423、在本章一开始，我们必须先解释何谓淫乱之爱。下列情形不属淫乱之爱：婚前，或一方配偶死后的行淫之爱；找一个情妇，如果这是某种出于良善、正当、重大理由才开始的事；相对轻微的奸淫，甚至人真心悔过的那种严重的奸淫；因为后者不至于变成婚姻之爱的对立面，而前者不是对立面。等到下文论述它们当中的每一种时，我们会看到，它们不是对立面。此处所说与婚姻之爱对立的淫乱之爱是指具有如下性质的奸淫之爱：它没有被视为一种罪，甚至没有被视为一种违背理性的邪恶或可耻行为，而是经过理性赞成的可允许的事。这种淫乱之爱不仅将婚姻之爱与它自己混为一谈，还破坏并摧毁婚姻之爱，最后导致一看见它就憎恶。
这爱与婚姻之爱的对立就是本章论述的主题。从接下来有关行淫、找情妇或娶妾室和各种奸淫的章节明显可知，此处论述的不是其它爱。为了以理性的眼光看清这种对立，有必要按以下系列进行论证：
⑴若不知道婚姻之爱的性质，就无从知道淫乱之爱的性质。
⑵淫乱之爱是婚姻之爱的对立面。
⑶淫乱之爱是婚姻之爱的对立面，正如属世人就本身而言是属灵人的对立面。
⑷淫乱之爱是婚姻之爱的对立面，正如邪恶与虚假的苟合是良善与真理的婚姻的对立面。
⑸因此，淫乱之爱是婚姻之爱的对立面，正如地狱是天堂的对立面。
⑹地狱的污秽源于淫乱之爱，天堂的洁净源于婚姻之爱。
⑺同样，教会的污秽源于淫乱之爱，教会的洁净源于婚姻之爱。
⑻淫乱之爱使人越来越不是一个人，越来越不是一个男人；而婚姻之爱则使人越来越是一个人，越来越是一个男人。
⑼既有一个淫乱之爱的气场，也有一个婚姻之爱的气场。
⑽淫乱之爱的气场从地狱上升，婚姻之爱的气场从天堂降下。
⑾这两种气场在两个世界彼此相遇，但不会联结起来。
⑿这两种气场之间存在一个平衡，人就处于这平衡。
⒀人能随意转向任一气场，不过，转向这一个的程度，就是远离那一个的程度。
⒁每种气场都带有自己的快乐。
⒂淫乱之爱的快乐由肉体产生，甚至在灵里也是肉体的快乐；而婚姻之爱的快乐由灵产生，甚至在肉体中也是灵的快乐。
⒃淫乱之爱的快乐是疯狂的快感，而婚姻之爱的快乐是智慧的快乐。
现逐一解读上述要点。
423、在此首先要说明本章中所说的淫荡之爱的意思。在这儿所说的不是婚前或当配偶的一方死去后存在的爱；也不是出于正当原因而有情人时的爱。也不是轻微奸淫罪以及过后人们会后悔的奸淫罪。因为前者不与婚姻之爱对立，后者也不会变得被反对（对此将在后面进行讨论）
在此我们所说的淫荡之爱是指与婚姻之爱相反的通奸罪。是当事人不以此为一种罪恶或认为这是不荣耀的事情，而是认为它是可以被允许的。这种淫荡之爱认为婚姻之爱与淫爱没什么区别，它会破坏婚姻。
下面按以下几点阐述观点：
（1）除非了解婚姻之爱的性质才能了解淫荡之爱的性质。
（2）淫荡之爱是与婚姻之爱相反的。
（3）淫荡之爱就自然人和精神人一样，是与婚姻之爱相反的。
（4）淫荡之爱与婚姻之爱是相反的是因为罪恶与谬误的结合是与善和真理的结合是相反的。
（5）淫荡之爱与婚姻之爱就象地狱与天国相反一样。
（6）淫荡之爱会产生地狱的污秽，婚姻之爱会产生天国的洁净。
（7）同样会带给教会的污秽和教会的洁净。
（8）淫荡之爱使人越来越不成为人，而婚姻之爱使人越来越成为人。
（9）淫荡之爱会产生一种氛围，婚姻之爱也会产生一种氛围。
（10）淫荡之爱的氛围来自于地狱，婚姻之爱的氛围来自于天国。
（11）在两个世界中，两种氛围会相遇，但不会相混。
（12）在两种氛围间有一种平衡状态，人类生活在那种平衡状态中。
（13）人可以转向二者之一，但他在转向一者时，就在同一程度上背离了另一者。
（14）每种氛围都会有其自己的愉悦。
（15）淫荡之爱的快乐来自于肉体，在精神上也是属于肉体的快乐
（16）淫荡之爱的快乐是疯狂的快乐，而婚姻之爱的快乐是智慧的快乐。
下面依次解释。
423. THE PLEASURES OF FOLLY CONCERNING SCORTATORY LOVE
Chapter XVIII. THE OPPOSITION BETWEEN SCORTATORY AND CONJUGIAL LOVE
At the outset we must first disclose what is meant in this chapter by scortatory love. It does not mean the love of fornication before marriage or following the death of a partner. Nor does it include having a concubine, if this is something entered into for good, real and legitimate reasons. Nor does it mean the less serious kinds of adultery or even the serious kinds provided a person comes to his senses again; for the more serious kinds change so as not to become opposed to conjugial love, and the less serious are not so opposed. How this is will be seen in the following sections, where each kind is discussed.
By scortatory love as the opposite of conjugial love is meant here the love of adultery, of such a kind that it is not counted as a sin, or as an evil or disgraceful act against reason, but as something allowable with the approval of reason. This scortatory love not only makes conjugial love the same as itself, but also ruins and destroys it so that it turns at last into nausea.
