----中文待译----
923. And there came out blood from the wine-press, even to the horses' bridles. That this signifies falsifications of the Word, even to dominion over the understanding, flowing forth from evil, is evident from the signification of coming out from the wine-press, as denoting to be produced, or to flow forth, from evil (concerning which see the articles above, n. 920, 922); and from the signification of blood, as denoting the falsification of the Word. For by blood, in the genuine sense, is signified the Divine truth; but, in the opposite sense, violence offered to the Divine truth or the Word, which is the falsification of it (concerning which signification of blood, see above, n. 329); and from the signification of even to the horses' bridles, as denoting even to dominion over the understanding. For horses signify the understanding, and their bridles, government and dominion. For he who sits on horses governs them by the bridle, and rules over them. That horses signify the understanding of truth from the Word may be seen above (n. 355, 364); and that bridles [signify] government and dominion will be seen below.
[2] With respect to dominion over the understanding, it is the understanding of truth in the Word that is meant. For when falsities of religion are confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word, then the understanding no longer sees the truth. For every one who is in the spiritual affection of truth is enlightened by the Lord, when he reads the Word, and it is the understanding that is enlightened. But he who is not in the spiritual affection of truth cannot be enlightened as to the understanding; for he sees truth as in the night, and falsity as in the light. And because the church is such at its end, the understanding of truth then perishes to such a degree that it cannot be enlightened. For the falsities of religion are then confirmed to that degree from the Word; that is, the Word is falsified. This is the case with those meant by Babylon (ver. 8), and by the beast (ver. 10, of this chapter). For it is said of Babylon, "that she made all nations drink of the wine of the anger of her whoredom"; and of the beast there, "that he who adored the beast, shall drink of the wine of the anger of God mixed pure in the cup of his wrath." That the falsifications of the Word are thereby signified, may be seen above (n. 881 887).
[3] The reason why the understanding of truth in the Word perishes with such as are meant by the inhabitants of Babylon, and by the worshippers of the beast is, that they have not any spiritual good; and this good, which is the good of charity from the Lord, is what alone opens the spiritual mind, by which the Lord flows in and enlightens. And without the opening of that mind, enlightenment cannot take place, nor, consequently, the understanding of truth. He who believes that he can see any truth of the church from the light (lumen) of reason alone is much deceived. He may indeed know it from another, but he cannot see it in the light. While he desires to see it, or follow it in thought, mere shadows from falsities are in the way; these arise from fallacies, and from man's proprium, which cause blindness. From these things it is evident what is meant by falsifications of the Word even to dominion over the understanding, flowing forth from evil, signified by the blood coming out of the wine-press, even to the horses' bridles.
[4] In the Word the bridle is mentioned in many passages; and by it, in the spiritual sense, is signified restraint and government. And it is said of the understanding and its thought, because a bridle belongs to horses; and horses signify the understanding; and with those who have no understanding, they signify reasonings from falsities. It is therefore evident what is signified by the bridle mentioned in Isaiah:
"I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle into thy lips; and I will bring thee back by the way by which thou camest" (37:29).
These things are said of the king of Assyria, who signifies reasoning from falsities. For by Asshur, in the good sense, is signified the Rational. Because that king then besieged Jerusalem, and blasphemed God, it was said to him, that a hook should be put into his nose, which signifies that stupidity and foolishness should possess him. For the nose signifies perception; and the hook, its extraction - properly immersion into the corporeal Sensual, which, separated from the Rational, is stupid. It was also said, that a bridle should be put into his lips, which signifies senselessness as to the understanding of truth. For the lips signify thought from the understanding, and the bridle the restraining of it. To bring him back into the way by which he came, signifies into the falsities by which he was about to perish. Wherefore his army, by which falsities are signified, perished by a great slaughter.
In the same:
"The lips of Jehovah are full of indignation. His tongue is as a devouring fire, and his spirit as an inundating stream; he shall halve, even to the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity, and a bridle that causeth to err upon the jaws of the peoples" (30:27, 28).
