774、“一切野兽，各从其类”表示一切属灵良善，“（一切）牲畜，各从其类”表示一切属世良善，“爬在地上的（一切）爬行物，各从其类”表示一切感官和肉体的良善。这在前面已经说明（45，46，142，143，246节）。乍一看，“野兽”似乎不可能表示属灵良善。然而，从以下思路清楚可知，这的确是真正的含义，即：首先提到的是表示该教会成员的“他们”，接下来提到的是“野兽”，然后是“牲畜”，最后是“爬行物”。因此，“野兽”所体现的事物比“牲畜”所体现的更高贵、更优秀；原因在于，在希伯来语，“野兽”还表示一个含有活灵魂的活物或动物。所以它在此不是指一个野兽，而是指一个含有活灵魂的活物或动物，因为这是同一个词。“活物或动物”、“牲畜”和“爬在地上的爬行物”表示属于意愿的事物，这在前面已经阐述和说明，在接下来论述鸟的地方还会进一步说明。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]774. I have already stated and shown that every kind of wild animal symbolizes all spiritual goodness, every kind of beast all earthly goodness, and the creeping thing creeping on the earth all goodness on the sensory and bodily levels (45, 46, 142, 143, 246).
It may at first glance seem wrong to say that a wild animal symbolizes spiritual goodness, but look at the series of subjects. First to be mentioned are they (the people of the church), then the wild animal, the beast, and finally the creeping thing. The wild animal involves something more important and nobler than a beast, because the Hebrew word also means a living being, something with a living soul. In this verse, then, it does not mean a wild animal but a living creature with a living soul, since the word for both is the same.{*1} The symbolism of living creatures, beasts, and creeping things creeping on the earth as aspects of the will has been mentioned and demonstrated before.{*2} More evidence appears directly below, where birds are discussed.
Footnotes:
{*1} The Hebrew term Swedenborg refers to here is חַיָּה (ḥayyā). The same word is used in Ezekiel for the four guardian beings (see Ezekiel 1:5), and it may be that Swedenborg has those beings or something like them in mind when he mentions "a living creature with a living soul." [RS, JSR, LHC]
{*2} On the symbolism of all kinds of animals, see 45-46, 142, 143, 246, 714-715, 719. For the symbolism of creeping things specifically, see 44, 195-197, 251, 594, 674, 746. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 774
774. That by the "wild animal after its kind" is signified every spiritual good, and by "beast after its kind" every natural good, and by "creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" every sensuous and corporeal good, has been stated and shown before (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246). At first view it may appear as if it could not be that the "wild animal" signifies spiritual good; yet that this is the true signification appears from the series of expressions, in that mention is first made of "they" meaning the man of the church; next of "wild animal;" then of "beast;" and lastly of "creeping thing." So that "wild animal" involves what is of higher worth and excellence than "beast" the reason of which is that in the Hebrew language the expression "wild animal" means also an animal in which there is a living soul. And so it does not here mean every wild animal, but every animal in which there is a living soul, for it is the same word. That by "animals" "beasts" and "creeping things that creep upon the earth" are signified things pertaining to the will, has been stated and shown before, and will be further shown in what presently follows, where birds will be spoken of.
Elliott(1983-1999) 774
774. '[Every] wild animal according to its kind' means all spiritual good, '[every] beast according to its kind' all natural good, and '[every] creeping thing that creeps over the earth [according to its kind]' all sensory and bodily good. This has been stated and shown already in 45, 46, 142, 143, 246. At first glance however it does not look at all possible for 'wild animal' to mean spiritual good. It becomes clear that it does so from the train of thought: first of all 'they' are mentioned, that is, the member of the Church, after that 'wild animal', then 'beast', and finally 'creeping thing'. Consequently 'wild animal' embodies something nobler and more excellent than 'beast' does, the reason being that in Hebrew the word used also means a living creature which contains a living soul. And so here also it does not mean a wild animal but a living creature containing a living soul, for it is the same word. That 'living creatures, beasts, and creeping things that creep over the earth' means things of the will has been stated and shown already, and further evidence will be shown later on where birds are dealt with.
Latin(1748-1756) 774
774. Quod per 'feram secundum speciem suam' significetur omne bonum spirituale; et per 'bestiam secundum speciem suam' omne bonum naturale; et per 'reptile repens super terra' omne bonum sensuale et corporeum, prius dictum et ostensum est n. 45, 46, 143, 146; at quod 'fera' significet bonum spirituale, primo intuitu quidem apparere potest sicut quod ita non esset; sed constare potest serie rerum, quod primum dicantur 'illi,' hoc est, homo Ecclesiae dein 'fera,' tum 'bestia,' demum 'reptile,' quare 'fera' quid dignius et excellentius involvit quam 'bestia,' ex causa quia vox illa in lingua Hebraea etiam significat animalia in quo anima vivens; ita quoque hic non significat feram, sed animal in quo anima vivens, nam eadem vox est. Quod per 'animalia, bestias et reptilia repentia super terra significentur voluntaria, prius dictum et ostensum est, et porro in his sequentibus, ubi de avibus, ostendetur.