----中文待译----
1063. (Verse 10) And they are seven kings. That this signifies also the truths of the Word falsified and profaned by them, is evident from the signification of kings, as denoting the truths of the Word (see (n. 29, 31, 625, 1034). And from its being said seven, as relating to what is holy, and in the opposite sense to what is profane. Whence it follows, that by seven kings are signified the truths of the Word falsified and profaned. The reason why they are signified by seven kings is, that by the seven mountains, mentioned just above, are signified the goods of the Word adulterated and profaned. For in the Word where good is treated of, truth is also treated of, because of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth in all its details (concerning which see above, n. 238, 660, 775).
[2] He who does not know that by kings, in the Word, are signified truths, can never know what is meant by kings in many passages in the Word.
As in Daniel, where it is also said that the heads and horns of the beasts are kings or kingdoms. As also in the Apocalypse (16:12, 14; 18:3; 19:19; 21:24), and elsewhere.
And in this chapter:
The seven heads are seven kings. Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and the beast that was, and is not, he is the eighth king, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom; and more things that follow.
For if kings were here meant by kings, it could not be conjectured what is meant by such words. But when it is known, that by kings are signified the truths of the Word and the truths of the church therefrom, it is quite evident what is meant. But in this case, also, by the numbers are not meant so many truths, but such truths as are signified by the number in the spiritual sense. For if seven truths were signified by seven kings, and five truths by the five kings who fell, also ten truths by the ten kings and as many horns, then there could be no spiritual sense involved. Therefore in every case it must be observed that all numbers, in the Word, signify the qualities of the things described.
Continuation concerning the fourth kind of Profanation:-
[3] In this kind of profanation are those especially who read the Word, and have knowledge concerning the Lord; because from the Lord through the Word are all the holy things that are capable of being profaned; the things not therefrom cannot be profaned. That is called profane which is opposed to what is holy, and which offers violence to what is holy, and destroys it. It therefore follows that those who do not read the Word, and do not approach the Lord, as is the case with the Roman Catholics, are not in this kind of profanation; still less, those who have no knowledge of the Lord, or of the Word, as is the case with the Gentiles.
Those who are in this kind of profanation, after death, appear, at first, with a face of human colour, around which float many wandering stars. And those of this kind, who were Prelates, sometimes appear to have a shining mouth. But when they are brought into the light of heaven, the stars and the shining of the mouth disappear, and the colour of the face is turned into black; and the same is the case with their garments. But the blackness of these profaners is of a blueish tinge, whereas the blackness of the former kind of profaners is of a reddish colour. This is because the latter profane the goods of the Word and of the church, but the former, the truths thereof. For red, as being derived from the sun, signifies good, and blue, as being derived from the sky, signifies truth.
1063. Verse 10. And they are seven kings, signifies the truths of the Word falsified and profaned by such. This is evident from the signification of "kings," as being the truths of the Word (See n. 29, 31, 625, 1034); also from the mention of "seven," which has reference to what is holy, and in the contrary sense to what is profane; therefore "seven kings" signify the truths of the Word falsified and profaned. "Seven kings" have this signification because the "seven mountains" just mentioned signify the goods of the Word adulterated and profaned. For in the Word where good is treated of truth is also treated of, because of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth in all the particulars of it (See above, n. 238, 660, 775).
[2] One who does not know that in the Word "kings" signify truths can by no means know what is meant by "kings" in many passages in the Word, as in Daniel where it is said:
The heads and the horns of the beasts are kings or kingdoms (Daniel 7:17, 24; also in Revelation 16:12, 14; 18:3; 19:19; 21:24).
And in this chapter:
The seven heads are seven kings; the five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come. And the beast that was and is not is the eighth king, and is of the seven, and he goeth into perdition. And the ten horns are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom; and other things that follow (Revelation 17:10-12).
For if kings were here meant by "kings" it could not possibly be divined by any conjecture what these expressions mean. But when it is known that "kings" signify the truths of the Word and thus the truths of the church, the meaning is plainly evident. Moreover, by the numbers so many truths are not to be understood, but such truths as are signified by the number in the spiritual sense. For if seven truths were signified by the "seven kings," and five truths by "the five kings who have fallen," and ten truths by the "ten kings" and as many "horns," from all this no spiritual sense could in any way result; therefore it must be altogether known that all numbers signify in the Word the qualities of the things which are described.
