9990.“取一只小公牛，牛群中的一个儿子”表属世人或外在人的洁净。这从“小公牛”的含义清楚可知，“小公牛”是指属世人或外在人中纯真和仁爱的良善（参看9391节）。由于经上说“牛群中的一个儿子”，所以也表示那良善的真理，因为“一个儿子”表示真理，“牛群”表示属世层。“儿子”表示真理（参看489，491，533，2623，3373，9807节），“牛群”表示属世层（参看2566，5913，8937节）。“一只小公牛，牛群中的一个儿子”在此之所以表示属世人或外在人的洁净，是因为这动物被献为祭，而祭牲表示从邪恶和虚假中洁净，或赎罪，在此表示从存在于属世人或外在人中的邪恶和虚假中洁净。但“公绵羊的燔祭”表示属灵人或内在人的洁净。
要知道每种燔祭和祭牲具体代表什么，必须知道人里面有一个外在和一个内在，它们各自里面都属真理之物和属良善之物。因此，当一个人要重生时，他必须在外在和内在方面都重生，在真理和良善方面的这二者上重生。但一个人在能重生之前，必须从邪恶和虚假中洁净，因为这些就是那挡道的。公牛、小公牛、公山羊的燔祭和祭牲代表外在人的洁净；公绵羊、小山羊、母山羊的燔祭和祭牲代表内在人的洁净；但羔羊的燔祭和祭牲代表内在本身，或至内在之物的洁净。因此，从献祭的动物本身就能看出所代表的是哪种洁净或赎罪。
之所以说“所代表的”是哪种洁净或赎罪，是因为燔祭或祭牲并不使人洁净或给人赎罪，仅仅代表洁净或赎罪。有谁不能知道这样的动物祭品根本不会移走与一个人同在的任何邪恶或虚假？可参看2180节所提到的地方。这些祭品之所以不会移走邪恶或虚假，仅仅代表对邪恶或虚假的这种移走，是因为在以色列和犹太民族当中所建立的，只是一个教会的代表，这个代表用来将他们与天堂，并通过天堂与主联结起来（关于这个主题，可参看9320e和9380节提到的地方所作的说明）。从本章后面的内容可以看出小公牛、公绵羊和羔羊具体代表什么，因为它们是那里所论述的主题。
Potts(1905-1910) 9990
9990. Take one bullock, a son of the herd. That this signifies the purification of the natural or external man, is evident from the signification of a "bullock," as being the good of innocence and of charity in the natural or external man (see n. 9391). And because it is said "a son of the herd," there is signified also the truth of this good, for a "son" denotes truth, and a "herd," the natural. (That a "son" denotes truth, see n. 489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373, 9807; and that a "herd" denotes the natural, n. 2566, 5913, 8937.) That by a "bullock, a son of the herd" is here signified the purification of the natural or external man, is because it was sacrificed, and by sacrifices was signified purification from evils and falsities, or expiation, here purification from the evils and falsities which are in the natural or external man. But purification in the spiritual or internal man is signified by the "burnt-offering of the ram." [2] In order to know what the burnt-offerings and sacrifices severally represented, it must be known that there is in man an external and also an internal, and that in each of these there is what relates to truth and what relates to good; and therefore when a man is to be regenerated, he must be regenerated as to the external and as to the internal, and in both as to truth and as to good. But before a man can be regenerated, he must be purified from evils and falsities, for these stand in the way. The purifications of the external man were represented by burnt-offerings and sacrifices of oxen, bullocks, and he-goats; and the purifications of the internal man by burnt-offerings and sacrifices of rams, kids, and she-goats; but the purification of the internal itself, which is the inmost, by burnt-offerings and sacrifices of lambs; and therefore what particular purification or expiation was represented can be seen from the animals themselves that were sacrificed. [3] It is said what purification or expiation was "represented," because the burnt-offerings and sacrifices did not purify or expiate man, but only represented purification or expiation; for who is not able to know that such things do not take away anything of the evil and falsity with a man? (See the passages cited from the Word in n. 2180.) That they did not take away, but only represented, was because with the Israelitish and Jewish nation there was instituted the representative of a church, through which conjunction was effected with the heavens, and through the heavens with the Lord (on which subject see what was shown in the places cited above, n. 9320 end, 9380). But what was specifically represented by the burnt-offerings and sacrifices of bullocks, rams, and lambs, will be seen later in this chapter, for these are there treated of.
