847、“水从地上来回渐退”表示真理与虚假之间的摇摆，这从前面的阐述（705，739，756，790节）清楚可知，即：论及挪亚的“洪水的水”或泛滥表示试探。由于此处论述的主题是试探之后的第一个状态，所以“水从地上来回渐退”只能表示真理与虚假之间的摇摆。然而，这种摇摆的性质不得而知，除非知道试探是什么，因为试探的性质决定了试探之后的摇摆的性质。当试探是属天的时，摇摆就在良善与邪恶之间；当试探是属灵的时，摇摆就在真理与虚假之间；当试探是属世的时，摇摆则在属于恶欲的事物与恶欲的对立物之间。
试探的种类有很多，一般分为属天的、属灵的和属世的，它们决不可相互混淆。属天的试探只能存在于那些处于对主之爱的人身上，属灵的试探只能存在于那些处于对邻之仁的人身上，而属世的试探又完全不同了。事实上，属世的试探根本不是试探，仅仅是由于不幸、疾病、血液和体液异常对属世之爱造成的攻击而引起的焦虑。从这几点考虑可在某种程度上知道试探是什么，也就是说，试探是与人的爱相冲突的事物所造成的痛苦和焦虑。因此，对那些处于对主之爱的人来说，凡攻击这爱的，都会产生至内在的痛苦，这是属天的试探。对那些处于对邻之爱，即仁爱的人来说，凡攻击这爱的，都会导致良心的折磨，这是属灵的试探。
但对那些属世的人来说，他们经常称之为试探和良心刺痛的经历根本不是真正的试探，仅仅是由他们的爱受到攻击而产生的焦虑，如：当他们预见并感觉自己要失去荣誉、这个世界的好东西、名声、乐趣、肉体生命等等时的情形。尽管如此，这些所谓的试探通常会带来一些好处。此外，那些处于属世仁爱的人，因而各种异教徒、外邦人和偶像崇拜者也会经历试探；这些试探是由他们所钟爱的信仰生活受到攻击造成的。不过，这些都是忧虑，仅仅是属灵试探的仿品。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]847. The symbolism of the waters receded off the earth, going and coming back, as vacillation between truth and falsity is established by earlier statements. I said that the flood water or deluges connected with Noah symbolized times of trial [705, 739, 756, 790], and since the subject here is the first state following trials, the waters that receded, going and coming back, can symbolize nothing else but a wavering between truth and falsity.
The nature of this wavering, though, cannot be known without a knowledge of what trials or "temptations" are. The type of struggle determines the type of vacillation afterward. When the trial involves heavenly qualities, the vacillation is between good and evil. When the trial involves spiritual qualities, the vacillation is between truth and falsity. And when the trial is earthly, the vacillation is between the things we crave and their opposites.
[2] There are many kinds of struggle. The general types are heaven-oriented, spiritual, and earthly, and it is important to avoid confusing them. Only those who love the Lord are subject to heaven-oriented trials. Spiritual trials come to those who have charity for their fellow human. Earthly tribulation has nothing to do with the other two kinds, and it is not really a trial, or temptation, but merely anxiety rising out of an attack on earthly kinds of love. The anxiety is stirred by misfortune, illness, or morbid constitution of the blood and the body fluids.{*1} This brief discussion can give some idea of what is involved in our trials: distress and anxiety over things that conflict with what we love. For those who love the Lord, whatever attacks love for the Lord produces deep pain, and this is trial on the heavenly plane. For those who love their neighbor, or in other words, those who feel charity, anything that attacks that love triggers the sting of conscience, and this is spiritual trial.
[3] But earthly trials, which many people call temptations (while they refer to the pain they feel as the pangs of conscience), are not temptations, or tests. They are merely an anxiety sparked by an assault on what they love. Examples are times when they worry that they will be, or feel that they have been, deprived of their position, worldly goods, reputation, physical pleasures, bodily life, and so on. Still, these experiences are apt to do some good.
For those who practice earthly charity — and so for all kinds of heretics, non-Christians, and idolaters — temptations or trials are also possible, resulting from attacks on the way they live their faith, which is precious to them. But these are just woes that mimic spiritual crises.
Footnotes:
{*1} In Dynamics of the Soul's Domain (Swedenborg [1740-1741] 1955) part 1, 62, Swedenborg lists five qualities of the blood that determine the condition of the life it brings to the body, one of which is the blood's constitution, or chemical integrity. When he speaks here of the "morbid constitution of the blood," he brings a progressive understanding of physiology as biochemistry to bear on his comments. It is worth detailing here that despite the apparent reference to the Hippocratic doctrine of the "four humors" of bodily fluids that governed the body's state of health, Swedenborg was in fact operating far beyond it. First, the Hippocratic model had been superseded by the "spagyric" (that is, alchemical, or in modern terminology, biochemical) model for the external origin of disease developed by Paracelsus (1493-1541). Second, from Swedenborg's studies of the disciplines of chemistry and histology, he knew much about blood, lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, and the fluid that percolated within the tissues; and he was aware that the state of those fluids was dependent upon local chemical conditions. Thus he was working from a surprisingly modern biochemical model for the state of the fluids in the body. Third, he added his own findings on the blood and its components. [RPB]
Potts(1905-1910) 847
847. And the waters receded from off the earth, going and returning. That this signifies fluctuations between what is true and what is false, is evident from what has been said: that the waters of the flood, or inundations, with respect to Noah, signified temptations; for as the subject is here the first state after temptation, the "waters receding, going and returning" can signify nothing else than fluctuation between truths and falsities. The nature of this fluctuation, however, cannot be known unless it is known what temptation is, for such as is the temptation, such is the fluctuation after it. When the temptation is celestial, then the fluctuation is between good and evil; when it is spiritual, the fluctuation is between what is true and what is false; and when it is natural, the fluctuation is between the things that belong to and those which are contrary to the cupidities. [2] There are many kinds of temptations, which are in general the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural; and these ought never to be confounded. Celestial temptations can exist only with those who are in love to the Lord, and spiritual ones with those only who are in charity toward the neighbor. Natural temptations are altogether distinct from these, and indeed are not temptations, but merely anxieties arising from natural loves being assailed by misfortunes, diseases, or a depraved condition of the blood and other fluids of the body. From this brief account it may in some degree be known what temptation is, namely, anguish and anxiety occasioned by whatever opposes one's loves. Thus with those who are in love to the Lord, whatever assails this love produces an inmost torture, which is celestial temptation; with those who are in love toward the neighbor, or charity, whatever assails this love occasions torment of conscience, and this is spiritual temptation. [3] But with those who are natural, what they frequently call temptations and the pangs of conscience, are not temptations, but only anxieties arising from their loves being assailed, as when they foresee and are sensible of the loss of honor, of the good things of the world, of reputation, pleasures, bodily life, and the like; nevertheless these troubles are wont to be productive of some good. Temptations are moreover experienced by those who are in natural charity, and consequently by all kinds of heretics, Gentiles, and idolaters, arising from assaults on the life of their faith which they cherish. But these are distresses that merely emulate spiritual temptations.
