5721.最顽固、最不服管教的灵人就是那些活在肉身时显得比别人更公义，同时又身居高位的人；他们因这两个原因而拥有权威和巨大的影响力。然而，他们什么也不信，没有任何真正的信仰，过着完全自私的生活，内心深处对所有对他们没有好感，不敬重他们的人，尤其那些以任何方式反对他们的人充满仇恨和报复。他们若发现后者的任何瑕疵，就会从中制造大恶，毁谤他们，即便他们可能是一些最好的公民。
在来世，像这样的灵人说话和在世时一样，也就是说仍带有权威和巨大的影响力，貌似出于公义；结果，许多人以为人们应相信他们的话，而不是相信别人的。然而，他们却是极其恶毒的灵人。当他们与人接触时，便通过一种疲劳感引发巨痛；他们不断注入这种疲劳感，并一直增加，直到完全无法忍受；这种疲劳会使精神，进而使身体变得如此虚弱，以致此人几乎无法下床。这一点通过经历向我证明了，当这些灵人在场时，像这样的虚弱便将我控制住；然而，随着他们被移走，这种虚弱便离开了我。
他们利用许多手段注入疲劳感，进而注入虚弱，尤其引入共同的气场；该气场是他们猛烈抨击彼此，以及家人和朋友的辱骂和毁谤的产物。当这些人在自己的房间里推理神性敬拜、信仰和永生时，他们完全把这些抛到一边，并且似乎以一种超越其他任何人的伟大智慧如此行。在来世，他们愿意被称为魔鬼，只要他们被允许统治地狱，因而出于他们所以为的至高无上的权力与神性作对。他们内心深处是污秽的，因为他们在自我之爱，由此在仇恨和报复，在残忍对待所有不向他们献殷勤的人方面胜过其他所有人。
如我所听说的，他们受到严厉惩罚，直到他们不再通过伪装公义而误导、迷惑别人。当这种伪装从他们那里被夺去时，他们就用另一种腔调说话。后来，他们被扔出灵人界，然后被带到左侧，在那里被送入一个极深的地狱。他们的地狱在相当远的左侧。
Potts(1905-1910) 5721
5721. The most stubborn of all are they who during their life in the body had appeared more just than others, and had also been established in dignity, and on both accounts had authority and weight, and yet had believed nothing, and had lived a mere life of the love of self, being inflamed with inward hatred and revenge against all who did not favor them, and pay them reverence, and still more against those who in any way opposed them. If in these they detected any blemish they made an enormous evil of it, and defamed them, even though they might be among the best of citizens. [2] In the other life such persons speak as they had done in this world, with authority and weight, and as if from justice; wherefore many suppose that they are to be believed above others. Yet they are most malicious. When they are applied to a man, they induce great pain by weariness, which they continually inflate and increase, even to the utmost impatience; which induces so great a weakness in the mind and in consequence in the body that the man can scarcely rise from his bed. This was shown me by such weakness seizing me when they were present, and yet ceasing according to the degree in which they were removed. [3] They make use of many an art in order to infuse weariness and consequent weakness, especially by means of disparagements and defamations among themselves and their associates, whose common sphere they inject. When these persons reason within their closets about Divine worship, faith, and eternal life, they utterly reject them, and this they do as from a preeminent wisdom. In the other life they are willing to be called devils, provided they are allowed to rule over the hells, and thus from supreme power-as they believe-to act against the Divine. Inwardly they are filthy, because pre-eminently in the love of self, and thereby in hatred and revenge, and in cruelty against all who do not pay court to them. [4] They are severely punished, as I have also heard, until they desist from leading others astray by an appearance of justice. When this appearance is taken away from them, they speak in another tone. They are afterward cast out from the world of spirits, and are then carried toward the left, and there are cast down deep into hell. Their hell is toward the left at a mid distance.
Elliott(1983-1999) 5721
5721. The most ungovernable spirits of all are those who in their life in the world appeared to be more just than others, and who were at the same time appointed to high offices, for both of which reasons they had authority and great influence. Yet they did not have any real belief and led a wholly selfish life, being fired by the utter hatred of, and desire for revenge on all who failed to show them any favour or pay them any respect, and even more so on those who opposed them in any way. If they discovered in the latter any imperfection they made a great evil of it and denigrated those persons, even though they may have been some of the finest citizens.
