----中文待译----
510. And as it were a great mountain burning with fire.- That this signifies the love of self, and thence of [one's] own intelligence, is evident from the signification of a mountain burning with fire, which denotes the love of self and thence the love of [one's] own intelligence. The reason why this love is signified by the mountain here named, is, that a mountain, in the Word, signifies love in both senses, or celestial love and infernal love, as may be seen above (n. 405); fire has a similar signification. See also above (n. 504). The subject here dealt with is the evil, who were to be separated from the good, and cast into hell, and with these, all truth is turned into falsity by means of that love. This effect resulting from the mountain cast into the sea, is described in what follows; for the mountain cast into the sea, whence the third part of the sea became blood, signifies, that in the natural man everything was changed into the falsity of evil. It is therefore evident, that here the great mountain burning with fire signifies the love of self, and thence the love of [man's] own intelligence; for all man's own intelligence is from the love of self.
[2] The reason why a mountain means love in both senses, is, that the angels of the third heaven, who are in celestial love, dwell upon mountains in the spiritual world; when therefore a mountain is mentioned, that heaven is meant, and, according, to the ideas of angelic thought, which are abstracted from persons and places, celestial love which makes that heaven is meant. But the reason why a mountain in the opposite sense, signifies the love of self, is, that those who are in the love of self continually desire to ascend mountains, by making themselves equal to those who are in the third heaven. Because they revolve this in their imagination they also attempt it while they are out of the hells; for this reason a mountain, in the opposite sense, signifies the love of self. In a word, those who are in the love of self always aspire after high things, therefore, after death, when all the states of the love are changed into things correspondent, they also in imagination mount on high, believing themselves, while in such state of imagination, to be upon lofty mountains, although, with the body, they are in the hells.
[3] Hence it is that those who are of Babylon, and are in such love of self as to desire not only to rule over all the earth, but also over the heavens, are called in the Word mountains, and are said to sit upon a mountain, and to ascend above the heights of the clouds. Thus it is said in Jeremiah:
"Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, which destroyest all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand against thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a mountain of burning" (51:25).
And in Isaiah:
"For thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud; I will become like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be cast down to hell" (14:13-15).
These things are said concerning Babylon.
510. And as it were a great mountain burning with fire, signifies the love of self, and of self-intelligence therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "a mountain burning with fire," as being the love of self and the love of self-intelligence therefrom. This love is signified by such a mountain, because a "mountain" in the Word signifies love in both senses, namely heavenly love and infernal love (See above, n. 405); likewise "fire" (See also above, n. 504); and here the evil who are to be separated from the good and cast into hell are treated of, and with such every truth is turned by that love into falsity. This effect, arising from "casting that mountain into the sea," is described in what follows; for "that mountain cast into the sea, so that the third part of the sea became blood," signifies that everything in the natural man became falsity of evil. From this it can be seen that "a great mountain burning with fire" signifies the love of self and the love of self-intelligence therefrom. All self-intelligence is from the love of self.
[2] "Mountain" means love in both senses, because the angels of the third heaven, who are in celestial love, dwell upon mountains in the spiritual world; so when a "mountain" is mentioned, that heaven is meant, and according to the ideas of angelic thought, which are abstracted from persons and places, that which constitutes heaven is meant, that is, celestial love. But in the contrary sense "mountain" signifies the love of self, because they who are in the love of self have a constant desire to go up mountains, to make themselves equal to those who are in the third heaven. Because they dwell upon this in their fancy, it is also the object of their endeavor when they are out of the hells; this is why a "mountain" in the contrary sense signifies the love of self. In a word, those who are in the love of self are always aspiring after high things, so after death, when all the states of the love are changed into things correspondent, in their fancy they mount aloft, believing themselves, while in the fancy, to be upon high mountains, and yet bodily they are in the hells. This is why those who are of Babylon, who are in such love of self as to wish to rule not only over all the earth but also over the heavens, are called "mountains," and are said "to sit upon a mountain" and "to ascend above the heights of the cloud." As in Jeremiah:
Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, destroying the whole earth; and I will stretch out My hand against thee, to roll thee down from the rocks and make thee a mountain of burning (Jeremiah 51:25).
In Isaiah:
Thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit on the mount of the congregation; I will ascend above the heights of the cloud; I will become like the Most High: yet thou shalt be cast down to hell (Isaiah 14:13-15).
This is said of Babylon.
510. "Et quasi mons magnus igne ardens." - Quod significet amorem sui ac inde propriae intelligentiae, constat ex significatione "montis igne ardentis", quod sit amor sui et inde amor propriae intelligentiae; quod hic amor per illum montem significetur, est quia per "montem" in Verbo significatur amor in utroque sensu, nempe amor caelestis et amor infernalis (videatur supra, n. 405); similiter per "ignem" (de quo etiam supra, n. 504 [a-e]); et hic agitur de malis qui separandi a bonis et conjiciendi in infernum; apud quos per illum amorem omne verum vertitur in falsum; hic effectus oriundus ex "monte illo misso in mare", in sequentibus describitur, nam per "montem illum missum in mare, unde facta est tertia pars maris sanguis", significatur quod in naturali homine omne factum sit falsum mali: exinde constare potest quod hic per "montem magnum igne ardentem" significetur amor sui et inde amor propriae intelligentiae; propria intelligentia etiam omnis est ex amore sui.
[2] Quod per "montem" intelligatur amor in utroque sensu, est ex causa quia angeli tertii caeli, qui in amore caelesti sunt, super montibus in mundo spirituali habitant; quare cum dicitur "mons", intelligitur id caelum, ac secundum ideas cogitationis angelicae, quae a personis et locis abstractae sunt, intelligitur id quod facit caelum, ita amor caelestis: quod autem "mons" in opposito sensu significet amorem sui, est quia illi qui in amore sui sunt, continue cupiunt ascendere montes, pares se faciendo illis qui in tertio caelo sunt; hoc quia in sua phantasia versant, id quoque, dum extra inferna sunt, conantur; inde est quod per "montem" in opposito sensu significetur amor sui. Verbo, qui in amore sui sunt, alta semper spirant; quare etiam post mortem, quando omnes status amoris vertuntur in correspondentia, phantasia tenus se alte conjiciunt, credentes se, cum in phantasia sunt, super altis montibus esse, cum tamen corpore in infernis sunt: inde est, quod illi qui ex Babele sunt, qui in tali amore sui sunt ut non solum imperare velint super omnem terram sed etiam super caelos, in Verbo dicantur "montes", ac "sedere super monte", et "ascendere super excelsa nubis":
- Ut apud 1
Jeremiam,
"Ecce Ego contra te mons perdens, .... perdens universum terram; et extendam manum meam contra te, ut devolvam te de petris, et dem te in montem combustionis" (51:25);
et apud 2
Esaiam,
"Dixisti corde tuo, Caelos ascendam, supra stellas Dei exaltabo thronum meum, et sedebo in monte conventus;.... ascendam supra excelsa nubis, similis fiam Altissimo; verumtamen ad infernum dejicieris" (14:13-15):
haec de Babele.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.