Elliott(1983-1999) 847
847. That 'the waters receded from off the earth, going back and forth' means fluctuations between truth and falsity is clear from what has been stated, namely about 'the waters of the flood' or deluges, in reference to Noah, meaning temptations. And because the subject here is the first state following temptation, 'the waters receded, going back and forth' can mean nothing else than fluctuation between truths and falsities. But the nature of this fluctuation cannot be known unless one knows what temptation is, for the nature of a temptation determines that of the fluctuation following temptation. When temptation is celestial the fluctuation is between good and evil; when temptation is spiritual it is between truth and falsity; and when temptation is natural the fluctuation is between the things that belong to evil desires and things which are their opposite.
[2] The types of temptation are numerous. In general they are celestial, spiritual, and natural, which must not in any way be confused with one another. Celestial temptations can exist only with people who are moved by love to the Lord; spiritual temptations only with those who are moved by charity towards the neighbour; while natural temptations are utterly different again. Indeed the latter are not temptations at all but merely anxious cares resulting from attacks on people's natural loves caused by misfortune, sickness, and abnormal condition of the blood and fluids in the body. These few considerations make it to some extent possible to know what temptation is, that is to say, the distress and anxiety caused by things that clash with a person's loves. With people moved by love to the Lord, whatever attacks that love to the Lord produces inmost torment. This is celestial temptation. With those moved by love towards the neighbour, which is charity, whatever attacks this love leads to a tortured conscience. This is spiritual temptation.
[3] But in the case of people who are natural, those experiences which they so often call temptations, and the pricks of conscience, are not really temptations at all but merely anxious cares resulting from attacks on their loves - for example, when they foresee and feel that they are being deprived of honour, the good things of this world, reputation, pleasures, physical powers, and so on. Nevertheless these so-called temptations do normally achieve some good. Temptations are also experienced by people who are moved by natural charity, and so by all manner of heretics, by gentiles, and by idolaters. They are caused by the things which go against the way of life which their faith demands and which they hold dear. These however are anxious cares, which are mere imitations of spiritual temptations.
Latin(1748-1756) 847
847. Quod 'recesserint aquae de super terra, eundo et redeundo' significent fluctuationes inter verum et falsum, constat ab illis quae dicta sunt, quod nempe 'aquae diluvii' seu inundationes, quoad Noahum, significaverint tentationes, et quia hic agitur de primo statu post tentationem, 'aquae recedentes eundo et redeundo' non aliud significare possunt quam fluctuationem inter vera et falsa: sed quomodo haec fluctuatio se habet, non sciri potest nisi sciatur quid tentatio; nam qualis tentatio, talis fluctuatio post tentationem; cum tentatio caelestis, tunc fluctuatio est inter bonum et falsum; cum tentatio spiritualis, est fluctuatio inter verum et falsum; cum tentatio naturalis, tunc fluctuatio est inter illa quae sunt cupiditatum et iis contraria; nam tentationes dantur plures, in genere sunt caelestes, spirituales, et naturales, quae minime confundendae sunt: caelestes tentationes non possunt esse nisi apud eos qui in amore in Dominum sunt; spirituales apud eos qui in charitate erga proximum; naturales sunt prorsus distinctae ab illis, nec sunt tentationes sed solum anxietates ex eo quod impugnentur naturales eorum amores, excitatae ab infortuniis, morbis et mala sanguinis et fluidorum corporis temperie. Ex his paucis aliquatenus sciri potest quid tentatio, nempe, angustia et anxietas ex illis quae repugnant amoribus; apud quos amor in Dominum est, quicquid impugnat amorem in Dominum, cruciatum intimum producit; hoc est tentatio caelestis: apud quos est amor erga proximum, seu charitas, quicquid impugnat hunc amorem, cruciatum conscientiae sistit; hoc est tentatio spiritualis: at vero naturales, quas perplurimi vocant tentationes, et dolores vocant morsus conscientiae, non sunt tentationes, sed modo anxietates ex eo quod amores eorum impugnentur; ut cum praevident et sentiunt se privari honore, bonis mundi, fama, voluptatibus, vita corporis, et similibus; sed usque aliquid boni solent producere: praeterea etiam tentationes dantur apud eos qui in charitate naturali sunt, ita apud haereticos quoscumque, gentiles, idololatras, ex iis quae impugnant eorum fidei vitam, quam caram habent; sed hae sunt angustiae aemulae tentationum spiritualium.