9717.“这坛要四方的”表因此而为公义之物。这从“四方”和“坛”的含义清楚可知：“四方”是指公义之物，如下文所述；“坛”是指主和敬拜主的代表性事物，因此，“这坛要四方的”表示主里面，因而敬拜里面的公义之物。当包含在敬拜里面的良善和真理来自主，而非来自人时，这敬拜就被称为“公义的”；因为唯独主是公义之物的源头（参看9263节）。“四方”表示公义之物，这一点来源于来世的代表。在那里，良善呈现为圆形，被称为“公义”的外在人的良善呈现为方形。然而，真理和正确的观念却呈现为线形和三角形。正因如此，“四方”表示公义之物；“香坛要四方的 （出埃及记30:2）、“胸牌要四方的”（出埃及记28:16）也是如此；“新耶路撒冷是四方的”（启示录21:16）同样如此。那里的“新耶路撒冷”是指主的新教会，这教会将要取代我们当今的教会；它是“四方的”表示它的外在良善，即公义。
Potts(1905-1910) 9717
9717. The altar shall be foursquare. That this signifies thus what is righteous, is evident from the signification of "foursquare," as being what is righteous (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "the altar," as being a representative of the Lord, and of the worship of Him. Consequently by "the altar being foursquare" is signified what is righteous in the Lord, and consequently in worship. Worship is said to be "righteous" when the good and truth which are in it are from the Lord, and not from man; for what is righteous is from the Lord alone (see n. 9263). That "foursquare" denotes what is righteous, originates in the representatives in the other life. There, goods are presented as round, and the goods of the external man, which are called "righteous," are presented as foursquare; but truths and rights are presented as linear and triangular. From this then it is that by "foursquare" is signified what is righteous, as also by "the altar of incense being foursquare" (Exod. 30:2), and by "the breastplate of judgment being a doubled square" (Exod. 28:16), and likewise by "the New Jerusalem being foursquare" (Rev. 21:16). The "New Jerusalem" here denotes the New Church of the Lord which is to succeed our present church; the external good of it, which is what is righteous, is signified by its being "foursquare."
Elliott(1983-1999) 9717
9717. 'Square shall the altar be' means that which for this reason is righteous. This is clear from the meaning of 'square' as what is righteous, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the altar' as what is representative of the Lord and of the worship of Him, so that 'square shall the altar be' means what is righteous within the Lord, and consequently within worship. Worship is called righteous when the good and the truth contained within it spring from the Lord and not from the person, for the Lord alone is the source of that which is righteous, 9263. The meaning of 'square' as what is righteous has its origin in representative signs in the next life. There forms of good present themselves as round shapes, and forms of good belonging to the external man, which are called righteous acts, as square shapes. Truths and right ideas however present themselves as linear and triangular ones. So it is then that 'square' means what is righteous, as does the squareness of the altar of incense, Exod 30:2; also the squareness of the breastplate of judgement when doubled, Exod 28:16; as well as the new Jerusalem's being square-shaped, Rev 21:16. The new Jerusalem there is the Lord's New Church which will take the place of the one that is ours at the present day, its external good, which is righteous, being meant by 'square-shaped'.
Latin(1748-1756) 9717
9717. `Quadratum erit altare': quod significet sic justum, constat ex significatione `quadrati' quod sit justum, de qua sequitur, et ex significatione `altaris' quod sit repraesentativum Domini (c)et cultus Ipsius; inde per `quadratum erit altare' significatur justum {1} in Domino, et inde in cultu; cultus dicitur justus {2} cum bonum et verum quae in illo {3}, sunt a Domino et non ab homine, nam a Domino solo justum, n. 9263. Quod `quadratum' sit justum, originem ducit ex repraesentativis in altera vita; ibi bona sistuntur ut rotunda, (c)ac bona externi hominis, quae (t)dicuntur justa, ut quadrata; vera autem et recta sistuntur ut linearia et {4} triangularia; inde nunc est quod per `quadratum' significetur justum, sicut etiam per quadratum altaris suffitus, Exod. (x)xxx 2; tum per {5} quadratum duplicatum pectoralis judicii, Exod. xxviii 16; (o)ut et per quod nova Hierosolyma esset quadrangularis, {6} Apoc. xxi 16; nova Hierosolyma ibi est Nova Domini Ecclesia, huic nostrae successura; ejus bonum externum, quod est justum, significatur per `quadrangulare.' @1 repraesentativum justi$ @2 qui justus est$ @3 cultus$ @4 ac ut$ @5 perque$ @6 i longitudo ei tanta, quanta latitudo,$