----中文待译----
507. And all green grass was burnt up.- That this signifies that all scientific truth would perish through the desires of the same loves, is evident from the signification of grass, which denotes what is scientific (scientificum), of which more below; and from the signification of green, which denotes that it is true and living from truth, for as green grass serves as food to animals, so scientific truth (scientificum verum) as spiritual nourishment for men. For whatever is produced in fields, gardens, and plains, and serves for the nourishment either of man or beast, has a correspondence with such things as serve for the nourishment of the external (animus) and internal (mens) minds, which nourishment is called spiritual nourishment. Similar things also appear in the spiritual world, from the correspondence of spiritual things with natural things. And because the Word in the letter is natural, and written by correspondences, therefore it is here said, that the third part of the trees, and all green grass, were burnt up, by which is meant, in the spiritual sense, that all perception and cognition of truth and good, and also all scientific truth, perished through those two corporeal, earthly, and merely natural loves.
[2] By scientific truth is meant every scientific, by which spiritual truth is confirmed, and which has life from spiritual good. For a man may be wise by means of scientifics, or he may be insane. He becomes wise by means of scientifics when by them he confirms the truths and goods of the church, which are spiritual truths and goods; but he becomes insane by scientifics when by means of them he weakens and refutes the truths and goods of the church. When he confirms the truths and goods of the church by them, they are then called scientific truths, and are said to be living; but when by means of them he weakens and refutes the truths and goods of the church, they are called scientific falsities, and are as dead. Knowledges (scientiae) are only means to uses, and their quality is according to the uses which exist from them. They are living when man acquires intelligence and wisdom by means of them. All intelligence and wisdom is from truths that are from heaven, and such intelligence and wisdom being from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord, are living, because they are the very spiritual life of man; but intelligence and wisdom from falsities have no existence, and if they be supposed to exist with any one, they are nevertheless dead, because they are from hell.
[3] These things have been said in order that it may be known that green grass signifies the scientific truth that is living, but grass burnt up, the scientific falsity that is dead. When truth and good, which come from heaven, do not find a receptacle with man in cognitions and scientifics, but when evils and falsities, which come from hell do, then scientifics are not living, but dead, and correspond to grass withered and burnt up. The same is the case with man himself, for the quality of a man is according to the quality of the cognitions and knowledges (scientiae) which he has. For it is from living knowledges (scientiae) that he has intelligence; from knowledges that are not living he derives no intelligence; and if they are dead because of the confirmation of falsities by them, insanity and folly are the result.
[4] A man of such a character is, from correspondence, compared, in the Word, to grass; and he is also called grass in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"Their inhabitants became like the grass of the field and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as a field blasted before the crop" (37:27; 2 Kings 19:26).
In David:
The evil "shall suddenly be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb" (Psalm 37:2).
Again:
"As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth" (Psalm 103:15).
And again:
The haters of Zion "shall be as the grass upon the house tops, which withereth before it is plucked up" (Psalm 129:6, 7).
In Isaiah:
"The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and they shall see. The voice said, Cry, and he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the holiness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth; because the spirit of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand for ever" (40:5-8).
These things are said concerning the coming of the Lord, and the revelation of Divine Truth from Him, meant by "the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and they shall see." That then there would be neither scientific truth nor spiritual truth with man, is signified by "all flesh is grass, and all the holiness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth." Grass denotes scientific truth, and the flower of the field spiritual truth. That man is of such a nature, is meant by "all flesh is grass," and by "surely the people is grass, the grass withereth;" for all flesh denotes every man, and the people, those who were in truths, but are now in falsities.
[5] In the same:
"I am he that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man; he shall die, and of the son of man, he shall be as grass?" (51:12).
These words signify, that all things are from the Lord, and nothing from [man's] own intelligence and wisdom. Man signifies man as to wisdom, and the son of man signifies man as to intelligence; that the latter is only knowledge (scientia), is meant by the words, "he shall be made as grass."
[6] Again:
"I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring; and they shall spring up in the midst of the grass" (44:3, 4).
The spirit of Jehovah signifies the Divine Truth, and blessing signifies its multiplication and fructification. Intelligence therefore by means of scientific truths is signified by springing up in the midst of the grass.
[7] In David:
Jehovah who "causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man" (Psalm 104:14).
And again:
Jehovah who "prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains, who giveth to the beast his food" (Psalm 147:8, 9).
In Moses:
"My doctrine shall flow down as the rain, my word shall drop as the dew, as small rain upon the grass, and as the drops upon the herb" (Deuteronomy 32:2).
In these passages, grass signifies scientific truth, and the herb of the field, spiritual truth; for the herb of the field means what first springs up in a field or in newly tilled [land], wherefore it is called herb for the service of man. The reason why it is said, grass for the beast, and for food to the beast, is, that beast, in the Word, signifies the affection of the natural man, and scientific truth is to him for food and nourishment.