[2] The subject of this chapter is the opposition between this love and conjugial love; and that no other is meant will become clear from the following discussion of fornication, having a concubine and the various kinds of adultery. But in order to display this opposition to the sight of reason, they will be set forth in the following order.
(i) It is impossible to know the nature of scortatory love without knowing the nature of conjugial love.
(ii) Scortatory love is the opposite of conjugial love.
(iii) Scortatory love is the opposite of conjugial love, just as the natural man regarded in himself is the opposite of the spiritual man.
(iv) Scortatory love is the opposite of conjugial love, just as the pairing of evil and falsity is the opposite of the marriage of good and truth.
(v) Hence scortatory love is the opposite of conjugial love, just as hell is the opposite of heaven.
(vi) The uncleanness of hell is due to scortatory love, and the cleanliness of heaven is due to conjugial love.
(vii) Likewise there is uncleanness in the church, and cleanliness there.
(viii) Scortatory love makes a person less and less human and virile, and conjugial love makes him more and more human and virile.
(ix) There is a sphere of scortatory love and one of conjugial love.
(x) The sphere of scortatory love comes up from hell, and the sphere of conjugial love comes down from heaven.
(xi) These two spheres come up against each other in either world, but do not join.
(xii) There is an equilibrium between these two spheres, and a person is kept in this.
(xiii) A person can turn towards whichever he pleases, but in so far as he turns towards one, so far does he turn away from the other.
(xiv) Either sphere brings joys with it.
(xv) The joys of scortatory love begin from the flesh, and remain fleshly even in the spirit; but the joys of conjugial love begin in the spirit, and remain spiritual even in the flesh.
(xvi) The joys of scortatory love are the pleasures of folly, but the joys of conjugial love are the delights of wisdom
The explanation of these propositions now follows.
423. THE OPPOSITION OF LICENTIOUS LOVE TO CONJUGIAL LOVE
At this threshold we must first disclose what we mean in this chapter by licentious love. We do not mean the fornicatory love which precedes marriage, nor that which follows it after the death of one's partner; nor the taking of a mistress which is entered into for legitimate, just and weighty reasons. Nor do we mean the milder kinds of adultery, nor the more serious kinds of which a person actually repents; for the first are not opposed to conjugial love, and the latter do not become opposed. (That they are not opposed will be seen in discussions that follow, where each will be considered in turn.)
