5541.“流便向他父亲说话”表理解力中的信之事物从真理之良善那里发觉。这从“说”的含义，以及“流便”和“雅各”的代表清楚可知：在圣言的历史中，“说”是指发觉，如前面频繁所述；“流便”是指教义和理解力中的信（参看3861，3866，5472节），因而是指属于这信的事物；“雅各”，即此处“流便”与之说话的“父亲”是指真理之良善（3659，3669，3677，3775，4234，4273，4538，5533节）。由此明显可知，“流便向他父亲说话”表示理解力中的信之事物从真理之良善那里发觉。在此说话的之所以是流便，是因为所论述的主题是教会；在教会中，教义和理解力中的信看似占据第一位，并教导人。此处它教导必须做什么才能避免教会事物的毁灭。
Potts(1905-1910) 5541
5541. And Reuben spoke unto his father. That this signifies the things of faith in the understanding perceived from the good of truth, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive (of which often above); and from the representation of Reuben, as being faith in doctrine and in the understanding (see n. 3861, 3866, 5472), consequently the things of this faith; and from the representation of Jacob, who is here the "father" to whom Reuben spoke, as being the good of truth (n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538, 5533). From this it is plain that by "Reuben's speaking to his father" are signified the things of faith in the understanding perceived from the good of truth. The reason why Reuben speaks here, is that the church is treated of, in which faith in doctrine and in the understanding apparently takes the first place, and also teaches, here what must be done lest the things of the church be destroyed.
Elliott(1983-1999) 5541
5541. 'And Reuben said to his father' means matters of faith in the understanding were discerned by the good of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' in the historical narratives of the Word as discerning, often dealt with already; from the representation of 'Reuben' as faith in doctrine and in the understanding, dealt with in 3861, 3866, 5472, and therefore matters belonging to that faith; and from the representation of Jacob, 'his father' whom Reuben addresses here, as the good of truth, dealt with in 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538, 5533. From all this it is evident that 'Reuben said to his father' means matters of faith present in the understanding were discerned by the good of truth. The reason Reuben is the speaker here is that the subject is the Church in which faith present in doctrine and in the understanding seemingly takes the lead and teaches. Here it teaches what must be done if the destruction of what constitutes the Church is to be averted.
Latin(1748-1756) 5541
5541. `Et dixit Reuben ad patrem suum': quod significet illa quae fidei intellectu sunt appercepta a bono veri, constat ex significatione `dicere' in historicis Verbi quod sit appercipere, de qua saepius prius; ex repraesentatione `Reubenis' quod sit fides doctrina et intellectu, de qua n. 3861, 3866, 5472, proinde illa quae sunt illius fidei; et ex repraesentatione `Jacobi' qui hic est `pater ad quem Reuben dixit', quod sit bonum veri, de qua n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538, 5533; inde patet quod per `dixit Reuben ad patrem suum' significentur illa quae fidei intellectu sunt appercepta a bono veri. Quod `Reuben hic loquatur', est quia agitur de Ecclesia in qua fide, doctrina ac intellectu apparenter primas agit, et quoque docet, hic quid faciendum ne illa quae Ecclesiae sunt, destruantur.