439.“尾巴上有毒钩，有能力伤人五个月”表对圣言的巧妙曲解，他们通过这种巧妙曲解短时间内使认知或理解力昏暗和迷惑，从而欺骗和蛊惑。“尾巴上的毒钩”表示对圣言的巧妙曲解；“毒钩”表示巧妙狡猾；“尾巴”表示被歪曲的圣言真理（438节）。“有能力伤人”表示他们能利用这些造成精神麻痹，也就是说，他们能使认知或理解力短时间内昏暗和迷惑，从而欺骗和蛊惑；因为它们的“尾巴”像“蝎子”，而“蝎子”就表示这类事物（425节）。“五个月”表示短时间，如前所述（427节）。当他们引用和运用圣言里的经文时，就会发生这种情形；因为圣言是照着对应写成的，这些对应部分是真理的表象，包含纯正的真理在里面。如果这些纯正真理在教会不为人所知，从圣言中就有可能抽取出大量内容，起先看似支持异端邪说；但是，纯正真理一旦在教会为人所知，这些真理的表象就会曝光，纯正真理则逐渐显现。然而，在这一切成就之前，异端分子会利用从圣言抽取的各样东西来使认知或理解力昏暗和迷惑，从而欺骗和蛊惑。这就是那些声称人的罪得赦免，或换句话说，人凭信的行为称义，而人对此一无所知，并且这事是在一瞬间发生的，即便之前未发生，也会在临终的那一刻发生的人所做的事。这一点可举例说明，但在此不便说明。在阿摩司书，“钩”（或译为刺、荆棘、枳棘、刺藤、蒺藜等）也表示源于邪恶并造成伤害的虚假：
看哪，日子快要临到你们，他们必用钩子将你们钩去。（阿摩司书4:2）
在摩西五经：
你们要赶出那地的居民，免得作你们眼中的的刺，肋下的荆棘。（民数记33:55）
“荆棘”、“枳棘”、“刺藤”、“蒺藜”因它们的刺也表示邪恶的虚假。
439. And there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months. This symbolizes their clever falsifications of the Word, by which for a short time they darkened and enchanted the intellect, and so deceived and captivated it.
Stings in the tails symbolize clever falsifications of the Word - stings symbolizing cunning and guile, and tails the Word's truths falsified (no. 438). Their power to hurt means, symbolically, that they could induce a mental numbness, or in other words, that they could darken and enchant the intellect and so deceive and captivate it. For their tails were like scorpions, and scorpions have this symbolism (no. 425). Five months means, symbolically, for a short time, as in no. 427 above.
Such is the case when people like this take some things from the Word and apply them. For the Word was written in terms of things that correspond, and the correspondent expressions are partly apparent truths, which conceal genuine truths within them. If these genuine truths are unknown in the church, it is possible for people to take from the Word many things which at first appear to support heresy. But when genuine truths are known in the church, then the apparent truths are laid bare, and the genuine truths come into view. Before this comes about, however, a heretic may use various things from the Word to draw a veil over the intellect and enchant it, and so to deceive and captivate it.
This is what those people do who assert that a person's sins are forgiven him so that he is justified, by an act of faith of which no one is at all aware, and this in a moment - if not before, then in the last hour of dying. This also can be illustrated by examples, but here is not the place for it.
Stings symbolize falsities arising from evil and doing harm also in Amos:
Behold, the days shall come upon you when they will take you away with stings... (Amos 4:2)
And in the book of Numbers, that the people should drive out the inhabitants of the land, lest they be thorns in their eyes and stings in their sides (Numbers 33:55).
Thorns, briers, nettles, and thistles also symbolize falsities accompanying evil because of their stings.
439. 'And there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt the men five months' signifies the clever falsifications of the Word by means of which for a short time they darken and bewitch the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate. By 'stings in their tails' are signified clever falsifications of the Word; by 'stings' cleverness, and by 'tails' truths of the Word falsified (438). By 'power to hurt' is signified that by means of these they can induce stupefaction, that is, darken and bewitch the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate, for the tails were 'like scorpions,' and by 'scorpions' such things are signified (425). By 'five months' is signified for a short time, as above (427). This comes about when they quote and apply anything out of the Word; for the Word is written by means of correspondences, and the correspondences are partly the appearances of truth, and these conceal the genuine truths inwardly in themselves. If these [genuine truths] are not known in the Church, they can select many things out of the Word which at first appear as if in agreement with heresy; but when the genuine truths are known in the Church, then the appearances of truth are laid bare and the genuine truths come into view; but before this comes about, a heretic by means of various things out of the Word can cover up and bewitch the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate. That this is done by those who assert sins to be remitted for a man, which is equivalent to being justified, by means of an act of faith of which no one knows a thing, and this in a moment, and if not before, at the last hour of death, can be illustrated by examples; but this is not the place for it. By 'stings' are signified untruths of a hurtful nature derived from evil, also in Amos:
Behold the days shall come upon you, in which they shall draw you out with stings, Amos 4:2.