But what we mean by licentious love that is opposed to conjugial love is a love of adultery, when it is of such a nature that it is not regarded as a sin, nor even as something evil and dishonorable contrary to reason, but as something permissible, in accord with reason. This kind of licentious love not only deems conjugial love to be no different from it, but also ruins it, destroys it, and finally loathes it.
[2] The opposition of this love to conjugial love is the subject of this chapter. That no other love is meant can be seen from the subsequent chapters on fornication, the taking of a mistress, and the various kinds of adultery.
To make this opposition evident to rational sight, however, it must be demonstrated according to the following outline:
1. The nature of licentious love is not known unless the nature of conjugial love is known.
2. Licentious love is opposed to conjugial love.
3. Licentious love is opposed to conjugial love as one's natural self, regarded in itself, is opposed to one's spiritual self.
4. Licentious love is opposed to conjugial love as the connubial alliance of evil and falsity is opposed to the marriage of good and truth.
5. Thus licentious love is opposed to conjugial love as hell is opposed to heaven.
6. The uncleanness of hell springs from licentious love, and the cleanness of heaven from conjugial love.
7. So, too, uncleanness in the church, and cleanness in it.
8. Licentious love makes a person less and less human and less and less a man, while conjugial love makes a person more and more human and more and more a man.
9. There is an atmosphere of licentious love, and an atmosphere of conjugial love.
10. An atmosphere of licentious love ascends from hell, and an atmosphere of conjugial love descends from heaven.
11. In both worlds these two atmospheres meet, but do not combine together.
12. Between these two atmospheres there is an equilibrium, and mankind lives in it.
13. A person can turn himself in the direction of either atmosphere, but in the measure that he turns to one, in the same measure he turns away from the other.
14. Each atmosphere brings with it delights.
15. The delights of licentious love arise from the flesh, and are delights of the flesh even in the spirit; while the delights of conjugial love arise in the spirit, and are delights of the spirit even in the flesh.
16. The delights of licentious love are pleasures of insanity, whereas the delights of conjugial love are delights of wisdom.
Explanation of these statements now follows.
423. PART 2
Chapter 18. Illicit Love
First to show here at the threshold what "illicit love" means in this chapter. It does not mean extramarital love that comes before marriage or follows it after a partner's death, nor life with a mistress undertaken for legal, upright, and serious reasons. Nor does it mean the mild kinds of adultery nor the serious kinds that a person actually repents of. For these adulteries do not become opposite to the love in marriage, and such extramarital love is not opposite. Later, where each is discussed, it will be seen that these are not opposites.
But here the illicit love opposite to the love in marriage means adulterous love when not regarded as a sin nor as bad, dishonorable, and against reason, but as reasonably permissible.
This love of fornication not only makes married love the same as itself, but it debases it, destroys it, and finally vomits it up, too.
This chapter deals with this love's opposition to the love in marriage.
You can tell it is not about any other because there are later chapters about fornication, living with a mistress, and the different kinds of adultery.
But to make that opposition clear in the sight of reason, it is going to be demonstrated in this order.
1. Without knowing what married love is you cannot know what illicit love is.
2. Illicit love is opposite to married love.
3. Illicit love is opposite to married love as a worldly person per se is opposite to a spiritual person.
4. Illicit love is opposite to married love just as a "marriage" of evil and lies is opposite to the marriage of good and truth.
5. So illicit love is opposite to married love just as hell is opposite to heaven.
6. The filthiness of hell is from illicit love, and the cleanness of heaven is from married love.
7. The same goes for uncleanness in the church and cleanness there.
8. Illicit love makes a person more and more not a person and not a man, and married love makes a person more and more a person and a man.