[2] In the next life spirits like these speak as they did in the world, that is to say, with authority and great influence, and seemingly from an awareness of what is just, as a consequence of which many think that people should trust what they say more than what others say. But they are very wicked spirits. When they come into contact with a person they introduce intense pain through a feeling of fatigue which they instill and increase all the time to a point when it is totally unbearable, a fatigue which renders the mind and consequently the body so weak that the person can hardly get out of bed. This has been demonstrated to me by the experience that when those spirits were present weakness like that overcame me; yet the weakness left me to the extent they were moved away from me.
[3] They employ many a device to infuse that feeling of fatigue and consequent weakness; in particular they introduce the general sphere that is a product of insults and slanders they hurl at one another and at family and friends. When they engage within their own chambers in reasoning about Divine worship, faith, and eternal life, they sweep these completely aside, doing so, it seems, with a wisdom that is greater than anyone else's. In the next life they are quite prepared to be called devils provided that they are allowed to reign over hells, and by reigning over these, so they believe, to act in opposition to the Divine. Inwardly they are foul, for they surpass all others in self-love, consequently in hatred and revenge, and in cruelty to all who do not pay them any respect.
[4] They undergo severe punishment, which I have also heard taking place, until they leave off misleading others by their outward pretence of being just. When that pretence is removed from them they speak in a different tone of voice. After this they are cast away from the world of spirits, to the left hand side, where they are sent to a hell very deep down. That hell is positioned on the left, a fair distance away.
Latin(1748-1756) 5721
5721. Omnium contumacissimi sunt qui in vita in mundo apparuerunt justi prae aliis, et {1}simul constituti in dignitate, inde ex utroque illis auctoritas et quoque gravitas, et tamen nihil crediderunt et vixerunt solam vitam amoris sui, odio intestino et vindicta accensi contra omnes qui (t)illis non faverunt et qui illos non coluerunt, et magis qui illis (t)aliquo modo se opposuerunt; si apud hos aliquem naevum detexerunt, ex eo enorme malum fecerunt ac diffamarunt, etiamsi inter cives optimos fuisset. [2]Tales in altera vita loquuntur sicut in mundo, nempe ex auctoritate et graviter, {2}et sicut ex justo, unde plures putant quod prae aliis credendi; sed sunt malitiosissimi; cum applicantur homini {3}, inducunt magnum dolorem per taedium quod insufflant et augent continue usque ad summam impatientiam, quod inducit talem infirmitatem animo et inde corpori, ut homo vix se levare e lecto possit: hoc mihi ostensum per id quod cum adessent, talis infirmitas me occuparet, quae tamen cessabat secundum gradum quo removebantur. [3] Utuntur plure arte taedium et inde infirmum infundendi, imprimis per vituperationes et diffamationes {4}inter se et suos, quarum communem sphaeram injiciunt. Illi cum ratiocinantur intra conclavia de cultu Divino, de fide, et vita aeterna, illa prorsus rejiciunt, et hoc faciunt sicut ex sapientia prae aliis. {5}In altera vita volunt audiri diaboli, modo liceat eis imperare infernis, et sic ex imperio, ut credunt, agere contra Divinum. Intus sunt spurci, quia prae aliis in amore sui et inde in odio et vindicta, inque crudelitate contra omnes qui illos non colunt. Puniuntur graviter, quod etiam audivi, usque dum desistunt seducere alios per speciem justi; [4] cum species illa iis adimitur, tunc alio tono loquuntur; postea rejiciuntur e mundo spirituum, et tunc versus sinistrum, et dejiciuntur ibi in infernum profunde; id infernum est versus sinistrum ad mediam distantiam. @1 inde in autoritate$ @2 sicut qui in justo et in auctoritate, inde $ @3 i qui in vero et bono$ @4 quas non sed illarum$ @5 volunt etiam$