(Continuation respecting the Fourth Kind of Profanation)
[3] In this kind of profanation are those especially who read the Word and know about the Lord; because from the Lord through the Word are all things holy that can be profaned; things not from that source cannot be profaned. That is said to be profane that is the opposite of what is holy, and that offers violence to what is holy and destroys it. From this it follows that those do not belong to this kind of profanation who do not read the Word and do not approach the Lord, as is the case with the Papists, still less those who know nothing about the Lord and the Word, like the Gentiles. Those who belong to this kind of profanation appear after death at first with a face of human color, around which float many wandering stars; and those of them that had been leaders sometimes appear shining about the mouth. But as they are brought into the light of heaven, the stars and the shining of the mouth vanish, and the color of the face is changed to black, and likewise their garments. But the blackness of these profaners draws something from blue, as the blackness of the other kind of profaners draws something from red, for the reason that the latter profane the goods of the Word and of the church, while the others profane the truths of the Word and of the church. For red derives from the sun its signification of good, while blue derives from the sky its signification of truth.
1063. (Vers. 10.) "Et reges septem sunt." - Quod significet etiam vera Verbi falsificata et profanata ab illis, constat ex significatione "regum", quod sint vera Verbi (de qua (supra), n. 29, 31, 625, 1034); et ex praedicatione "septem", quod dicatur de sancto, et in opposito sensu de profano; inde est quod per "reges septem" significentur vera Verbi falsificata et profanata: quod haec per "reges septem" significentur, est quia per "montes septem" mox supra significantur bona Verbi adulterata et profanata; in Verbo enim, ubi agitur de bono etiam agitur de vero, ob conjugium caeleste, quod est boni et veri in singulis ejus (videatur supra, n. 238, 660, 775).
[2] Qui non scit quod per "reges" in Verbo significentur vera, nusquam potest scire quid intelligitur per "reges" multis locis in Verbo:
Ut apud Danielem, ubi etiam dicitur quod capita et cornua bestiarum sint reges aut regna ([7:17, 24]): ut quoque in Apocalypsi (cap. 16:12, 14; 18:3; 19:19; 21:24; et alibi):
Et in hoc capite,
Capita septem "reges septem sunt; quinque ceciderunt, et unus est, et alter nondum venit: .... et bestia quae erat et non est", rex "octavus est, et de septem est, et in interitum abit. Et decem cornua ... decem reges sunt, qui regnum nondum acceperunt": et plura quae sequuntur ([vers. 10-12]):
si enim reges hic per "reges" intelligerentur, nusquam potest aliqua conjectura divinari quid per talia intellecta sunt; at dum scitur quod per "reges" significentur vera Verbi et inde vera ecclesiae, manifeste patet quid intelligitur; sed tunc etiam per numeros non intelligenda sunt totidem vera, sed talia vera quae per "numerum" in sensu spirituali significantur; si enim septem vera intelligerentur per "septem reges", ac quinque vera per "quinque reges" qui ceciderunt, tum decem vera per "decem reges" (et) quot "cornua", tunc nusquam potest aliquis sensus spiritualis inde resultare; quapropter omnino sciendum est quod omnes numeri in Verbo significent qualitates rerum quae describuntur.
[3] (Continuatio de quarto genere Profanationis.)
Ex hoc genere profanationis sunt illi imprimis qui Verbum legunt et sciunt de Domino; quia ex Domino per Verbum sunt omnia sancta, quae profanari possunt; quae non inde sunt, illa non possunt: profanum dicitur quod sancto est oppositum, et quod sancto violentiam infert, et illud destruit: inde sequitur quod ex hoc genere profanationis non sint qui Verbum non legunt, et Dominum non adeunt, sicut Pontificii; minus adhuc qui nihil de Domino, nec de Verbo sciunt, sicut gentiles. Illi, qui ex hoc genere profanationis sunt, post mortem apparent primum facie colore humano, circum quam plures stellae errantes fluitant; et illi ex eo genere qui antistites fuerunt, quandoque apparent ore lucentes; sed ut in lucem caeli evehuntur, stellae et lucidum oris evanescunt, et color faciei mutatur in nigrum, pariter illorum vestes; sed nigredo horum profanatorum trahit a caeruleo, at nigredo prioris generis profanatorum trahit a rubro, quia hi bona Verbi et ecclesiae profanant, at illi vera eorum: rubrum enim a sole trahit quod significet bonum, et caeruleum a caelo quod significet verum.