The lips, tongue, and spirit of Jehovah, signify Divine truth, which is the Word, from its ultimates to its inmost. This is said to be full of indignation, as a devouring fire, and as an inundating stream, when it is adulterated and falsified; because its adulteration and falsification closes heaven to man, and devastates him. From the appearance that heaven does this - or what is the same, the Divine truth from which is heaven - it is said that it has indignation, that it is a devouring fire, and an inundating stream. He shall halve even to the neck, signifies the devastation thereof by falsities to such a degree that it is not understood. For by the neck is signified conjunction, which perishes when that which is beneath is taken away. To sift the nations with the sieve of vanity, signifies the adulteration of the Word by fictitious matters by those who are in evils. And a bridle that causeth to err upon the jaws of the peoples, signifies the falsification of the truth in the Word by those who are in falsities. A bridle causing to err properly denotes the withdrawing from the understanding of truth. The jaws denote thoughts from the corporeal Sensual, thus from fallacies. Peoples are said of those who are in falsities; and nations of those who are in evils.
Those who are not acquainted with correspondences may suppose that horses' bridles signify government over the understanding from the comparison only, but it is from correspondence. And this is clearly evident from the consideration that, in the spiritual world, horses variously harnessed and caparisoned appear; and these, with everything on them, are correspondences.
923. And there went out blood from the wine-press even to the bridles of the horses, signifies falsifications of the Word flowing forth from evil even to dominion over the understanding. This is evident from the signification of "went out from the wine-press," as being to be brought forth, or to flow forth, from evil see in articles above, n. 920, 922); also from the signification of "blood," as being the falsification of the Word; for "blood" signifies in the genuine sense the Divine truth, but in the contrary sense violence offered to the Divine truth or the Word, which is the falsification of it. (On this signification of "blood" see above, n. 329). The above is evident also from the signification of "even to the bridles of the horses," as being even to dominion over the understanding; for "horses" signify the understanding, and their "bridles" government and dominion, for one who sits on a horse governs it and rules over it by means of the bridle. (That "horses" signify the understanding of truth from the Word may be seen above, n. 355, 364; and that "bridles" signify government and dominion will be seen below.)
[2] In regard to dominion over the understanding, it is the understanding of truth in the Word that is meant; for when falsities of religion are confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word the understanding no longer sees truth. For everyone who is in the spiritual affection of truth is enlightened by the Lord when he reads the Word, and it is the understanding that is enlightened. But he who is not in the spiritual affection of truth cannot have his understanding enlightened; for he sees truth as if in the night, and falsity as if in the light. And as the church is such at its end the understanding of truth then so far perishes that it cannot be enlightened, since falsities of religion are then to that extent confirmed from the Word, that is, the Word is falsified. This takes place with those who are meant by "Babylon," verse 8, (881 887).
[3] The understanding of truth in the Word would perish with such as are meant by "them that dwell in Babylon" and "the worshipers of the beast," because they have no spiritual good; and this good, which is the good of charity from the Lord, is what alone opens the spiritual mind, through which the Lord flows in and enlightens; and without the opening of that mind no enlightenment is possible, and thus no understanding of truth. He that believes that he can see any truth of the church from the mere light (lumen) of reason is much deceived. He may have knowledge of it from another, but he cannot see it in the light. And when he wishes to see it or to comprehend it in thought, mere shadows from falsities, which spring from fallacies and from what is man's own [proprium] hover over him and induce blindness. All this makes clear what is meant by the falsifications of the Word flowing forth from evil, even to dominion over the understanding, which are signified by "blood going out from the wine-press, even to the bridles of the horses."
[4] The term "bridle" is used in some passages in the Word, and it signifies in the spiritual sense restraint and government, and it is predicated of the understanding and its thought, because a bridle belongs to horses, and "horses" signify the understanding; and with those who have no understanding "horses" signify reasonings from falsities. This makes clear what is signified by "bridle" in Isaiah:
I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will bring thee back by the way by which thou camest (Isaiah 37:29).
