5356.“在受苦之地”表承受试探的地方。这从“地”和“受苦”的含义清楚可知：“地”，即此处的埃及地，是指属世层（参看5276，5278，5280，5288，5301节）；“受苦”是指试探（1846节）。由此明显可知，“在受苦之地”表示在承受试探所在的属世层里面，因而在源于良善的真理增多的地方。由于源于良善的真理的这种结实或增多主要通过试探实现，所以经上在如此表述。这种结实之所以主要通过试探实现，是因为试探会除去对自我和世界的爱，因而除去邪恶；一旦这些被除去，对良善与真理的情感就会从主流入（参看5354节）。
试探还通过那时恶灵所引入的反面事物而将性质赋予对良善与真理的觉知。通过对这些反面的觉知，人就能作出对比；这些对比能使他看到整个性质。因为人若不知道何为非良善，就无法知道何为良善；若非知道何为非真理，就无法知道何为真理。试探还助于强化良善与真理，因为陷入试探的人会与邪恶并虚假争战，并通过得胜而更坚定地坚持这些良善与真理。此外，试探也有助于彻底制服邪恶与虚假，以致它们不敢再起来。于是，邪恶与虚假便通过试探被抛到边缘，在那里垂了下去，陷入无力的状态。而良善与真理则在中心，并照着情感的热情而被提升，因而向着那使人复活的主而被提升到天堂。
Potts(1905-1910) 5356
5356. In the land of my affliction. That this signifies where temptations were suffered, is evident from the signification of the "land," here the land of Egypt, as being the natural (see n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301); and from the signification of "affliction," as being temptation (n. 1846). From this it is plain that by "in the land of my affliction" is signified in the natural where temptations were suffered, and consequently that truth from good was multiplied therein. As this fruitfulness or multiplication of truth from good is effected chiefly by means of temptations, it was thus expressed. The reasons why this fruitfulness is effected chiefly by means of temptations, are these. Temptations remove the loves of self and of the world, thus evils; on the removal of which the affection of good and truth flows in from the Lord (see just above, n. 5354). Temptations also give quality to the perception of good and truth, by means of the opposite things which evil spirits then infuse; and it is by perceiving opposites that we get relatives, from which comes all quality; for no one knows what is good without also knowing what is not good, nor what is true without knowing what is not true. Temptations also confirm goods and truths, for the man then fights against evils and falsities, and by conquering comes into a stronger affirmative. Moreover, by means of temptations evils and falsities are subdued, so that they no longer venture to rise up; and in this way evils with falsities are rejected to the sides, and there hang, but drooping downward; while goods with truths are in the midst, and according to the zeal of affection are lifted upward, thus to heaven toward the Lord, by whom they are lifted up.
Elliott(1983-1999) 5356
5356. 'In the land of my affliction' means where the temptations were undergone. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land', in this case the land of Egypt, as the natural, dealt with in 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301; and from the meaning of 'affliction' as temptation, dealt with in 1846. From these meanings it is evident that 'in the land of my affliction' means in the natural where the temptations were undergone and therefore the place where truth from good was multiplied. Since that fruitfulness, or multiplication of truth from good, is brought about primarily by means of temptations, such words have therefore been used here. The reason why fruitfulness is brought about primarily by means of temptations is that temptations take away self-love and love of the world, and so evils too; and once these have been taken away, an affection for goodness and truth from the Lord flows in, see just above in 5354.
[2] Another thing temptations do is to provide a person with the kind of discernment he has about what is good and true; they provide it through the opposites that evil spirits introduce at such times. From his discernment of those opposites a person can make comparisons which enable him to see what the whole is like. For no one can know what good is unless he also knows what is not good; and he does not know what truth is unless he knows what is not true. Also, temptations serve to strengthen goods and truths; for in temptations a person battles against evils and falsities, and through being victorious in such he goes on to hold on more firmly to those goods and truths. In addition to this temptations also serve to subdue evils and falsities so completely that they do not dare to rise up again. Thus temptations serve to cast evils and falsities away to the fringes, where they hang downwards, in a limp condition. But forms of good together with truths are in the centre, and in the measure that the zeal of genuine affection is present they are raised upwards - up to heaven, towards the Lord who does the raising up.
Latin(1748-1756) 5356
5356. `In terra afflictionis meae': quod significet ubi passus tentationes, constat ex significatione `terrae', hic terrae Aegypti, quod sit naturale, de qua n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301; et ex significatione `afflictionis' quod sit tentatio, de qua n. 1846; inde patet quod per `in terra afflictionis meae' significetur in naturali ubi passus tentationes, proinde quod ibi multiplicatum verum ex bono sit; quia fructificatio illa, seu multiplicatio veri ex bono, imprimis fit per tentationes, idcirco ita dictum est. Quod fructificatio illa imprimis fiat per tentationes, causae sunt quia tentationes removent {1}amores sui et mundi, ita mala, quibus remotis influit affectio boni et veri a Domino, videatur mox supra n. 5354; [2] tentationes etiam dant quale apperceptionis boni et veri per opposita quae mali spiritus tunc infundunt; ex oppositis apperceptis comparantur relativa, ex quibus omne quale; nemo enim scit quid bonum nisi {2}etiam sciat quid non bonum, nec quid verum nisi {3}sciat quid non verum. Tentationes etiam confirmant bona et vera, pugnat enim tunc homo contra mala et falsa, et per quod vincit, in fortius affirmativum venit; praeterea etiam per tentationes domantur mala et falsa, ut amplius non hiscant exsurgere; ita rejiciuntur mala cum falsis ad latera, et ibi pendent, sed flaccide, deorsum; bona autem cum veris in medio sunt, et secundum affectionis zelum elevantur sursum, ita ad caelum versus Dominum, a Quo elevatio. @1 jucunda amoris$ @2 ex non bono$ @3 ex non vero, imo nec quid felix nisi ex non felice$