And in Moses:
That they should drive out the inhabitants of the land, lest they be thorns in their eyes, and stings in their sides. Numbers 33:55.
'Thorns,' 'briers,' 'brambles' and 'thistles' also signify untruths of evil by reason of their stings.
439. And there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months, signifies subtle falsifications of the Word, by which, for a short time, they darken and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate. By "stings in their tails" are signified subtle falsifications of the Word; by "stings," subtlety; and by "tails," the truths of the Word falsified, (438). By "the power to hurt," is signified that by means of these they can induce stupor, that is, they can darken and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate; "for their tails were like scorpions," and by "scorpions" such things are signified, (425). By "five months" is signified for a short time, as above, (427). This takes place when they quote and apply anything from the Word; for the Word is written according to correspondences, and correspondences are in part appearances of truth, containing within them genuine truths. If these truths are not known in the church, many things may be taken from the Word, which at first appear as if in agreement with heresy; but when genuine truths are known in the church, then the appearances of truth are rendered manifest, and genuine truths come to view. But before this is done, a heretic, by various things drawn from the Word, may obscure and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate. That this is done by those who assert that man's sins are remitted, or, in other words, that he is justified by an act of faith, concerning which no one knows anything, and this in a moment, and if not before, even at the last hour of death, might be illustrated by examples, but this is not the place to do so. By "stings" are signified falsities from evil, doing hurt, also in Amos:
Behold, the days shall come upon you, when they shall take you away with stings, (Amos 4:2).
And in Moses:
That they should extirpate the inhabitants of the land, lest they should be thorns in their eyes, and stings in their sides, (Numbers 33:55).
"Thorns," "briers," "brambles," and "thistles," also signify falsities of evil, from their stings.
439. "Et aculei erant in caudis illarum, et potestas illarum laedere homines mensibus quinque," significat astutas falsificationes Verbi, per quas ad breve tempus obtenebrant et fascinant intellectum, et sic fallunt et captant. - Per "aculeos in caudis" significantur astutae falsificationes Verbi; per "aculeos" astutiae, et per "caudas" vera Verbi falsificata (438); per "potestatem laedendi" significatur quod per illas possint inducere stuporem, hoc est, obtenebrare et fascinare intellectum, et sic fallere et captare, "caudae enim erant similes scorpiis," et per "Scorpios" talia significantur (425). Per "menses quinque" significatur ad breve tempus, ut supra (427); hoc fit cum aliqua ex Verbo depromunt et applicant: Verbum enim per correspondentias conscriptum est, et correspondentiae sunt quoad partem apparentiae veri, et hae intus in se recondunt genuina vera: si haec in Ecclesia non sciuntur, possunt e Verbo plura desumi, quae primum apparent sicut concordantia cum haeresi; at dum in Ecclesia sciuntur genuina vera, tunc apparentiae veri nudantur, et genuina vera in conspectum veniunt: sed antequam hoc fit, potest haereticus per varia e Verbo obvelare et fascinare intellectum, et sic fallere et captare. Quod ita fiat ab illis qui asserunt remitti homini peccata, quod est justificari, per actum fidei, de quo nemo aliquid scit, et hoc in momento, et si non prius, in ultima mortis hora, per exempla illustrari potest; sed hoc non hujus loci est. Per "aculeos" significantur falsa ex malo laedentia, etiam apud Amos:
"Ecce dies venient super vos, quibus extrahent vos Aculeis," (4:2);
et apud Mosen:
Quod exstirparent habitatores terrae, ne forent in spinas oculis, et in Aculeos lateribus, (Numeri 33:55);
"spinae," "sentes," "tribuli" et "cardui," significant etiam falsa mali ex aculeis illorum.