[8] In Job:
"Behold, behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox" (40:15).
Behemoth has a similar meaning to beast in the Word, namely, man's natural affections, wherefore it is said, "Behold, now, behemoth, which I have made with thee." His spiritual food is scientific truth; this is meant by his devouring grass as an ox.
[9] That green signifies what is living or alive, is evident without further explication; for a plant when it grows or is alive is green, but when it ceases to grow or dies, then its green colour perishes. Wherefore green signifies what is living or alive; as is also the case in the following passages; Jeremiah 11:16; 17:8; Ezekiel 17:24; 20:7; Hosea 14:8; David, Psalm 37:35; 52:8; 92:10; and elsewhere.
507. And all green grass was burnt up, signifies that all true knowledge [scientificum] was destroyed by the cupidities of the same loves. This is evident from the signification of "grass," as being knowledge [scientificum] (of which presently); also from the signification of "green," as being truth and living from truth, because as green grass serves as food for animals, so true knowledge serves for spiritual nourishment for man; for whatever is produced in fields, in gardens, and in plains, and serves for nourishment either for man or beast, has a correspondence with such things as serve for the nourishment of the spirit and mind, and such nourishment is called spiritual nourishment. Like things appear in the spiritual world, from the correspondence of spiritual things with natural things; and as the Word in the letter is natural, and is written by correspondences, it is here said that "the third part of the trees and all green grass were burnt up," which means in the spiritual sense that all perception and knowledge of truth and good, as well as all true knowledge [scientificum] are destroyed, by these two corporeal, terrestrial, and merely natural loves.
[2] By true knowledge [scientifica] is meant all knowledge by which spiritual truth is confirmed, and which has life from spiritual good. For by knowledges [scientifica] a man may become wise or he may become insane. A man becomes wise by knowledges when he uses them to confirm the truths and goods of the church, which are spiritual truths and goods; and he becomes insane by knowledges when he uses them to invalidate and refute the truths and goods of the church. When they are used to confirm the truths and goods of the church they are called true knowledges, as also living knowledges; but when they are used to invalidate and refute the truths and goods of the church they are called false knowledges, and also dead knowledges. Knowledges [scientiae] are only means to uses, and they are such as the uses are that spring from them. They are living knowledges when man by means of them acquires for himself intelligence and wisdom. All intelligence and wisdom is from truths that are from heaven; such intelligence and wisdom, because it is from heaven, that is, from the Lord through heaven, is living, because it is the very spiritual life of man; but from falsities there can be no intelligence and wisdom, and if it is supposed to exist in anyone, yet it is dead, because it is from hell.
[3] This has been said to make known that "green grass" signifies true knowledge [scientificum], which is living, but "grass burnt up" signifies false knowledge, which is dead. When truth and good, which come from heaven, find no receptacle in the cognitions and knowledges with man, but evils and falsities which are from hell are received, then knowledges [scientifica] are not living but dead, and correspond to grass withered and burnt up. It is similar with man himself, for a man is such a man as the cognitions and knowledges are alive in him; for from living knowledges [scientiae] he has intelligence, but from knowledges not living he has no intelligence; and if they are dead in consequence of the confirmation of falsities by them there is insanity and folly.
[4] Such a man, from correspondence, is compared in the Word to "grass," and is also called "grass" in the following passages. In Isaiah:
The inhabitants have become as the herb of the field, as the greenness of the tender herb, as the grass of the housetops and as a field scorched before it is grown up (Isaiah 37:27; 2 Kings 19:26).
In David:
The wicked are cut down in haste as the grass, and wither as the greenness of the herb (Psalms 37:2).
In the same:
As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field so he flourisheth (Psalms 103:15).
In the same:
The haters of Zion shall be as the grass of the housetops, which withereth before it is plucked up (Psalms 129:6).
In Isaiah:
The glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and they shall see. The voice said, Cry; and he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its holiness is as the flower of the field; the grass hath dried up and the flower hath fallen off because the breath of Jehovah hath blown upon it. Surely the people is grass. The grass hath dried up, the flower hath fallen off; but the Word of our God shall stand up forever (Isaiah 40:5-8).
This is said of the Lord's coming, and of the revelation of Divine truth from Him at that time, which is meant by "the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and they shall see." That there will then be no true knowledge [scientificum] and no spiritual truth with men, is signified by "all flesh is grass, all its holiness is as the flower of the field; the grass hath dried up, the flower hath fallen off," "grass" meaning true knowledge, and "the flower of the field" spiritual truth. That man is such is meant by "all flesh is grass," and by "surely the people is grass; the grass is dried up;" "all flesh" meaning every man, and "people" those who are in truths, here those who are in falsities.
