5948.“你们眼中不要顾惜你们的家具”表不要关心充当工具的任何事物。这从“家具”或“器皿”的含义清楚可知，“家具”或“器皿”是指充当工具的事物；“你们眼中不要顾惜”表示不要关心这些。有些事物是本质的，有些事物是工具性的。本质若要行动并产生某个效果，就必须有一个工具，以便它能通过这工具行动；本质照着工具塑造的方式而行动。 例如，身体是其灵的工具；外在人是内在人的工具；记忆知识是真理的工具；真理是良善的工具（3068，3079节）；等等。
在圣言中，工具性的事物被称为“器皿”；在目前的情况下，这些事物被称为“家具”，因为它们是指着移居，因而指着家里的东西说的。但在圣言中，本质被称为“事物”，是通过工具行动的事物。因此，内层事物因通过外层事物行动，故相对于外层事物来说，是本质的。不要关心充当工具的任何事物，意思是说不可把这些视为目的，而是要视本质为目的。因为在何等程度上视工具为目的，本质就在何等程度上退离并消失不见。例如，如果视记忆知识为目的，而不关心真理，真理最终会从视线中远远消失，以致人无法分辨它们是不是真理。又如，如果视真理为目的，而不关心良善，良善最终会从视线中远远消失，以致它不复存在。那些以尘世、肉体或世俗事物为目的，以至于只关心这些东西，根本不关心天上的任何事物之人也一样。天上的事物从视线中消失，直到最终几乎不认识天上的任何事物。这些和其它类似的事就是“你们眼中不要顾惜你们的家具”所表示的。
但是，要知道，“本质”和“工具”描述了一种关系。也就是说，之所以称为“本质”，是因为它通过另一个事物，如同通过自己的工具或器官那样行动。然而，当另一个事物通过本质之物行动时，这本质之物就变成了工具；等等。此外，受造宇宙中没有任何事物本身是本质的；这种本质之物只存在于至高者，也就是主里面。祂因是存在或本质本身，故被称为耶和华，一个由存在所形成的名字；其它一切都只是工具。由此可推知，由于如前所述，当视为目的的是本质，而非工具，故唯独主当被如此关注。
Potts(1905-1910) 5948
5948. Also let not your eye be sparing upon your stuff. That this signifies that things instrumental are not to be cared for, is evident from the signification of "stuff" or "vessels," as being things instrumental. That these are not to be cared for is signified by "let not your eye be sparing." There are things essential, and things instrumental. For an essential to work an effect anywhere, it must have an instrumental whereby to act; for just as an instrumental has been formed, so it acts. For example, the body is the instrumental of its spirit; the external man is the instrumental of the internal; memory-knowledge is the instrumental of truth; and truth is the instrumental of good (n. 3068, 3079); and so on. [2] In the Word things instrumental are called "vessels;" in the present case "stuff," because they are said of the migration, thus of the things in the houses. But essential things are called in the Word "things," and are those which act by means of instrumental things. Thus as interior things act through exterior things, they are relatively essential. By instrumental things not being to be cared for, is meant that these must not be regarded as the end, but essential things; for insofar as instrumental things are regarded as the end, so far essential things withdraw themselves and vanish. Thus if memory-knowledge is regarded as the end, and truths are not cared for, truths at last so vanish away that it cannot be perceived whether there are any truths. Also if truths are regarded as the end, and good is not cared for, good at last so vanishes as not to be. Furthermore, with those who have earthly, or bodily, or worldly things as the end, so that these are their only care, and not heavenly things, heavenly things so vanish away that at last scarcely anything heavenly is acknowledged. These and similar things are what are signified by "let not your eye be sparing upon your stuff." [3] But be it known that "essential" and "instrumental" are relative terms; that is, that an essential is so called because it acts by means of another thing as by its instrument or organ. But when another thing acts by means of that which was essential, then this becomes instrumental; and so on. Moreover in the created universe there is not anything essential in itself; this exists solely in the Highest, that is, in the Lord, who, because He is Esse or the Essential in itself, is called "Jehovah" from esse (being). All other things are only instrumental. From all this then it follows that because as before said essential things must be regarded as the end, and not instrumental things, the Lord alone must be so regarded.
Elliott(1983-1999) 5948
5948. 'And do not let your eye be sparing over your household utensils' means let no concern be shown for anything that serves instrumentally. This is clear from the meaning of 'household utensils' or vessels as things that serve instrumentally; and a showing of no concern for these is meant by 'do not let your eye be sparing'. There are essentials and there are instruments. To act and produce any effect an essential must be served by an instrument through which it can act; and according to the way the instrument has been fashioned, so the essential acts. For example, the body serves as the instrument of its spirit; the external man serves as the instrument of the internal man; factual knowledge serves as the instrument of truth; truth serves as the instrument of good, 3068, 3079; and so on.
