----中文待译----
716. And ten horns.- That this signifies much power is evident from the signification of horn, as denoting the power of truth against falsity and evil, and, in the opposite sense, the power of falsity against truth and good (concerning which see above, n. 316, 567); and from the signification of ten, as denoting all men and things, also many men and things (concerning which also see above, n. 675); it is therefore plain that the ten horns signify much power. That the dragon had much power is evident from what follows, namely, that because of him the male child which the woman brought forth was caught up unto God; that his tail drew down from heaven the third part of the stars; also, that he fought with Michael and his angels; and afterwards, that he stirred up Gog and Magog, and the nations in great number, to war against the saints.
[2] The dragon had such power, because by him are meant those who have separated faith from the goods of charity, which are works, and have confirmed this by means of the sense of the letter of the Word, which they have thus twisted from its genuine sense, and as it were drawn down from heaven; and because, at the end of the church, which the Apocalypse treats of, there is no charity, the dragon then has power. For at the end of the church every one desires to live for himself, for the world, and according to his own natural bent, and few wish to live for the Lord, for heaven, and eternal life; and the principle concerning faith alone, which is faith separated from charity, favours that life, and like the current of a river draws in and bears all away to such belief and to such a life. This is why the dragon, which signifies such persons and such things, appeared to have ten horns.
[3] It has been previously said that falsities from evil have no power, but it must be understood that falsities have no power against truth from good; for truth from good is from the Lord, and all power belongs to the Lord through His Divine Truth. But falsities from evil have the power that is signified by the ten horns of the dragon, because they prevail against those who are in falsities from evil, for they act as one. And a man is hereditarily in evil and thence in falsities from his parents, and afterwards from actual life, especially at the end of the church, and those falsities from evil cannot be driven out from him in a moment, but only by degrees; for if they were to be expelled in a moment, a man would die, because they constitute his life. Because such is the state of man at the end of the church, therefore falsities of evil prevail, although they have not the least power against truth from good. The Lord by means of His Divine Truth could cast out the falsities of evil in a man instantly, but this would result in his being immediately cast into hell; these must first be removed, and as far as they are removed, so far room is given for truths from good to be implanted, and the man is reformed. Such as are here meant by the dragon are also meant by the goat that fought with the ram (Daniel viii), and also by the goats in Matthew xxv.; for the goats there signify those who are in faith separated from charity, and the ram and the sheep, those who are in charity.
716. And ten horns, signifies much power. This is evident from the signification of "horn," as being the power of truth against falsity and evil, and in the contrary sense the power of falsity against truth and good (of which above, n. 316, 567); also from the signification of "ten," as being all persons and all things, likewise many persons and many things (of which also above, n. 675; which shows that "ten horns" signify much power. That the dragon had much power is evident from what follows, namely, that because of him "the son a male that the woman brought forth was caught up unto God," that "his tail drew down from heaven the third part of the stars;" also that "he fought with Michael and his angels;" and afterwards that he stirred up Gog and Magog, and the nations in countless number, to war against the saints.
[2] "The dragon" had such power because "the dragon" means such as have separated faith from the goods of charity, which are works, and have confirmed this by the sense of the letter of the Word, which they thus twist from its genuine sense, and as it were draw it down from heaven; and because at the end of the church, which Revelation treats of, there is no charity, therefore the dragon then has power; for at the end of the church everyone wishes to live for himself, for the world, and according to his own bent, and few wish to live for the Lord, for heaven and eternal life; and the principle of faith alone, which is faith separated from charity, favors the former life, and like the current of a river draws in and carries away all to thus believing and living. This is why "the dragon," which signifies such persons and such things, was seen to have "ten horns."
