----中文待译----
572. That they should slay the third part of men.- That this signifies of depriving themselves of all understanding of truth, and thence of spiritual life, is evident from the signification of slaying as denoting to deprive of spiritual life, concerning which, see above (n. 547); and from the signification of men, as denoting the understanding of truth (see also above, n. 546, 547). That the third part, when used in reference to truths, denotes all, may be seen above (n. 506). Here, therefore, by slaying the third part of men, is signified deprivation of all understanding of truth. It is said that they deprive themselves, because those who have become sensual through evils of life and falsities of doctrine by reasonings from fallacies, deprive themselves of the understanding of truth, but not others, except those who are also sensual. The reason why they thence deprive themselves of spiritual life, is, that man acquires spiritual life through the understanding, for in the measure that the understanding is opened by truths, and suffers itself to be enlightened, in the same measure, man becomes spiritual. But the understanding is opened by means of truths from good, but not by means of truths without good; for so far as man lives in the good of love and of charity, so far he thinks truths; for truth is the form of good, and all good with man pertains to his will, and all truth pertains to his understanding, therefore the good of the will manifests its form in the understanding; the form itself is thought from the understanding originating in the will.
572. That they should kill the third part of men, signifies of depriving themselves of all understanding of truth, and thus of spiritual life. This is evident from the signification of "to kill," as being to deprive of spiritual life (See above, n. 547); and from the signification of "men," as being the understanding of truth (See also above, n. 546, 547); "the third part," in reference to truths, means all (See above, n. 506); so here "to kill the third part of men" signifies the deprivation of all understanding of truth. It means to deprive themselves, because those who become sensual through evils of life and falsities of doctrine deprive 1themselves, by reasonings from fallacies, of the understanding of truth, but not others, except such as are sensual. They thus deprive themselves of spiritual life, because man has spiritual life through his understanding, for he becomes a spiritual man in the measure in which his understanding is opened and permits itself to be enlightened by means of truths. But it is by means of truths from good that the understanding is opened, not by means of truths without good; for man thinks truth so far as he lives in the good of love and charity. Truth indeed is the form of good, and all good with man is of his will, and all truth is of his understanding; therefore the good of the will presents its form in the understanding, and the form itself is thought from the understanding which is from the will.
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "may deprive."
572. "Ut occiderent tertiam partem hominum." - Quod significet deprivandi se omni intellectu veri et inde vita spirituali, constat ex significatione "occidere", quod sit deprivare vita spirituali (de qua supra, n. 547); et ex significatione "hominum", quod sint intellectus veri (de qua etiam supra, 546, 547); quod "tertia pars", cum de veris, sit omne (supra, n. 506): hic itaque per "occidere tertiam partem hominum" significatur deprivare omni intellectu veri: quod sit deprivare semet, est quia illi qui sensuales facti sunt per mala vitae et falsa doctrinae per ratiocinationes ex fallaciis semet 1
deprivant intellectu veri, non autem alios, nisi qui etiam sensuales sunt. Quod se deprivent inde vita spirituali, est quia vita spiritualis homini est per intellectum; quantum enim intellectus per vera aperitur et se illustrari patitur, tantum homo spiritualis fit. Intellectus autem aperitur per vera ex bono, non autem per vera absque bono; nam quantum homo in bono amoris et charitatis vivit, tantum cogitat vera: verum enim est forma boni, ac omne bonum apud hominem est voluntatis ejus, et omne verum est intellectus ejus; quare bonum voluntatis sistit formam suam in intellectu; ipsa forma est cogitatio ex intellectu qui ex voluntate.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.