8169.“因为服事埃及人比死在旷野还好”表在一种侵扰的状态下通过虚假的暴行到来的诅咒要好于在一种试探的状态下通过屈服到来的诅咒。这从“比……还好”、“服事埃及人”、“死”和“旷野”的含义 清楚可知：“比……还好”是指这将更为可取；“服事埃及人”是指向侵扰者的虚假屈服，因为“服事”表示服从或受别人掌控（参看6666，6670，6671节），因而是指屈服，在此是指向侵扰者的虚假屈服；“死”是指诅咒（8165节）；“旷野”是指经历试探的一种状态（8098节）。由此明显可知，“服事埃及人比死在旷野还好”表示在被他们侵扰时向虚假屈服要好于在试探中屈服。在前一种状态下屈服的确好于在后一种状态下屈服；因为当一个人在试探中屈服时，他对反对信之真理和良善的虚假和邪恶的接受会变得更强。而当他在侵扰状态下屈服时，他对虚假和邪恶的接受也会变得更强，但不那么明显地反对信之真理和良善。由此明显可知，在试探中屈服包含对真理和良善的不敬，有时包含对它们的亵渎；最大、最坏、最可怕的诅咒就是来自亵渎的诅咒。
Potts(1905-1910) 8169
8169. Because it is good for us to serve the Egyptians, rather than that we should die in the wilderness. That this signifies that damnation by the violence of falsity in a state of infestations was to be preferred to the damnation which comes by yielding in a state of temptations, is evident from the signification of "to be good rather than that," as being that it was to be preferred; from the signification of "serving the Egyptians," as being a yielding to the falsities of the infesters; for "to serve" signifies subjugation (see n. 6666, 6670, 6671), thus a yielding, here to the falsities of the infesters; from the signification of "dying," as being damnation (n. 8165); and from the signification of "the wilderness," as being a state of undergoing temptations (n. 8098). From all this it is evident that by "it is good for us to serve the Egyptians, rather than that we should die in the wilderness," is signified that to yield to falsities when they were infested would be preferable to yielding in temptations. Moreover it is true that to yield in the former state is preferable to yielding in the latter; for to yield in temptations is to be confirmed in falsities and evils against the truths and goods of faith; whereas to yield in a state of infestations is to be confirmed in falsities and evils, yet not manifestly against the truths and goods of faith. Hence it is evident that in yielding in temptations there is a blaspheming of truth and good, and sometimes profanation; and the greatest and most direful damnation of all is that which comes from profanation.
Elliott(1983-1999) 8169
8169. 'For it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness?' means that damnation through the violence of falsity in the state of molestations would be preferable to damnation that came about through yielding in a state of temptations. This is clear from the meaning of 'being better for them' as that it would be preferable; from the meaning of 'serving the Egyptians' as yielding to the falsities of the molesters, for 'serving' means being under another's control, 6666, 6670, 6671, thus yielding, in this instance to the falsities of the molesters; from the meaning of 'dying' as damnation, as above in 8165; and from the meaning of 'the wilderness' as a state for undergoing temptations, dealt with in 8098. From all this it is evident that 'it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness' means that it would be preferable to yield to falsities, when molested by them, than to yield in temptations. Yielding in the former state is indeed preferable to doing so in the latter; for when a person yields in temptations his acceptance of falsities and evils in opposition to the truths and forms of the good of faith is made stronger. But when he yields in a state of molestations his acceptance of falsities and evils is made stronger, but not so plainly in opposition to the truths and forms of the good of faith. From this it is evident that yielding in temptations involves blasphemy against truth and goodness, and sometimes profanation of them; and the worst and most terrible damnation of all is damnation as a result of profanation.
Latin(1748-1756) 8169
8169. `Quia bonum nobis servire Aegyptiis prae mori in deserto?': quod significet quod damnatio per falsi violentiam in statu infestationum praestaret damnationi quae per succumbentiam in statu tentationum, constat ex significatione `bonum esse prae illo' quod sit quod praestaret; ex significatione `servire Aegyptiis' quod sit succumbentia a falsis infestantium; per `servire' enim significatur {1}subjugatio, n. 6666, 6670, 6671, ita succumbentia, hic a falsis infestantium; ex significatione `mori' quod sit damnatio, ut supra n. (x)8165; et ex significatione `deserti' quod sit status subeundi tentationes, de qua n. 8098; ex his patet quod per `bonum nobis servire Aegyptiis prae mori in deserto' significetur quod praestaret succumbere a falsis cum infestati quam succumbere in tentationibus; quod {2} praestet succumbentia in illo statu quam in hoc, etiam verum est, nam succumbere in {3}tentationibus est confirmari in falsis et malis contra vera et bona fidei; at succumbere in (t)infestationum statu est confirmari in falsis et malis, sed non manifeste contra vera et bona fidei; inde patet quod succumbentiae in tentationibus {4}insit blasphematio veri et boni, et quandoque profanatio; et damnatio omnium maxima et dirissima est damnatio {5}ex profanatione. @1 succumbentia, et per Aegyptios qui per falsa infestant, de qua prius saepe$ @2 i etiam$ @3 statu tentationum$ @4 plerumque inest$ @5 prophanationis$