8349.“因苦不能喝水，因为它们是苦的”表在他们看来，真理是令人不快的，因为缺乏对良善的情感。这从“喝水”、“水”和“苦”的含义清楚可知：“喝水”是指领受真理，并在良善的指导之下运用它们，如前所述（3069，5709节）；“水”是指真理，如刚才所述（8347节）；“苦”是指令人不快（7854节）。从这些含义明显可知，“因苦不能喝水，因为它们是苦的”表示在他们看来，真理是令人不快的。它们由于缺乏对良善的情感而令人不快，对此的解释是，真理所含有的一切快乐都归因于良善。对真理的情感之所以来源于良善，是因为良善爱真理，真理爱良善；这二者如同在一个婚姻里那样结合在一起。众所周知，人人都渴望在那些他所热爱，并以之为目的的事物上得到更多指教。一个热爱良善，也就是发自内心想要敬拜神并造福邻舍的人，喜欢学习更多方法来这样做，因而喜欢学习真理。由此可见，对真理的一切情感都是由良善产生的。
诚然，有些人虽过着邪恶的生活，却渴望学习真理；但他们没有对真理的情感，只有为了自我荣耀，也就是为了名声、地位和利益而确认教会教义事物的欲望。对真理的真正情感就在于为了世上的生活，为了永生而想要知道何为真理。当具有这种情感的人所拥有的真理开始缺乏，尤其当他们所知道的真理似乎令人不快时，他们就进入试探。这试探的根源在于以下事实：与良善的联系中断了。人一进入他的自我，这些联系就中断，因为如此他就滑入爱自己或爱世界的邪恶。他一进入这种状态，就开始发现真理令人不快；但他一从这种状态出来，真理就变得令人快乐。这就是接下来描述苦水因木头丢在水里而得治愈的叙事所表示的，因为“木头”表示良善。
Potts(1905-1910) 8349
8349. And they could not drink the waters for bitterness, because they were bitter. That this signifies that truths appeared to them undelightful, because devoid of the affection of good, is evident from the signification of "to drink the waters," as being to receive truths and apply them under good (of which n. 3069, 5709); from the signification of "waters," as being truths (of which just above, n. 8347); and from the signification of "bitter," as being what is undelightful (n. 7854). Hence it is evident that by "they could not drink the waters for bitterness, because they were bitter," is signified that truths appeared to them undelightful: that it denotes because devoid of the affection of good, is because all the delight of truth comes forth from good. That the affection of truth derives its origin from good is because good loves truth, and truth loves good, for these two are conjoined as in a marriage. It is known that everyone desires to be instructed in those things which he loves and has as the end. He who loves good, that is, who wills from the heart to worship God and to benefit his neighbor, loves to be instructed in those things which lead thereto, consequently in truths; from which it can be seen that all the affection of truth is from good. [2] There are indeed some who live in an evil manner, and yet desire to be instructed in truths; but with these there is no affection of truth, but only the affection of confirming the doctrinal things of the church for the sake of self-glory, that is, for the sake of reputation, honors, or gain. The genuine affection of truth is to wish to know what is true for the sake of the life in the world, and for the sake of life eternal. These come into temptation when truths begin to fail them, and more when the truths which they know appear undelightful. This temptation derives its origin from the fact that the communication with good has been intercepted. This communication is intercepted as soon as the man comes into his own, for he thus sinks down into the evil of the love of self, or of the world. When he emerges from this state, truths become delightful. This is meant in what follows by the bitter waters being healed by means of the wood cast into them, for by "wood" is signified good.
