46.“胸间束着金带”表发出同时又结合的神性，也就是神性良善。“金带”之所以具有这种含义，是因为主的“胸部”，特别是“胸膛”表祂的神性之爱；因此束胸的“金带”表发出同时又结合的神性，也就是神性之爱的神性良善。另外，“金”表良善，可见下文（913节）。在圣言中，“带”或“腰带”还表共同的纽带，一切事物由此按次序和关联被联结起来。如以赛亚书：
从耶西的树墩子必生出一根枝条来，公义必做祂的腰带，真理必做祂胁下的带子。（以赛亚书11:1，5）
“从耶西的树墩子所生出的枝条”是指主。以弗得的带子和亚伦外袍的带子表结合，这一点可见于伦敦出版的《天堂的奥秘》（9837，9944节）一书。由于“带”表联结教会良善与真理的纽带，故当以色列人的教会走向毁灭时，先知耶利米被吩咐：
你去买一根带子束腰，将腰带藏在幼发拉底河附近的磐石穴中；过了多日，他去取时，见腰带已经变坏，毫无用处了。（耶利米书13:1-12）
这代表当时教会已无丝毫良善可言，真理故而消散了。以赛亚书中的“腰带”所表相同：
绳子代替腰带。（以赛亚书3:24）
以及其它地方。“胸膛”或“胸部”表神性之爱，这一点从提及它们的那些圣言经文明显可看出来，从它们与爱的对应关系也显而易见。
46. And girded about the breasts with a golden girdle. This symbolizes the emanating and at the same time conjoining Divinity which is Divine good.
The golden girdle has this symbolism because the Lord's breast, and specifically the nipples there, symbolize His Divine love. Therefore the golden girdle which encircled them symbolizes the emanating and at the same time conjoining Divinity, which is the Divine goodness of Divine love. Gold, too, symbolizes goodness (see no. 913 below).
A girdle or sash in the Word symbolizes a common bond which holds everything in order and connection. For example, in Isaiah:
There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse..., and righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His loins. (Isaiah 11:1, 5)
The rod coming forth from the stem of Jesse is the Lord.
It may be seen in Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), published in London, nos. 9837 and 9944, that the girdle of Aaron's ephod and the belt of his tunic symbolized conjunction.
Since a girdle symbolizes a bond conjoining the goods and truths of the church, therefore when the church with the children of Israel was destroyed, Jeremiah the prophet was commanded to buy himself a sash and put it on his loins, and then hide it in a hole in a rock by the Euphrates. And when, at the end of many days, he recovered it, behold, it was ruined and profitable for nothing. (Jeremiah 13:1-12) This represented that the goodness of the church had then come to nothing, with its truths therefore gone.
A sash has the same symbolic meaning in Isaiah 3:24, in the phrase, "instead of a sash, a rent." And so also elsewhere.
That nipples or paps symbolize Divine love is apparent from passages in the Word where they are mentioned, and from their correspondence with love.
46. 'And girt about the breasts with a golden girdle' signifies the Divine proceeding and at the same time conjoining, which is Divine Good. This is what 'a golden girdle' signifies, because by the Lord's chest, and specifically by the breasts there, His Divine love is signified. From this, by the golden girdle 'that girded them [is signified] the Divine proceeding and at the same time conjoining, which is the Divine good of the Divine Love. Moreover 'gold' signifies good, see below (913). A 'girdle' or 'belt' in the Word also signifies the general bond by which all things are held together in order and connection, as in Isaiah:
There shall go forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, justice shall be the girdle of His loins, and the truth (veritas) the girdle of His thighs, Isaiah 11:1, 5.
The rod going forth out of the stem of Jesse is the Lord. That the girdle of the ephod, and the belt of Aaron's tunic, signified conjunction, may be seen in ARCANA CAELESTIA published at London (Arcana Coelestia 9837, 9944). Since 'a girdle' signifies the bond conjoining the goods and truths of the Church, therefore when the Church with the sons of Israel had been destroyed, Jeremiah the prophet was commanded:
To buy himself a girdle, and put it on his loins, and then to hide it in a hole of the rock near the Euphrates, and at the end of days, when he took it again, behold it was rotten, and not profitable for anything. Jeremiah 13:1-12.