[2] In the Word instruments are called vessels, in the present context 'household utensils' because it is speaking about the moving of those people from one place to another and so about the contents of their houses. But essentials are called 'things' in the Word, and are what act by means of instruments. Thus because interior things act by means of exterior ones the former are essentials, in relation to the latter. When saying that no concern should be shown for anything that serves instrumentally one means that not these but the essentials should be kept as the end in view. For to the extent that the instruments are kept as the end in view the essentials withdraw and disappear from sight. If for example factual knowledge is kept in view without any concern for truths, the truths at length disappear so far from sight that one cannot tell whether they are truths. Or if truths are kept in view without any concern for good, the good at length disappears so far from sight that it no longer exists. It is the same with people who keep earthly, bodily, or worldly things in view, so that their only concern is for them and not at all for heavenly ones. The heavenly things disappear from sight till at length scarcely anything heavenly is recognized. These and other similar considerations are what are meant by 'do not let your eye be sparing over your household utensils'.
[3] But it should be remembered that 'the essential and the instrument' describes a relationship. That is to say, the expression 'essential' is used of one thing because of its action through another serving as its instrument or organ. When however something else acts through the instrumentality of that which was the essential, this now becomes an instrument; and so on. Furthermore there is nothing in the whole of creation that is an ultimate essential; such exists solely in the Supreme Being, that is, in the Lord. Since His is the ultimate Being or Essential (Esse seu Essentiale) He is called Jehovah, a name formed from Being; and all else is merely an instrument. From all this it now follows that because, as has been stated, one should keep Essentials, not instruments, as one's end in view, the Lord alone should be kept in view.
Latin(1748-1756) 5948
5948. `Et oculus vester {1}non parcat super supellectilibus vestris': quod significet quod instrumentalia non sint curae, constat ex significatione `supellectilium' seu vasorum quod sint instrumentalia; quod illa non curae sint, significatur per `oculus ne parcat'. Sunt essentialia et sunt instrumentalia; essentiale ut agat alicubi effectum, habebit instrumentale per quod agat;{2} sicuti instrumentale formatum est, ita agit; sit pro exemplo: corpus est instrumentale sui spiritus; externus homo est instrumentale interni; scientificum est instrumentale veri, et verum est instrumentale boni, n. 3068, 3079, ac ita porro. [2] Instrumentalia in Verbo vocantur vasa, hic `supellectilia' quia praedicantur de migratione eorum, ita de illis quae in domibus. Essentialia autem in Verbo vocantur `res', et sunt illa quae agunt per instrumentalia; interiora sic quia agunt per exteriora, sunt (t)respective essentialia. Per quod instrumentalia non curae erunt, intelligitur quod illa pro fine non erunt, sed essentialia; quantum enim instrumentalia pro fine sunt, tantum retrahunt se et evanescunt essentialia; ut, si pro fine sit scientificum et non curae vera, vera tandem ita evanescunt ut non appercipi {3}possit num vera sint; si quoque vera pro fine sunt et non curae bonum, bonum tandem ita evanescit ut non sit; tum qui terrestria, aut corporea, aut mundana pro fine habent, sic ut haec solum curae sint, non autem {4}caelestia; {5}caelestia ita evanescunt ut tandem vix aliquid {5}caeleste agnoscatur. Haec et similia sunt quae significantur per `oculus vester ne parcat super supellectilibus vestris'. [3] (s)At sciendum quod essentiale et instrumentale sint respectiva, nempe quod essentiale dicatur quia agit per alterum, ut per suum instrumentum aut organum; cum autem aliud agit per illud quod {6} essentiale fuit, tunc (t)hoc fit instrumentale, et sic porro; praeterea in universo creato non datur aliquod essentiale in se, hoc solum datur in Supremo, hoc est, in Domino; Ipse quia est Esse seu Essentiale {7}in Se, vocatur Jehovah ab Esse, reliqua omnia sunt modo instrumentalia; ex his nunc sequitur quia, ut dictum, Essentialia pro fine erunt, non instrumentalia, quod Solus Dominus erit.(s) @1 See p. 372, ftnote 4$ @2 i et$ @3 possint$ @4 spiritualia$ @5 spirituale$ @6 i respective$ @7 ex$