This was said of the king of Assyria by whom reasoning from falsities is signified; for "Assyria" signifies in a good sense the rational. Because that king then besieged Jerusalem and blasphemed God it was said to him that "a hook should be put into his nose," which signifies that stupidity and foolishness should possess him; for the "nose" signifies perception, and a "hook" signifies taking it away, or properly, immersing it in the corporeal sensual, and when this is separated from the rational it is stupid. It was also said that "a bridle should be put in his lips," which signifies insanity as to the understanding of truth, for the "lips" signify thought from the understanding, and a "bridle" the withdrawal of it. "To bring him back into the way by which he came" signifies into the falsities by which he will perish; therefore his army, which signifies falsities, perished by a very great slaughter.
[5] In the same:
Jehovah's lips are full of indignation, His tongue is like a devouring fire, and His breath is like an overflowing stream. It shall reach even to the middle of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity, and a bridle that misleadeth upon the jaws of the peoples (Isaiah 30:27, 28).
The "lips," "tongue," and "spirit" of Jehovah signify the Divine truth, which is the Word, from its ultimates to its inmosts; when this is adulterated and falsified it is said to be "full of indignation," "like a devouring fire," and "like an overflowing stream," and for the reason that the adulteration and falsification of it closes heaven to man and devastates him. Because it appears that heaven does this, or what is the same, the Divine truth from which heaven exists, it is said to have "indignation," to be "a devouring fire," and "an overflowing stream." "It shall reach even to the middle of the neck" signifies the devastation of it by falsities, even till it is not understood, for the "neck" signifies conjunction, and conjunction perishes when that which is beneath is taken away. "To sift the nations with the sieve of vanity" signifies the adulteration of the Word by those who are in evils by means of fictions; "and a bridle that misleadeth upon the jaws of the peoples" signifies the falsification of the truth in the Word by those who are in falsities, "a bridle that misleadeth" being properly a withdrawing from the understanding of truth, "jaws" being thoughts from the corporeal sensual, thus from fallacies; and the term "peoples" being used of those who are in falsities; and "nations" of those who are in evils. They who are ignorant of correspondences might think that it is merely from comparison that a "horse's bridle" signifies government over the understanding; but it is from correspondence, as can be seen clearly from the fact that in the spiritual world horses are seen variously harnessed and caparisoned, and these horses, with everything upon them, are correspondences.
923. "Et exivit sanguis e torculari usque ad frena equorum. Quod significet falsificationes Verbi usque ad dominium super intellectum in profluentes ex malo, constat ex significatione "exire e torculari", quod sit produci seu profluere ex malo (de qua in articulis, n. 920, 922, supra); ex significatione "sanguinis", quod sit falsificatio Verbi, per "sanguinem" enim in genuino sensu significatur Divinum Verum, at in opposito sensu significatur violentia illata Divino Vero seu Verbo, quod est falsificatio ejus (de qua "sanguinis" significatione videatur supra, n. 329 (f, g]); et ex significatione "usque ad frena equorum", quod sit usque ad dominium super intellectum, per "equos" enim significatur intellectus, ac per "frena illorum" regimen et dominium; nam insidens equis per frenum regit illos et dominatur super illos.
(Quod "equi" significent intellectum veri ex Verbo, videatur supra, n. 355, 364; et quod "frena" regimen et dominium, videbitur infra.)
[2] Quod dominium super intellectum attinet, est intellectus veri in Verbo qui intelligitur; dum enim falsa religionis confirmantur ex sensu litterae Verbi, tunc intellectus non amplius videt verum; unusquisque enim qui in affectione veri spirituali est, a Domino illustratur dum legit Verbum, ac intellectus est qui illustratur: qui autem non in affectione veri spirituali est, non quoad intellectum potest illustrari, nam is videt verum sicut in nocte, ac falsum sicut in luce: et quia ecclesia talis est in fine ejus, tunc in tantum perit intellectus veri ut non illustrari possit, nam tunc tantum falsa religionis confirmantur ex Verbo, hoc est, falsificatur Verbum; hoc fit apud illos qui per "Babylonem", vers. 8, et per "bestiam", vers. 10, hujus capitis, intelliguntur; de "Babylone" enim dicitur, quod "ex vino irae scortationis suae potaverit omnes gentes"; et de "bestia" ibi, quod "qui adoraverit bestiam, bibet ex vino irae Dei mixto mero excandescentiae Ipsius"; quod per haec et per illa significentur falsificationes Verbi, videatur supra (n. 881 et 887).