By this was represented that the good of the Church was then nullified, and as a result the truths had been dissipated. The like is signified by 'girdle' in Isaiah:
Instead of a girdle there shall be a rent. Isaiah 3:24, and elsewhere also. That by the 'breasts' or 'teats' the Divine Love is signified, is plain from the passages in the Word where they are named, as also from their correspondence with love.
46. And girt about the paps with a golden girdle, signifies the proceeding, and, at the same time, the conjoining Divine, which is the Divine good. That "a golden girdle" has this signification, is, because by "the Lord's breast," and especially by "the paps," His Divine love is signified; thence, by "the golden girdle" which girded them, is signified the proceeding and at the same time the conjoining Divine, which is the Divine good of the Divine love: moreover "gold" signifies good; see below, (913). "A zone" or "girdle," in the Word, also signifies the common bond, whereby all things are held together in order and connection; as in Isaiah:
There shall go forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, justice shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His thighs, (Isaiah 11:1, 5).
"The rod going forth out of the stem of Jesse" is the Lord. That the girdle of the ephod and the belt of Aaron's coat, signified conjunction, may be seen in The Arcana Coelestia, published at London (n. (9837) (9944). 9837, 9944). Since "a girdle" signifies the bond conjoining the goods and truths of the church, therefore when the church with the sons of Israel was destroyed, Jeremiah the prophet was commanded:
To buy himself a girdle, and put it upon his loins, and then to hide it in a hole of a rock near the Euphrates; and at the end of days, when he took it, behold it was rotten, and was profitable for nothing, (Jeremiah 13:1-12).
By this was represented that at that time there was no good in the church, and thence that truths were dissipated. The like is signified by "girdle" in Isaiah:
Instead of a girdle there shall be a rent, (Isaiah 3:24);
and elsewhere. That by the "paps" or "breasts" the Divine love is signified, is evident from those passages in the Word where they are named, as also from their correspondence with love.
46. "Et praecinctum ad mamillas Zona aurea," significat Divinum procedens et simul conjungens, quod est Divinum Bonum. - Quod "Zona aurea" id significet, est quia per "pectus Domini," et in specie per "mamillas" ibi, significatur Divinus Ipsius Amor; inde per "Zonam auream," quae cinxit, Divinum procedens et simul conjungens, quod est Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris; "aurum" etiam significat bonum, videatur infra (913). Etiam "Zona" seu "Cingulum" in Verbo significat commune Vinculum, quo omnia in ordine et in nexu continentur, ut apud Esajam:
"Exibit Virga e trunco Jischaji; 1erit Justitia cingulum lumborum Ipsius, et Veritas cingulum feminum Ipsius," (11:1, 5); 2
"Virga exiens e trunco Jischaji" est Dominus. Quod Cingulum Ephodi, et Baltheus Tunicae Aharonis significaverint conjunctionem, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus Londini editis (9837, 9944). Quoniam "Cingulum" significat vinculum conjungens bona et vera Ecclesiae, ideo cum Ecclesia apud Filios Israelis destructa fuit, mandatum est Jeremiae Prophetae,
Ut emeret sibi Cingulum, et poneret super lumbos suos, et dein absconderet illud in foramine petrae juxta Euphratem; et in fine dierum, cum recepit illud, ecce corruptum erat, et non proderat ad quicquam, (Jeremias 13:1-12);
per quae repraesentatum est, quod bonum Ecclesiae tunc nullum esset, et inde vera dissipata. Simile per "Cingulum" significatur apud Esajam:
"Loco Cinguli erit discissio," (3:24);
et quoque alibi. Quod per "Mamillas" seu "Ubera" significetur Divinus Amor, patet a locis in Verbo ubi nominantur, tum a correspondentia illorum cum amore.
Footnotes:
2. 11:1, 5 pro "11:5"