中的主体被称为“不冷不热”；虚假与真理混杂于其中的主体被称为“亵渎”。
Potts(1905-1910) 5217
5217. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven fat and full ears. That this signifies that the memory-knowledges of no use banished the good memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of the "thin ears," as being memory-knowledges of no use (of which above, n. 5214); and from the signification of the "fat and full ears," as being memory-knowledges into which the things of faith and charity could be applied (n. 5213), consequently good memory-knowledges; and from the signification of "swallowing up," as being to banish-the same as "eating up," which is said above of the kine (n. 5206). (That the good memory-knowledges were banished by those of no use, or that truths were banished by falsities, may be seen above, n. 5207.) So also is it in the spiritual world: where falsities are, truths cannot subsist; and on the other hand, where truths are, falsities cannot subsist. The one banishes the other, for they are opposites. The reason is that falsities are from hell and truths are from heaven. It sometimes appears as if falsities and truths are in one subject; but these are not falsities that are opposite to the truths in him, but are those which are associated by applications. The subject in whom truths, and at the same time falsities which are opposite to them, subsist, is called "lukewarm;" and the subject in whom falsities and truths are mingled is called "profane."
Elliott(1983-1999) 5217
5217. 'And the thin heads swallowed up the seven fat and full heads' means that the facts which were useless banished the facts that were good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the thin heads' as facts that are useless, dealt with above in 5214; from the meaning of 'fat and full heads' as facts into which matters of faith and charity could be instilled, dealt with in 5213, which are consequently facts that are good; and from the meaning of 'swallowing up' as banishing, which is similar to 'devouring', as said of the cows above in 5206. Regarding the banishment of good facts by useless ones, or the banishment of truths by falsities, see 5207.
[2] The same applies in the spiritual world. Where falsities are present no truths can remain; and conversely, where truths are present no falsities can remain. The one group banishes the other, since they are complete opposites, for the reason that falsities originate in hell and truths in heaven. Sometimes it does seem as though falsities and truths are present together in the same subject; but the falsities in this case are not complete opposites of the truths there, but ones that are attached to those truths through the ways they are used. A subject in which truths and falsities that are complete opposites exist together is called lukewarm, while a subject in which falsities and truths have become mixed together is called profane.
Latin(1748-1756) 5217
5217. `Et absorbebant aristae graciles septem aristas pingues et plenas': quod significet quod scientifica nullius usus exterminarent scientifica bona, constat ex significatione `aristarum gracilium' quod sint scientifica nullius usus, de qua supra n. 5214; ex significatione `aristarum pinguium et plenarum' quod sint scientifica quibus illa quae fidei et charitatis, inapplicari possent, de qua n. 5213, consequenter scientifica bona; et ex significatione `absorbere' quod sit exterminare, similiter ac `comedere', ut de vaccis dicitur supra n. 5206; quod scientifica bona exterminentur per scientifica nullius usus, seu quod vera per falsa, videatur n. 5207; [2] ita quoque in spirituali mundo se habet; ubi falsa sunt, ibi vera subsistere non possunt, et vice versa ubi vera, ibi non falsa; unum exterminat alterum, sunt enim opposita; causa est quia falsa sunt ex inferno et vera sunt ex caelo; apparet quandoque sicut falsa et vera in uno subjecto sint, at non sunt falsa quae opposita sunt veris ibi, sed quae associantur per applicationes; subjectum ubi vera et simul falsa quae opposita, subsistunt, vocatur tepidum, et subjectum in quo falsa et vera commixta sunt, vocatur profanum.