9. There is an aura of illicit love and an aura of married love.
10. The aura of illicit love comes up from hell, and the aura of married love comes down from heaven.
11. These two auras meet each other in both worlds but do not mingle.
12. There is a balance between these auras, and people are in this balance.
13. A person can turn to whichever aura he likes, but insofar as he turns to one, he turns away from the other.
14. Either aura brings delights with it.
15. The delights of illicit love begin in the body, and they are physical even in the spirit, but the delights of married love begin in the spirit, and they are spiritual even in the body.
16. Illicit love's delights are foolish pleasures, and married love's delights are sensible joys.
Now comes the explanation of these topics.
423. THE OPPOSITION OF SCORTATORY LOVE AND CONJUGIAL LOVE
At this threshold, it must first be explained what in the present chapter is meant by scortatory love. The fornicatory love which precedes marriage is not meant; nor that which follows it after the death of the married partner; nor concubinage when entered into for legitimate, just, and weighty reasons. Nor are the mild kinds of adultery meant, nor the grievous kinds of which a man actually repents; for the latter do not become the opposite to conjugial love, and the former are not the opposite; that they are not the opposite will be seen in what follows when each comes to be treated of. By scortatory love opposite to conjugial love is here meant the love of adultery when it is such that it is reputed, not as a sin or as wicked and dishonorable, opposed to reason, but as allowed by reason. This scortatory love not only makes conjugial love one with itself but also debases and destroys it and finally regards it with disgust.
[2] It is the opposition of this love to conjugial love that is treated of in the present chapter. That no other love is treated of, can be manifest from the chapters on Fornication, Concubinage, and the various kinds of Adultery, which follow. 1That the opposition may be evident before the rational sight, it shall be demonstrated in the following series.:
I. That the nature of scortatory love cannot be known unless the nature of conjugial love is known.
II. That scortatory love is the opposite to conjugial love.
III. That scortatory love is the opposite to conjugial love as the natural man regarded in himself is the opposite to the spiritual man.
IV. That scortatory love is the opposite to conjugial love as the connubial connection of evil and falsity is the opposite to the marriage of good and truth.
V. That hence scortatory love is the opposite to conjugial love as hell is the opposite to heaven.
VI. That the uncleanness of hell is from scortatory love, and the cleanness of heaven from conjugial love.
VII. That it is the same with uncleanness in the Church, and with cleanness there.
VIII. That scortatory love makes man to be more and more not a man and not a male; and that conjugial love makes man to be more and more a man and a male.
IX. That there is a sphere of scortatory love and a sphere of conjugial love.
X. That the sphere of scortatory love ascends from hell, and that the sphere of conjugial love descends from heaven.
XI. That these two spheres meet each other in both worlds but do not join.
XII. That between these two spheres is an equilibrium, and that man is in this equilibrium.
XIII. That man is able to turn himself to whichever sphere he pleases, but so far as he turns to the one, he turns away from the other.
XIV. That each sphere carries with it delights.
XV. That the delights of scortatory love commence from the flesh and are delights of the flesh even in the spirit; but that the delights of conjugial love commence in the spirit and are delights of the spirit even in the flesh.
XVI. That the enjoyments of scortatory love are the pleasures of insanity, but the enjoyments of conjugial love are the delights of wisdom.
Now follows the explanation of the above:
Footnotes:
1. In the original, no. 423 up to this point is inserted between inverted commas.
423. PART TWO
SCORTATORY LOVE: ITS INSANE PLEASURES
XVII. THE OPPOSITION OF SCORTATORY LOVE TO MARITAL LOVE
At this threshold we have first to explain what we mean in the present chapter by scortatory love. We do not mean fornicatory love before marriage or following it after the partner's death; nor concubinage 1entered upon for legitimate, just and weighty reasons; nor do we mean the milder kinds of adultery, nor the graver kinds of which a man actively repents, for the latter kinds cease to be opposite, and the former are not fully opposite to marital love (see in what follows, where each is treated, that they are not opposite). But by scortatory love opposite to marital love we mean in this chapter such an adulterous love that adultery is not considered a sin, or an evil and immorality in the eyes of reason, but as allowable in reason's eyes. This scortatory love not only identifies marital love with itself, but also overthrows, destroys and finally nauseates it. We treat in this chapter of the opposition of this love - and not of any other - to marital love, as appears plainly from what follows on fornication, concubinage and the different kinds of adultery.