[3] It has been said heretofore that falsities from evil have no power whatever; but it is to be known that falsities from evils have no power against truth from good; for truth from good is from the Lord, and the Lord has all power by His Divine truth. But falsities from evil have a power that is signified by "the ten horns of the dragon," because they prevail against those who are in falsities from evil, since such persons and such falsities act as one; moreover, man is in evil and in falsities therefrom hereditarily from his parents, and afterwards from actual life, especially at the end of the church; and these falsities from evil cannot be expelled from man in a moment, but little by little; for if they were expelled in a moment man would expire, because they constitute his life. Because such is man's state at the end of the church, the falsities of evil prevail, although they have no power whatever against truth from good. The Lord by His Divine truth might instantly cast out the falsities of evil that are with man, but this would be to cast the man instantly into hell; for these falsities must first be removed, and so far as they are removed, so far there is a place for implanting truths from good, and man is reformed. Such as are here meant by "the dragon" are meant also by "the he-goat" that fought with the ram (Daniel 8), and by "the goats" in Matthew 25; for "he-goats" there signify those who are in faith separated from charity, and "the ram" and "the sheep" those who are in charity.
716. "Et cornua decem." - Quod significet multam potentiam, constat ex significatione "cornus", quod sit potentia veri contra falsum et malum, ac in opposito sensu potentia falsi contra verum et bonum (de qua supra, n. 316, 567); et ex significatione "decem", quod sint omnes et omnia, tum multi et multa (de qua etiam supra, n. 675); inde constat quod per "cornua decem" significetur potentia multa.
Quod "draconi" multa potentia fuerit, constat ex sequentibus, nempe quod propter illam "filius masculus, quem peperit mulier, raptus sit ad Deum"; quod "cauda sua detraxerit e caelo tertiam partem stellarum"; tum quod "pugnaverit cum Michaele et cum angelis ejus"; et postea quod "in bellum contra sanctos excitaverit Gogum et Magogum, et gentes ingenti numero."
[2] Quod "draconi" talis potentia fuerit, erat quia per illum intelliguntur qui fidem separaverunt a bonis charitatis, quae sunt opera, et confirmarunt id per sensum litterae Verbi, quem sic a genuino suo sensu retorserunt et sicut ex caelo detraxerunt; ac in fine ecclesiae, de quo in Libro Apocalypseos agitur, nulla est charitas; inde tunc draconi est potentia: quisque enim in fine ecclesiae vult vivere sibi, mundo et genio, et pauci Domino, caelo et vitae aeternae; ac principium de sola fide, quae est fides separata a charitate, favet illi vitae, et sicut vena fluminis trahens aufert omnes ad id credendum et ad sic vivendum; inde est quod "draconi", per quem tales et talia intelliguntur, apparuerint "decem cornua."
[3] Dictum est prius quod falsis ex malo prorsus nulla potentia sit; sed sciendum est quod falsis ex malis nulla potentia sit contra verum ex bono, verum enim ex bono est a Domino, ac Domino est omnis potentia per Divinum suum Verum: quod autem falsis ex malo sit potentia, quae significatur per "decem cornua draconis", est quia falsa ex malo valent contra illos qui in falsis ex malo sunt, unum enim agunt; ac homo in malo est et inde in falsis hereditario ex parentibus, et dein ex actuali vita, imprimis in fine ecclesiae; et illa falsa ex malo non possunt ex homine expelli momento, sed paullatim; si enim momento, homo exspiraret, vitam enim ejus faciunt; et quia status hominis talis est in fine ecclesiae, ideo falsa mali valent, tametsi prorsus nihil contra verum ex bono. Potuisset Dominus per Divinum suum Verum falsa mali quae sunt apud hominem illico rejicere, sed hoc foret hominem illico in infernum conjicere; nam prius removenda sunt; et quantum removentur, tantum datur locus, implantandis veris ex bono, et homo reformatur. Iidem qui hic per "draconem", etiam intelliguntur per "hircum" qui pugnavit cum "ariete", apud Danielem, cap. 8; et quoque per "hircos" apud Matthaeum, cap. 25; nam per "hircos" ibi significantur qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, ac per "arietem" et per "oves" qui in charitate sunt.