411.“因水变苦，就死了许多人”表对许多人来说，属灵生命因着对圣言真理的歪曲而灭绝。“死了许多人”表示属灵生命的灭亡；因为人出于属灵生命而被称为“活着”，若出于脱离属灵生命的属世生命，他就被称为“死了”；“因水变苦”表示因着对圣言真理的歪曲；“水”是指圣言的真理（参看409节）。“苦”之所以表示歪曲，是因为苦艾的苦味，而“苦艾”表示地狱的虚假（410节）。
基督徒所拥有的属灵生命并非来自其它源头，唯源于圣言的真理，因为这些真理里面有生命；但当圣言的真理被歪曲，人照着其宗教信仰的虚假来理解和看待它们时，他里面的属灵生命便被熄灭了。原因在于，圣言与天堂相通，因此当人阅读圣言时，其中的真理便往天上升，粘附或联结到真理上的虚假则朝地狱走。 结果就造成了撕裂，圣言的生命就这样被熄灭了。不过，这种事只发生在那些通过圣言确认虚假的人身上，而非那些那些未如此确认的人身上。我见过这种撕裂，听到那声音像是木头被炉灶的火烧裂的声音。
在以下经文中，“苦”也表示歪曲：
祸哉，那些称恶为善、称善为恶、以苦为甜、以甜为苦的人。（以赛亚书5:20）
他们必不得饮酒唱歌；喝浓酒的，必以为苦。（以赛亚书24:9）
被吃的小书卷在口中甜如蜜，肚子却发苦（启示录10:9，10）所表相同。还有：
他们到了玛拉，不能喝那里的水，因为水苦；耶和华指示他一块木头，他把木头丢在水里，水就变甜了。（出埃及记15:23-25）
在圣言中，“木”表示良善。以下所表相同：
野葫芦被切在汤里，先知的门徒因此大叫，锅中有致死的毒物。以利沙把面撒在锅中，就没有毒了。（列王纪下4:38-41）
“面”表示源于良善的真理。
411. And many people died from the water, because it was made bitter. This symbolizes the extinction of spiritual life in many people because of the falsification of the Word's truths.
"Many people died" symbolizes the extinction of spiritual life, as a person is called living by virtue of the spiritual life in him, and on the other hand is called dead when his natural life is divorced from spiritual life. "From the water, because it was made bitter," symbolically means, because of the falsification of the Word's truths. That waters are the Word's truths may be seen just above in no. 410. Bitterness symbolizes falsification because the bitterness of wormwood is meant, and wormwood symbolizes hellish falsity (no. 410).
[2] Spiritual life, for a Christian, comes only from the Word's truths, for in them is life. But when the Word's truths have been falsified, and a person interprets them and views them in accordance with falsities connected with his religion, then the spiritual life in him is extinguished. That is because the Word communicates with heaven. Consequently, when a person reads it, the truths in it ascend into heaven, while the falsities to which truths have been attached or joined lead to hell. As a result the person is torn apart, which extinguishes the Word's life. This occurs, however, only in the case of people who use the Word to defend falsities, but not in the case of people who do not defend them.
I have seen people thus torn apart, and I have heard coming from them a noise like that of wood in a fireplace split apart by the fire.
[3] Bitterness symbolizes falsification also in the following passages:
Woe to those who speak good of evil, and evil of good...; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)
They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. (Isaiah 24:9)
Something similar is symbolically meant by the little book eaten, which was sweet in the mouth, but made the stomach bitter (Revelation 10:9-10). And by the following:
They came to Marah, but they could not drink the waters for their bitterness... But Jehovah showed him a piece of wood, which he cast into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. (Exodus 15:23-25)
Wood in the Word symbolizes goodness.
Something similar is symbolically meant also by the gourds put into the stew, which caused the company of prophets to cry out, "There is death in the pot!" which Elisha cured by putting in some flour (2 Kings 4:38-41).
Flour symbolizes truth arising from goodness.
411. 'And many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter' signifies the extinction of spiritual life with many as a result of the truths of the Word having been falsified. 'Many men died' signifies the extinction of spiritual life, for a man by reason of spiritual life with him is called living, but by reason of natural life separated from spiritual life he is called dead. 'Of the waters because they were made bitter' signifies as a result of the truths of the Word having been falsified. That 'the waters' are the truths of the Word may be seen just above (409). 'Bitter' signifies what is falsified because the bitterness of wormwood is understood, and by 'wormwood' is signified infernal untruth (410).
[2] The spiritual life pertaining to a Christian man is not from anywhere else than the truths of the Word, for in them there is life, but when the truths of the Word have been falsified, and a man understands and views them in accordance with the untruths of his religion, then the spiritual life with him is extinguished. This is because the Word has communication with heaven. Therefore while it is being read by a man the truths there are climbing up into heaven, and the untruths to which the truths have been adjoined or conjoined are tending towards hell. Consequently there is a tearing apart, as a result of which the life of the Word is extinguished. This, however, comes about only with those who confirm untruths by means of the Word, but not with those who do not confirm them. I have seen these tearings apart, and have heard the harsh sound thereof, like wood burst apart by fire in the fire-place.