But, to be plain to rational sight, this opposition is to be demonstrated in the following sequence:
I. To know what scortatory love is like, one must know what marital love is like.
II. Scortatory love is the opposite of marital love.
III. Scortatory love is opposite to marital love as the natural man, viewed in himself , is to the spiritual man.
IV. Scortatory love is opposite to marital love as the mating of evil and falsity is to the marriage of good and truth.
V. Hence scortatory love is opposite to marital love as hell is to heaven.
VI. The uncleanness of hell is from scortatory love, and the cleanness of heaven from marital love.
VII. Similarly uncleanness in the Church, and cleanness there.
VIII. Scortatory love more and more renders the human being not human and not a man, and marital love makes him more and more a human being and a man.
Ix. There is a sphere of scortatory love, and a sphere of marital love.
X. The sphere of scortatory love ascends from hell, and the sphere of marital love descends from heaven.
XI. The two spheres meet in each world, but do not conjoin.
XII. There is equilibrium between the two spheres, and the human being is in the equilibrium.
XIII. Man can turn himself to either sphere, as he wishes, but as far as he turns to one, he turns away from the other.
XIV. Each sphere brings delights with it.
XV. The delights of scortatory love begin in the flesh and are of the flesh even in the spirit, but the delights of marital love begin in the spirit and are of the spirit even in the flesh.
XVI. The delights of scortatory love are pleasures of insanity, but the delights of marital love are delights of wisdom.
Explanation of these propositions follows.
Footnotes:
1. This term is used by Swedenborg with a special meaning; see n. 463, 467.
423. THE PLEASURES OF INSANITY PERTAINING TO SCORTATORY LOVE.
ON THE OPPOSITION OF SCORTATORY LOVE AND CONJUGIAL LOVE.
'At this threshold it is to be explained first what is meant by scortatory love in this chapter. The fornicatory love that precedes marriage is not meant; nor that which follows it after the death of a married partner; nor the concubinage which is entered upon for legitimate, just, and weighty reasons; nor are the mild kinds of adultery meant; nor the graver kinds of which a man actually repents. For these do not become opposite, and those are not opposite to conjugial love. That they are not opposite will be seen hereafter when each comes to be treated of. But by the scortatory love opposite to conjugial love here is meant the love of adultery when it is such that it is not regarded as a sin, nor as evil, dishonorable, and against reason, but as permissible with reason. This scortatory love not only makes conjugial love the same as itself, but also ruins, destroys, and at length nauseates it.
The opposition of this love to conjugial love is treated of in this chapter. That it treats of no other may be manifest from the chapters that follow, Concerning Fornication, Concubinage, and the different kinds of Adultery.' But that the opposition may be evident to the rational sight, it shall be shown in the following sequence:
(1) That the quality of scortatory love is not known unless the quality of conjugial love is known.
(2) That scortatory love is opposite to conjugial love.
(3) That scortatory love is opposite to conjugial love, just as the natural man regarded in himself is opposite to the spiritual man.
(4) That scortatory love is opposite to conjugial love just as the intermarriage of the evil and the false is opposite to the marriage of good and truth.
(5) That scortatory love is therefore, opposite to conjugial love just as hell is opposite to heaven.
(6) That the uncleanness of hell is from scortatory love; and that the cleanness of heaven is from conjugial love.
(7) Likewise the uncleanness in the church; and the cleanness there.
(8) That scortatory love makes man more and more not man (Latin: homo), and not a man (vir); and that conjugial love makes man more and more man (Latin: homo), and more and more a man (vir).
(9) That there is a sphere of scortatory love and a sphere of conjugial love.
(10) That the sphere of scortatory love comes up out of hell; and that the sphere of conjugial love comes down from heaven.
(11) That in each world these two spheres meet each other but do not conjoin themselves.
(12) That between these two spheres there is an equilibrium, and that man is in this.