Elliott(1983-1999) 9990
9990. 'Take one young bull, a son of the herd' means purification of the natural or external man. This is clear from the meaning of 'a young bull' as the good of innocence and charity in the natural or external man, dealt with in 9391. And since the words 'a son of the herd' are used, the truth of that good is also meant, truth being meant by 'a son', and the natural level by 'the herd'. For the meaning of 'a son' as truth, see 489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373, 9807, and for that of 'the herd' as the natural level, 2566, 5913, 8937. The reason why purification of the natural or external man is meant here by 'a young bull, a son of the herd' is that the animal was offered in sacrifice, and sacrifices were signs of purification from evils and falsities, or expiation, in this instance purification from evils and falsities present in the natural or external man. But purification in the spiritual or internal man is meant by the burnt offering of a ram.
[2] To know what each kind of burnt offering or sacrifice represented one must first know that in a human being there is the external and the internal, and that in each there is that which belongs to truth and that which belongs to good. Therefore when a person is to be regenerated he must be regenerated as to the external and as to the internal, and in each as to truth and as to good. But before a person can be regenerated he must be purified from evils and from falsities, for these stand in the way. Purifications of the external man were represented by burnt offerings and sacrifices of oxen, young bulls, and he-goats, but purifications of the internal man by burnt offerings and sacrifices of rams, kids, and she-goats, and purification of the internal itself, or that which is inmost, by those of lambs. Consequently from the actual animals offered in sacrifice one may see what kind of purification or expiation was being represented.
[3] The reason for saying 'was being represented' is that burnt offerings and sacrifices did not purify or expiate a person, but merely served to represent purification or expiation. For is there anyone who fails to recognize that such offerings of animals do not take away any evil or falsity at all that is present with a person? - see the places in the Word quoted in 2180. The reason why those offerings did not take evil or falsity away, but merely represented such a removal of it, was that only a representative of the Church was established among the Israelite and Jewish nation, which served to join them to heaven, and through heaven to the Lord, see what has been shown on this subject in the places referred to in 9320(end), 9380. But what was represented specifically by burnt offerings and sacrifices of young bulls, rams, and lambs, will be seen in what follows in the present chapter, since they are the subject there.
Latin(1748-1756) 9990
9990. `Sume juvencum unum filium armenti': quod significet purificationem naturalis seu externi hominis, constat ex significatione `juvenci' quod sit bonum innocentiae et charitatis in naturali seu externo homine, de qua n. 9391; et quia dicitur `filius armenti,' significatur etiam verum illius boni, nam `filius' est verum, et `armentum' est naturale; quod `filius' sit verum, videatur n. 489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373: 9807, et quod `armentum' sit naturale, n. 2566, 5913, 8937; quod per 'juvencum filium armenti' {1}hic significetur purificatio naturalis seu externi hominis, est quia ille sacrificabatur, et per sacrificia significabatur purificatio a malis et falsis, seu expiatio, hic purificatio a malis et falsis quae in naturali (x)seu externo homine; purificatio autem in (o)spirituali seu interno homine significatur per holocaustum ex ariete. [2] Ut sciatur quid singula holocausta et sacrificia repraesentabant, sciendum est quod in homine sit externum et internum, et quod in utroque sit quod se refert ad verum et quod ad bonum; quapropter cum regenerandus est homo, regenerandus est quoad externum et quoad internum, et in utroque quoad verum et quoad bonum; sed antequam homo regenerari potest, purificandus est a malis et a falsis, nam illa obstant; purificationes externi hominis repraesentabantur per holocausta et sacrificia ex bovibus, juvencis, et hircis, purificationes autem interni hominis per holocausta et sacrificia ex arietibus, haedis, et capris, purificatio autem ipsius interni, quod intimum, ex agnis {2}; (o)quapropter ex ipsis animalibus quae sacrificabantur, constare potest quae purificatio (o)seu expiatio repraesentabatur. [3] Dicitur quae purificatio (o)seu expiatio repraesentabatur, quia holocausta et sacrificia non purificabant seu expiabant hominem, sed modo purificationem seu expiationem repraesentabant, nam quis non scire potest {3} quod talia non aliquid mali et falsi apud hominem tollant, (o)videantur loca ex Verbo, n. 2180; quod non sustulerint sed modo repraesentaverint, erat causa quia apud gentem Israeliticam et Judaicam institutum fuit repraesentativum Ecclesiae, per quod conjunctio facta est cum caelis, ac per caelos cum Domino, de qua re videantur quae in locis citatis n. 9320 fin. et n. 9380 ostensa sunt. Quid autem in specie repraesentabatur per holocausta et sacrificia ex juvencis, ex {4} arietibus, et ex agnis, videbitur in sequentibus hujus capitis, nam de illis ibi agitur. @1 Before per$ @2 per boves, juvencos, et hircos, purificationes autem interioris hominis per arietes, capras, oves; et purificatio ipsius interni, quod intimum per agnos$ @3 scit$ @4 et IT$