751、此处论述的主题是被称为挪亚的新教会成员所受的试探，并且即便有，也很少有人了解试探的性质，因为如今很少有人经历这些试探，而那些经历的人只知道这是他们自身固有、导致他们受苦的某种东西，故有必要简单解释一下这个问题。在试探期间，有些恶灵会激活人的虚假和邪恶，如前所述（653，705:3，711，741节）。事实上，他们会从他的记忆中提取出他从小曾思想和做过的任何事。恶灵能以如此精湛的技巧和极大的恶意如此行，以至于无法用语言来形容。然而，与此人同在的天使会提取出他的良善和真理，从而保护他。双方的这种争战就是这个人所感觉和感知到的，它使良心遭受痛苦和悔恨。
试探有两种，一种涉及理解力的事物，一种涉及意愿的事物。当一个人在理解力的事物上受到试探时，恶灵只激活他曾实施过的恶行，这些恶行在此由“不洁净的牲畜”来表示；他们以此指控和谴责他。他们甚至还激活他的善行，这些善行在此由“洁净的牲畜”来表示；但他们却以上千种方式来败坏这些善行。同时，他们也激活他的思维，这些思维在此也由“飞鸟”来表示；另外，他们还激活在此由“爬在土地上的一切”所表示的那类事物。不过，这种试探是温和的，给人的感觉只是他回想起这类经历，由此感到某种焦虑。
然而，当人在意愿的事物上受到试探时，其被激活的行为和思维不是那么多。相反，有一些恶魔（这类恶灵可被如此称呼）会在他里面点燃早已渗入他的恶欲和污秽的爱，从而利用这个人的欲望本身攻击他。他们做起这种事来如此恶毒和隐秘，以至于让人无法相信这是他们干的。实际上，他们能在顷刻之间渗入他的欲望的生命，并且几乎瞬间就将对良善与真理的情感扭转并变成对邪恶与虚假的情感，以至于这个人只知道这些事来自他自己，是从他自己的自由意志中流出的。这种试探是最严厉的，给人的感觉是一种内心的痛苦和灼烧的折磨。对此，容后再述（755-757，760，845节）。我被允许从大量经历中发觉并知道，这是真的；还知道这些恶灵或恶魔什么时候、如何流入并泛滥，以及他们是谁，来自何处。关于这些经历，蒙主的神性怜悯，容后详述。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]751. The subject under discussion here is the trials of the people in the new church called Noah, but few if any know what goes on in times of trial because few today experience them. Those who do are wholly convinced that it is something inherent in themselves that causes them to suffer. In consequence, let me offer a brief explanation of the matter here.
During such times it is evil spirits who stir up our falsities and evil, as mentioned [653, 705:3, 711, 741]. From our memory they stir up everything we have ever considered or committed since childhood. Evil spirits are able to do this with such consummate skill and malice that words cannot describe it. The angels who accompany us, though, bring out the goodness and truth that we have and use it to defend us. The conflict between the parties is what we sense and feel, and it causes our conscience to gnaw at us and torment us.
[2] There are two kinds of trial, one testing the intellect, and the other the will. In struggles involving our intellectual processes, evil spirits stir up only the following: the wrong we have done (symbolized here by the unclean animals), for which they accuse and condemn us; our good deeds (symbolized by the clean animals), which they twist in a thousand ways; our thoughts (symbolized by the birds); and the things symbolized by the animals creeping on the ground. A struggle of this kind is mild, and we perceive it only as the memory of such things, along with a kind of resulting anxiety.
[3] A struggle involving the urges of our will, on the other hand, does not stimulate the memory of our thoughts and deeds in this way. Rather, wicked demons (a name for evil spirits of this type) kindle in us the cravings and vile kinds of love that already permeate us, and so they attack us with our own longings. This they manage so malevolently and covertly that no one could ever believe it was their doing. It takes them only a moment to infiltrate the vital energy that lies behind our longings. In almost no time they change and redirect our desire for goodness and truth into a desire for evil and falsity. We end up totally unaware that this event did not happen on its own, that it did not unfold spontaneously. This kind of trial is very severe, and we perceive it as an excruciating, burning pain inside. It will be discussed below [755-757, 760, 845].
The truth of all this I was privileged to see and recognize from repeated experience. I also learned when it was that evil spirits and demons poured and flooded in, where they came from, who they were, and what their methods were. These experiences too will later be described individually, by the Lord's divine mercy.{*1}
Footnotes:
{*1} Swedenborg refers, perhaps, to such experiences as related in 814-831, 938-969. His Journal of Dreams (Swedenborg 2001b) and his diary Spiritual Experiences (Swedenborg 1998-2002 and Swedenborg 1978) offer examples too numerous to cite. [LHC, RS]
Potts(1905-1910) 751
751. As the subject here treated of is the temptation of the man of the new church called "Noah" and as few if any know the nature of temptations (because at this day there are few who undergo such temptations, and those who do undergo them know not but that it is something inherent in themselves which thus suffers), the subject shall be briefly explained. There are evil spirits who as before said in times of temptation call up a man's falsities and evils, and in fact call forth from his memory whatever he has thought and done from his infancy. Evil spirits do this with a skill and a malignity so great as to be indescribable. But the angels with the man draw out his goods and truths, and thus defend him. This combat is what is felt and perceived by the man, causing the pain and remorse of conscience. [2] There are two kinds of temptations, one as to things of the understanding, the other as to those of the will. When a man is tempted as to things of the understanding, the evil spirits call up only the evil things he has been guilty of (here signified by the "unclean beasts"), and accuse and condemn him; they do indeed also call up his good deeds (here signified by the "clean beasts"), but pervert them in a thousand ways. At the same time they call up what he has thought (here signified by the "fowl"), and such things also as are signified by "everything that creepeth upon the ground." [3] But this temptation is light, and is perceived only by the recalling of such things to mind and a certain anxiety therefrom. But when a man is tempted as to the things of the will, his thoughts and doings are not so much called up, but there are evil genii (as evil spirits of this kind may be called) who inflame him with their cupidities and foul loves with which he also is imbued, and thus combat by means of the man's cupidities themselves, which they do so maliciously and secretly that it could not be believed to be from them. For in a moment they infuse themselves into the life of his cupidities, and almost instantly invert and change an affection of good and truth into an affection of evil and falsity, so that the man cannot possibly know but that it is done of his own self, and comes forth of his own will. This temptation is most severe, and is perceived as an inward pain and tormenting fire. Of this more will be said hereafter. That such is the case has been given me to perceive and know by manifold experience; and also when and how the evil spirits or genii were flowing in and inundating, and who and whence they were; concerning which experiences, of the Lord's Divine mercy special and particular mention will be made hereafter.