(13) That man is able to turn himself to whichever he pleases, but that in so far as he turns himself to the one he turns himself away from the other.
(14) That each sphere carries delights with it.
(15) That the delights of scortatory love begin from the flesh, and that they are of the flesh even in the spirit; but that the delights of conjugial love begin in the spirit, and that they are of the spirit even in the flesh.
(16) That the delights (jucunditates) of scortatory love are pleasures of insanity; and that the delights (juounditates) of conjugial love are the delights (delitice) of wisdom.
The explanation of these now follows.
423. PARS ALTERA
De Oppositione Amoris Scortatorii et Amoris Conjugialis
In limine hoc, primo aperiendum est, quid in hoc Capite per Amorem scortatorium intelligitur; non intelligitur Amor fornicatorius, qui praecedit conjugium, nec qui sequitur illud post mortem conjugis; nec Concubinatus, qui ex Causis legitimis, justis, et sonticis, initur; nec intelliguntur Genera mitia Adulterii, nec Genera gravia ejus, a quibus homo actualiter resipiscit, nam haec non opposita fiunt, et illa non opposita sunt Amori conjugiali; quod non opposita sint, videbitur in sequentibus, ubi de Unoquovis transigetur. Sed per Amorem scortatorium oppositum Amori conjugiali hic intelligitur Amor adulterii, dum talis est, ut non reputetur pro peccato, nec pro malo et inhonesto contra rationem, sed pro licito cum ratione: hic Amor scortatorius amorem Conjugialem non modo eundem secum facit, sed etiam pessumdat, destruit, et tandem nauseat.
[2] De hujus amoris oppositione contra amorem conjugialem in hoc Capite agitur; quod non de alio, constare potest ex sequentibus de Fornicatione, de Concubinatu, et de variis generibus Adulterii. 1Sed Oppositio illa, ut coram visu rationali pateat, demonstranda est in hac serie.
I. Quod non sciatur qualis est Amor scortatorius, nisi scitur qualis est Amor conjugialis.
II. Quod Amor scortatorius sit oppositus amori conjugiali.
III. Quod Amor scortatorius sit oppositus Amori conjugiali, sicut naturalis homo in se spectatus est oppositus spirituali homini.
IV. Quod Amor scortatorius sit oppositus Amori conjugiali, sicut connubium mali et falsi est oppositum conjugio boni et veri.
V. Quod inde Amor scortatorius sit oppositus Amori conjugiali, sicut Infernum est oppositum Coelo.
VI. Quod immundum Inferni sit ex Amore scortatorio, et quod mundum Coeli sit ex Amore conjugiali.
VII. Quod similiter immundum in Ecclesia, et mundum ibi.
VIII. Quod Amor scortatorius plus et plus faciat hominem non hominem et non virum, et quod Amor conjugialis faciat hominem plus et plus hominem et virum.
IX. Quod sit Sphaera amoris scortatorii, et Sphaera amoris conjugialis.
X. Quod Sphaera amoris scortatorii ascendat ex Inferno, et quod Sphaera amoris conjugialis descendat e Coelo.
XI. Quod binae illae Sphaerae sibi mutuo obvient in utroque Mundo, sed non se conjungant.
XII. Quod inter binas illas sphaeras aequilibrium sit, et quod homo in illo sit.
XIII. Quod homo se convertere possit ad quam libet, sed quod quantum se convertit ad unam, tantum avertat se ab altera.
XIV. Quod utraque sphaera secum ferat jucunditates.
XV. Quod jucunditates amoris scortatorii inchoent a carne, et quod sint carnis etiam in spiritu; sed quod jucunditates amoris conjugialis inchoent in spiritu, et quod sint spiritus etiam in carne.
XVI. Quod jucunditates amoris scortatorii sint voluptates insaniae, at quod jucunditates amoris conjugialis sint delitiae sapientiae. Sequitur nunc horum Explicatio.
Footnotes:
1. Haec paragraphus huc usque in prima editione signis citationis inclusa est.