[3] 'Bitter' signifies what is falsified in the following places also:
Woe unto them saying good of what is evil, and evil of what is good, putting bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Isaiah 5:20, 22.
They shall not drink wine with a song, strong drink shall be bitter to those drinking it. Isaiah 24:9.
A similar thing is signified by:
The little book eaten up, which was sweet in the mouth, and as a result of which the belly was rendered bitter. Revelation 10:9-10; and by these [words]:
They came to Marah, but they could not drink the waters on account of the bitterness; but Jehovah showed him wood, which he cast into the waters, and they were made sweet, Exodus 15:23-25.
'Wood' in the Word signifies good. A similar thing is also signified by:
The wild gourds put into the pottage, as a result of which the sons of the prophets cried out, There is death in the pot, which Elisha healed by putting in meal, 2 Kings 4:38-41.
'Meal' signifies truth derived from good.
411. And many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter, signifies the extinction of spiritual life with many from the falsified truths of the Word. "Many men died," signifies the extinction of spiritual life; for man from the spiritual life with him is called alive, but from the natural life separated from spiritual life, he is called dead; "of the waters because they were made bitter," signifies by the falsified truths of the Word; that "waters" are the truths of the Word may be seen above, (409). The reason why "bitter" signifies what is falsified, is, because the bitter of wormwood is meant, and by "wormwood" is signified infernal falsity, (410).
[2] A Christian man has spiritual life from no other source than from the truths of the Word, for in them there is life; but when the truths of the Word are falsified, and man understands and views them according to the falsities of his religion, then spiritual life with him is extinguished. The reason is, because the Word communicates with heaven, therefore when it is read by man, the truths therein ascend into heaven, and the falsities to which truths are adjoined or conjoined, tend towards hell, whence there is a rending asunder, whereby the life of the Word is extinguished. But this is the case only with those who confirm falsities by the Word, but not with those who do not confirm them. I have seen such rendings asunder, and have heard the noise like that of wood split by the fire on a hearth.
[3] "Bitter" signifies what is falsified also in the following passages:
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter, (Isaiah 5:20).
They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it, (Isaiah 24:9).
The like is signified by:
The little book that was eaten, which was sweet in the mouth, and by which the belly was made bitter, (Revelation 10:9-10).
And by this:
They came to Marah but they could not drink of the waters, on account of the bitterness; but Jehovah showed him wood, which he cast into the waters, and they became sweet, (Exodus 15:23-25).
"Wood," in the Word, signifies good. The same is also signified by:
The wild gourds which were put into the pottage, by reason of which the sons of the prophets cried out, There is death in the pot, which Elisha healed by putting in meal, (2 Kings 4:38-41).
Meal signifies truth from good.
411. "Et multi homines mortui sunt ex aquis, quia amarae factae sunt," significat exstinctionem vitae spiritualis apud plures ex falsificatis veris Verbi. - "Multi homines mortui sunt" significat exstinctionem vitae spiritualis, homo enim ex vita spirituali apud se vocatur vivus, at ex vita naturali separata a vita spirituali vocatur mortuus; "ex aquis quia amarae factae sunt" significat ex falsificatis veris Verbi; quod "aquae" sint vera Verbi, videatur mox supra (409); 1quod "amarum" significet falsificatum, est quia intelligitur amarum absinthii, et per "absinthium" significatur falsum infernale (410).
Vita spiritualis homini Christiano non aliunde est, quam ex veris Verbi, in illis enim est vita; at cum vera Verbi falsificata sunt, et homo illa secundum falsa religionis suae intelligit et spectat, tunc vita spiritualis apud illum exstinguitur: causa est quia Verbum communicat cum Caelo; quare dum illud ab homine legitur, vera ibi ascendunt in Caelum, et falsa quibus vera adjuncta aut conjuncta sunt, tendunt ad Infernum; inde fit discerptio, ex qua vita Verbi exstinguitur. Sed hoc fit solum apud illos qui confirmant falsa per Verbum, non autem apud illos qui non confirmant: vidi discerptiones illas, et audivi strepitus sicut ligni discerpti igne in camino ex illis. "Amarum" significat falsificatum etiam in sequentibus locis:
"Vae dicentibus de malo bonum, et de bono malum, ponentibus Amarum in dulce, et dulce in Amarum," (Esaias 5:20); 2
"Cum cantu non bibent vinum, Amara erit sicera bibentibus illam," (Esaias 24:9).
Simile quid significatur per Libellum devoratum, qui in ore fuit dulcis, et ex quo venter redditus est Amarus, (Apocalypsis 10:9-10);
et per haec:
"Venerunt ad Marah; sed non potuerunt bibere aquas prae Amaritudine; sed monstravit illi Jehovah Lignum, quod projecit in aquas, et dulces factae sunt," (Exodus 15:23-25);
"lignum" in Verbo significat bonum. Simile etiam per Colocynthidas missas in pulmentum, ex quo filii prophetarum clamaverunt, Mors in olla, quod Elisaeus per immissam farinam sanavit, (2 Regnum 4:38-41);
"farina" significat verum ex bono.
Footnotes:
1. 409 pro "410"
2. 20 pro "20, 22"