[5] In the same:
I am He that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou fearest man that dieth, and a son of man that is given for grass? (Isaiah 51:12).
These words signify that all things are from the Lord, and nothing from self-wisdom and self-intelligence. "Man" means man in respect to wisdom, and the "son of man" the same in respect to intelligence; that this latter is mere knowledge [scientifia] is meant by "is given for grass."
[6] In the same:
I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring; and they shall spring up in the midst of the grass (Isaiah 44:3, 4).
The "spirit of Jehovah" signifies the Divine truth, and "blessing" signifies its multiplication and fructification; intelligence thence through true knowledges (scientifica) is signified by "springing up in the midst of the grass."
[7] In David:
Jehovah who causeth the grass to spring forth for the beast, and herb for the service of man (Psalms 104:14).
In the same:
Jehovah who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to spring forth upon the mountains, who giveth to the beast his food (Psalms 147:8, 9).
In Moses:
My doctrine shall flow down as the rain, My Word shall drop as the dew, as the mist on the grass, and as the drops on the herb (Deuteronomy 32:2).
In these passages "grass" signifies true knowledge [scientificum], and "the herb of the field" spiritual truth; for "the herb of the field" means what springs up in a field at first, that is, when it has just been plowed, therefore it is called "herb for the service of man." It is said "grass for the beast," and "as food for the beast," because "beast" signifies in the Word the affection of the natural man, and to this, true knowledge is for food and nourishment.
[8] In Job:
Behold the Behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox (Job 40:15).
"Behemoth" has the same meaning as "beast" in the Word, namely, the natural affections that belong to man, therefore it is said, "behold, the Behemoth, which I have made with thee." His spiritual pasture is true knowledge; this is meant by "he eateth grass as an ox."
[9] That "green" signifies what is living can be seen without further explanation; for any vegetable subject while it is growing, that is, while it lives as it were, is green, but when it is no longer growing, or is as it were dying, its greenness perishes; therefore "green" or "to be green" signifies living or to be living; as can be seen also from the following passages (Jeremiah 11:16; 17:8; Ezekiel 17:24; 20:47; Hosea 14:8; Psalms 37:35; 52:8; 92:10) and elsewhere.
507. "Et omne gramen viride combustum est" - Quod significet quod per eorundem amorum cupiditates omne scientificum verum perierit, constat ex significatione "graminis", quod sit scientificum (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "viridis" quod sit verum et ex vero vivens, nam sicut gramen viride inservit animalibus pro pabulo, ita scientificum verum hominibus pro nutritione spirituali: quicquid enim in agris, in hortis et in campis nascitur, et pro nutritione inservit vel homini vel bestiae, hoc correspondentiam habet cum talibus quae inserviunt nutritioni animi et mentis, quae nutritio vocatur nutritio spiritualis; etiam similia in mundo spirituali apparent ex correspondentia spiritualium cum naturalibus: et quia Verbum in littera naturale est, et conscriptum per correspondentias, ideo dicitur quod "tertia pars arborum et omne gramen viride combusta sint"; per quod in spirituali sensu intelligitur quod omnis perceptio et cognitio veri et boni, tum quod omne scientificum verum, per amores binos corporeos, terrestres et mere naturales perierint.
[2] Per scientificum verum intelligitur omne scientificum per quod confirmatur spirituale verum, ac vitam habet ex spirituali bono. Homo enim per scientifica potest sapere et potest insanire; per scientifica sapit quando per illa confirmat vera et bona ecclesiae, quae sunt vera et bona spiritualia; at per scientifica insanit quando per illa infirmat et refellit vera et bona ecclesiae: quando per illa confirmat vera et bona ecclesiae, tunc illa vocantur scientifica vera, ut et viva; at cum per illa infirmat et refellit vera et bona ecclesiae, tunc vocantur scientifica falsa, ut et mortua. Scientiae sunt modo media ad usus, et quales usus ex illis existunt, tales sunt; sunt vivae quando homo per illas intelligentiam et sapientiam sibi acquirit. Omnis intelligentia et sapientia est ex veris quae e caelo; haec intelligentia et sapientia, quia est e caelo, hoc est, per caelum a Domino, est viva, quia est ipsa vita spiritualis hominis; at intelligentia et sapientia ex falsis non datur, et si creditur esse apud aliquem, est usque mortua, quia est ex inferno.
[3] Haec dicta sunt ut sciatur quod per "gramen viride" significetur scientificum verum, quod est vivum, et quod per "gramen combustum" scientificum falsum, quod est mortuum. Quando verum et bonum, quae e caelo veniunt, non receptaculum habent in cognitionibus et in scientificis apud hominem, sed quando falsa et mala quae ex inferno, tunc scientifica non sunt viva sed mortua, et correspondent gramini arido et combusto; similiter ipse homo, nam homo est talis homo qualiter cognitiones et scientiae apud illum vivunt: ex scientiis enim quae vivunt, ei est intelligentia; at ex scientiis quae non vivunt, ei nulla intelligentia est; et si sunt mortuae ex confirmatione falsorum per illas, est insania et stultitia.