Elliott(1983-1999) 751
751. Since the subject here is the temptation of the member of the new Church called Noah, and since few, if any, know what temptations are, because nowadays few people undergo such temptations - and those who do are not aware of anything other than the feeling that it is something within them which is suffering in this way - let a brief explanation be given. There are evil spirits who at that time activate a person's falsities and evils, as has been stated. Indeed they draw out of his memory whatever he has thought and carried out since early childhood. Evil spirits can do this so cleverly and wickedly as to defy description. But the angels who are with him draw out his goods and truths, and in this way defend him. This conflict is what the person feels and perceives in himself and is what causes the sting and torment of conscience.
[2] There are two kinds of temptation, the first involving things of the understanding, the second those of the will. When a person's temptation involves those of the understanding, evil spirits activate only the evil deeds he has carried out, which are meant here by 'unclean beasts'. And with these they accuse and condemn. They even activate his good deeds as well, which are also meant here by the 'clean beasts'; but these they corrupt in a thousand ways. At the same time they also activate his thoughts, which are also meant here by 'bird', and in addition they activate the things meant here by 'things creeping over the ground'. This kind of temptation however is mild and is perceived only through the recollection of such experiences, and a kind of mental anguish resulting from this.
[3] When however someone's temptation involves things of the will, it is not so much his deeds and thoughts that are activated. Instead there are evil genii, as evil spirits of this type may be called, who inflame him with the evil desires and the foul loves in which he is steeped, and in this way direct their attack through the person's very desires. They do this so wickedly and secretly that one cannot possibly believe it is they who are doing it. In fact they worm their way in no time at all into the life of his desires, and almost instantaneously twist and convert the affection for good and truth into the affection for evil and falsity. They act in such a way that the individual inevitably thinks that these things come from himself and flow forth of his own free will. This kind of temptation is very severe, and is felt as inward pain and burning torment. This subject is dealt with later on. I have been allowed from much experience to know and realize that this is true, and to know also when evil spirits or genii were flowing in and overwhelming, and from where, who they were and how they did it. In the Lord's Divine mercy these experiences will be described in detail later on.
Latin(1748-1756) 751
751. Hic quia agitur de tentatione hominis Ecclesiae novae Noahus dictae, et paucis, si ulli, notum est quomodo se tentationes habent, quia pauci hodie tales tentationes subeunt, et qui subeunt, non sciunt aliter quam quod aliquid in ipsis sit inhaerenter quod sic patitur, breviter licet rem exponere: sunt mali spiritus qui tunc, ut dictum, excitant falsa et mala hominis, et quidem ex ejus memoria, quaecumque ab infantia cogitavit et patravit; hoc mali spiritus tam solerter et malitiose facere possunt ut non describi possit; sed angeli qui apud eum, depromunt ejus bona et vera, et sic defendunt hominem; haec pugna est quae sentitur et percipitur apud hominem, et causatur conscientiae morsum et cruciatum. Sunt tentationes duplicis generis, unum quoad intellectualia, alterum quoad voluntaria; cum tentatur homo quoad intellectualia, tunc spiritus mali solum facta ejus mala quae patravit, quae hic significantur per 'bestias immundas,' excitant, et accusant et damnant; tum quidem facta ejus bona, quae hic quoque significantur per 'bestias mundas,' sed illa mille modis pervertunt; simul etiam 'excitant cogitata ejus, quae hic quoque significantur per 'avem,' porro etiam illa quae hic significantur per 'repentia super humo,' sed haec tentatio levis est, et percipitur solum per revocationem talium in memoriam, et quandam inde anxietatem. Cum autem tentatur homo quoad voluntaria, tunc non excitantur ita facta et cogitata, sed sunt genii mali, ita vocari possunt hujus generis spiritus mali, qui incendunt eum suis cupiditatibus et foedis amoribus quibus imbutus, et sic per ipsas hominis cupiditates pugnant; quod tam malitiose et clandestine faciunt ut nusquam credi possit quod ab illis; momento enim se infundunt in vitam ejus cupiditatum, ut et vertunt et flectunt fere in instanti affectionem boni et veri in affectionem {1}mali et falsi, ut nusquam aliter scire possit homo quam quod ex semet fiat et sponte sic fluat; haec tentatio est gravissima, et percipitur ut dolor internus et ignis crucians; de hac in sequentibus agitur. Quod ita se res habeat, ex multiplici experientia nosse et scire mihi datum, tum quando, undenam, quinam, et quomodo mali spiritus aut genii influxerunt et inundarunt; de quibus experientiis, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, in sequentibus singillatim dicetur. @1 malam I.$