7074.一些水星灵被其他灵人派到我这里来，要听听我所在的地方所发生的事。我们的一个地球灵对他们说，他们要嘱咐一下自己人，除了真理什么也不要说，当回答问题时，不要以他们的方式提出相反的观念，如他们习惯所行的那样；因为我们地球灵若有如此行的，就会因此被痛打。但这些灵人派出的远方同伴对此却回答说，如果他们因此而被痛打，那么他们所有人就都被痛打，因为习惯的做法使得他们无法以其它任何方式行事。他们说，他们与自己星球的人交谈时，也是这样做的，但这不是有意欺骗他们，而是为了激发求知欲或好奇心；因为当他们提出相反的观念，以某种方式隐藏真实观念，或说使主题变得模糊时，人的求知欲或好奇心就被激发出来，记忆因着他急于探究这个主题而得以丰富。
Potts(1905-1910) 7074
7074. Some of the spirits of the earth Mercury were sent by others to me in order to hear what was going on with me; to whom one of the spirits of our earth said that they might tell their companions not to speak anything but the truth, and not in their usual way to present to those questioning them things opposite; for if anyone of the spirits of our earth were to do so, he would be punished. But the company from which those spirits had been sent out, which was at a distance, then answered that if they were to be punished on that account, all would be punished, because, from constant use, they cannot do otherwise. They said that when they speak with the men of their own earth, they act in the same way, and this with no intention to deceive them, but in order to inspire a longing for knowledge; for when they present things opposite, and in a certain way hide the real things, the desire of knowing is excited, and in this way the memory is enriched by the study devoted to the exploration of the things in question.
Elliott(1983-1999) 7074
7074. Some of the spirits belonging to the planet Mercury once came to me; they had been sent by others to listen to what was going on where I was. One of the spirits who belonged to our own planet told them to tell their own people that they should speak nothing but the truth and when answering questioners should refrain from putting contrary ideas in their way, as they are accustomed to do; for if any of the spirits from our planet were to act in that way he would be thrashed for it. But at this point the distant company from which those spirits had been sent out replied that if such had to be thrashed all of them would have to be thrashed since frequent practice left them unable to act in any other way. They said that they also acted in that way when they talked to people on their own planet. But when they did so they had no intention to mislead, only to instill a desire to know; for when they put contrary ideas in the way and in a certain manner make the subject obscure, a person's curiosity is aroused, and as a result of his eagerness to look into the subject his memory is enriched.
Latin(1748-1756) 7074
7074. Aliqui ex spiritibus telluris Mercurii ad me veniebant missi ab aliis, ut audirent quid {1}apud me ageretur; quibus unus ex spiritibus nostrae telluris dicebat quod dicerent suis, ut non aliud quam verum loquerentur, et non, ut solent, interrogantibus opposita objicerent; nam si aliquis ex nostrae telluris spiritibus ita faceret, plecteretur; sed tunc respondebat cohors quae remota erat, (c)e qua spiritus illi emissi erant, quod {2}si ideo plecterentur, omnes plecterentur, quoniam aliter facere nequeunt ex continuo usu; dicebant quod cum loquuntur cum hominibus suae telluris, {3} ita quoque faciant; at hoc non animo illos fallendi, sed ut sic inspirent desiderium sciendi; cum enim opposita objiciunt, et occultant res certo modo, tunc cupido sciendi excitatur, (c)et sic ex studio explorandi illa, memoria locupletatur. @1 hic$ @2 sic$ @3 i quod$