[4] Homo talis, ex correspondentia, in Verbo comparatur "gramini", et quoque vocatur "gramen", in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Habitatores.... facti sunt herba agri, olus graminis, gramen tectorum, et arvum adustum ante segetem" (37:27; 2 Regnum 19:26);
apud Davidem,
Mali "sicut gramen subito exscinduntur, et sicut olus herbae marcescunt" (Psalms 37:2);
apud eundem,
"Homo sicut gramen dies ejus, sicut flos agri sic floret" (Psalms 103:15);
apud eundem,
Osores Zionis "erunt sicut gramen tectorum, quod antequam distringitur, exarescit" (Psalms 129:6);
apud Esaiam,
"Revelabitur gloria Jehovae, et videbunt:.... vox dicit, Clama: et dixit, Quid clamabo? Omnis caro gramen, et omnis sanctitas ejus sicut flos agri; exaruit gramen et decidit flos, quia ventus Jehovae spiravit in illud: vere gramen populus; exaruit gramen, decidit flos, et Verbum Dei nostri consistet in aeternum" (40:5-8):
haec de adventu Domini, et tunc de revelatione Divini Veri ab Ipso, quod intelligitur per "revelabitur gloria Jehovae, et videbunt": quod tunc apud homines non aliquod scientificum verum nec spirituale verum, significatur per quod "omnis caro gramen, omnis sanctitas sicut flos agri; exaruit gramen, decidit flos"; "gramen" est , scientificum verum, et "Ros agri" est spirituale verum: quod homo talis sit, intelligitur per "omnis caro gramen", et per "vere gramen populus, exaruit gramen"; "omnis caro" est omnis homo, "populus" est qui in veris, nunc in falsis.
[5] Apud eundem,
"Ego Is qui consolatur vos; quae tu quod timeas tibi ab homine, moritur, et a filio hominis, gramen datur?" (51:12):
per illa verba significatur quod omnia sint a Domino, et nihil ex propria sapientia et intelligentia: "homo" significat hominem quoad sapientiam, et "filius hominis" illum quoad intelligentiam; quod haec modo sit scientia, intelligitur per "gramen datur."
[6] Apud eundem,
"Effundam spiritum meum super semen tuum, et benedictionem meam super natos tuos, et germinabunt in medio graminis" (44:3, 4):
per "spiritum Jehovae" significatur Divinum Verum, et per "benedictionem " multiplicatio et fructificatio ejus; inde intelligentia per scientifica vera significatur per "germinare in medio graminis."
[7] Apud Davidem,
Jehovah qui "germinare facit gramen bestiae, et herbam in ministerium hominis" (Ps. 104:14 1
);
apud eundem,
Jehovah, qui "praeparat terrae pluviam, qui germinare facit montes gramen, qui dat bestiae cibum ejus" (Psalms 147:8, 9);
apud Mosen,
"Defluet sicut pluvia doctrina mea, stillabit sicut ros verbum meum, sicut stillae super gramen, et sicut guttae super herbam" (Deutr 32:2):
per "gramen" in his locis significatur scientificum verum; et per "herbam agri" spirituale verum; per "herbam agri" enim intelligitur seges in agro primum enata, seu novale, quare dicitur "herba in ministerium hominis": quod dicatur "gramen pro bestia", et "in cibum bestiae", est quia per "bestiam" in Verbo significatur affectio naturalis hominis, et ei est scientificum verum pro cibo et nutritione.
[8] Apud Hiobum,
"Ecce behemoth, quem feci tecum, gramen sicut bos comedit" (40:15):
per "behemoth" intelligitur simile quod per "bestiam" in Verbo, nempe affectiones naturales quae sunt homini; quare dicitur, "Ecce behemoth quem feci tecum": ejus spirituale pascuum est scientificum verum; hoc intelligitur per quod "gramen sicut bos comedit."
[9] Quod per "viride" significetur vivum, constare potest absque ulteriore explicatione, nam subjectum vegetabile, quando viget, hoc est, dum quasi vivit, viride est; cum autem non amplius viget, seu dum quasi moritur, tunc perit viriditas; quare per "virens" seu "viride" significatur vivens seu vivum, ut etiam in sequentibus locis, Apud Jeremiam, cap. 11:16; 17:8: apud Ezechielem, cap. 17:24; 21:3 [B.A. 20:[47] : apud Hoscheam, cap. 14:9 [B.A. :8] : apud Davidem, 37:35; Psalms 52:10[8] ; Psalms 92:11[10] : et alibi.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.