[3] Quod intellectus veri in Verbo, apud tales qui intelliguntur per "habitatores Babylonis" et per "adoratores bestiae", perierit, est quia illis non aliquod bonum spirituale est; et hoc bonum, quod est bonum charitatis a Domino, unice aperit mentem spiritualem, per quam influit Dominus et illustrat, et absque illius mentis aperitione non dari potest illustratio, proinde nec intellectus veri: qui credit quod ex lumine rationis solo possit videre aliquod verum ecclesiae, multum fallitur; scire quidem illud ex alio potest, sed non videre illud in luce; dum vult videre illud seu cogitatione assequi illud, oberrant merae umbrae ex falsis, quae scaturiunt ex fallaciis et ex proprio hominis, quae occaecant. Ex his constare potest quid intelligitur per falsificationes Verbi usque ad dominium super intellectum profluentes ex malo, quae significantur per "sanguinem e torculari exeuntem usque ad frena equorum."
[4] In Verbo aliquibus in locis dicitur "frenum", et per id in sensu spirituali significatur coercitio et regimen, ac praedicatur de intellectu et ejus cogitatione, ex causa quia frenum est equis, et per "equos" significatur intellectus; et apud illos quibus non intellectus est, per "equos" significantur ratiocinationes ex falsis. Inde patet quid significatur per "frenum" apud Esaiam,
"Ponam hamum meum in nasum tuum, et frenum meum in labia tua, et reducam te per viam per quam venisti" (37:29):
haec de rege Aschuris, per quem significatur ratiocinatio ex falsis; nam per "Aschurem" in bono sensu significatur rationale; rex ille quia tunc obsidebat Hierosolymam et blasphemabat Deum, ei dictum est quod "poneretur hamus in nasum ejus", per quod significatur quod ei erit stupiditas et fatuitas, nam "nasus" significat perceptionem, et "hamus" extractionem ejus, proprie immersionem in sensuale corporeum, quod separatum a rationali est stupidum; tum dictum est quod "frenum poneretur in labia ejus", per quod significatur insania quoad intellectum veri, nam "labia" significant cogitationem ex intellectu, ac "frenum" retractionem ejus; "reducere illum in viam per quam venit", significat in falsa, per quae periturus; quare exercitus ejus, per quem falsa significantur, ingenti clade periit.
[5] Apud eundem,
"Labia" Jehovae "plena sunt indignatione, ..lingua Ipsius sicut ignis comedens, et spiritus Ipsius sicut flumen inundans, usque ad collum dimidiabit, ad cribrandum gentes cribro vanitatis, et frenum seducens super maxillis populorum" (30:27, 28):
per "labia", "linguam" et "spiritum" Jehovae, significatur Divinum Verum, quod est Verbum, ab ultimis ejus ad intima; illud est quod dicitur esse "plenum indignatione", "sicut ignis comedens", et "sicut flumen inundans", cum adulteratur et falsificatur, ex causa quia adulteratio et falsificatio ejus claudit caelum homini, ac devastat illum; ex apparentia quod caelum hoc faciat, seu quod idem est, Divinum Verum ex quo caelum, dicitur quod ei indignatio, ignis comedens, et flumen inundans sit: "usque ad collum dimidiabit", significat devastationem ejus a falsis usque ut non intelligatur, nam per "collum" significatur conjunctio, quae perit cum aufertur id quod infra est: "ad cribrandum gentes cribro vanitatis", significat adulterationem Verbi per figmenta ab illis qui in malis sunt: "et frenum seducens super maxillis populorum", significat falsificationem veri in Verbo ab illis qui in falsis sunt; "frenum seducens" est proprie abstractio ab intellectu veri; "maxillae" sunt cogitationes a sensuali corporeo, ita ex fallaciis, "populi" praedicantur de illis qui in falsis sunt, et "gentes" de illis qui in malis. Qui non scit correspondentias, opinari potest quod "frenum equorum" significet regimen super intellectum ex sola comparatione; sed est ex correspondentia; quod manifeste constare potest ex eo, quod in mundo spirituali appareant equi varie phalerati et capistrati, et singula quae super equis, una cum illis, correspondentiae sunt.