Elliott(1983-1999) 8349
8349. 'And they could not drink the waters for bitterness; for they were bitter' means that truths seemed to them to be unpleasant, as being devoid of an affection for good. This is clear from the meaning of 'drinking the waters' as the reception of truths, and using them as good directs, dealt with in 3069, 5709; from the meaning of 'the waters' as truths, dealt with just above in 8347; and from the meaning of 'bitter' as unpleasant, dealt with in 7854. From these meanings it is evident that 'they could not drink the waters for bitterness; for they were bitter' means that truths seemed to them to be unpleasant. The explanation for their seeming to be so, being devoid of an affection for good, is that any delight which truth holds is attributable to good. The reason why an affection for truth has its origin in good is that good loves truth, and truth loves good; the two go together as though joined in marriage. It is well known that everyone wishes to learn more about the things he loves and has as his end in view. One who loves good, that is, wishes in his heart to worship God and benefit his neighbour, loves to learn more about ways to do so, and therefore to learn truths. From all this it becomes clear that every affection for truth arises out of good
[2] There are, it is true, people who lead bad lives and yet wish to learn truths; but there is no affection for truth present with them, only a desire to subscribe to the teachings of the Church for the sake of their own aggrandizement, that is, their own reputation, position, and gain. A genuine affection for truth consists in wishing to know what the truth is for the sake of life in the world, and for the sake of eternal life. People with this desire enter temptation when the truths they possess begin to be lacking, and especially when the truths they know seem to be unpleasant. The origin of this temptation lies in the fact that the links with good have been broken. These links are broken the moment that a person moves in the direction of his proprium, for in so doing he slips into the evil of self-love or of love of the world. The moment he does so he begins to find truths unpleasant; but as soon as he emerges from that state the truths become pleasant. This is what is meant in the narrative that follows, describing how the bitter waters were cured by the wood that had been thrown into them; for good is meant by 'wood'.
Latin(1748-1756) 8349
8349. `Et non potuerunt bibere aquas prae amaritudine, quia amarae illae': quod significet quod vera illis apparerent injucunda, quia absque affectione boni, constat ex significatione `bibere aquas' quod sit recipere vera, et {1}applicare illa sub bono, de qua n. 3069, 5709; ex significatione `aquarum' quod sint vera, de qua mox supra n. 8347; et ex significatione `amari' quod sit injucundum, de qua n. 7854; inde patet quod per `non potuerunt bibere aquas prae amaritudine, quia amarae illae' significetur quod vera illis apparerent injucunda; quod sit quia absque affectione boni, est quoniam omne jucundum veri existit a bono; quod affectio veri originem suam ducat a bono, est quia bonum amat verum et verum bonum, sunt enim bina illa sicut conjugio conjuncta; notum est quod unusquisque velit instrui in illis quae amat et pro fine (x)habet; qui amat bonum, hoc est, qui vult {2}ex corde colere Deum, et benefacere proximo, is amat instrui in illis quae ducunt ad illa, proinde in veris; ex quibus constare potest quod omnis affectio veri sit ex bono; sunt quidem qui male vivunt et tamen volunt instrui in veris, sed non est affectio veri apud illos sed solum affectio confirmandi doctrinalia Ecclesiae, {3}propter sui gloriam, hoc est, famam, honores, lucrum; affectio veri genuina est velle scire quid verum {4}propter vitam in mundo, et propter vitam aeternam; hi in (x)tentationem veniunt quando illis vera incipiunt deficere, et magis quando vera quae sciunt apparent injucunda; tentatio illa originem ducit ex eo quod intercepta sit communicatio cum bono; haec communicatio intercipitur ut primum homo venit in suum proprium, nam sic illabitur in malum amoris sui aut mundi; ut primum in illud incidit, tunc vera incipiunt appercipi injucunda, sed actutum cum ex illo statu emergit, {5}vera fiunt jucunda; hoc {6}intelligitur in sequentibus {7}per quod `aquae amarae sanatae sint per lignum illis injectum,' nam per `lignum' significatur bonum. @1 ea applicare$ @2 benefacere proximo, et ex corde colere Deum$ @3 famae, gloriae, honorum et lucri causa$ @4 antequam id apud se confirmat, et hoc propter vitam et propter usus bonos$ @5 Vera enim et bona sunt quae nutriunt vitam spiritualem, quae cum deficiunt vera, sitiet vita naturalis$ @6 constabit ex$ @7 , dicitur enim$