17、在这个世界上，一个人很难只进入一种联结或结合，也就是说，要么只进入良善和真理的联结或结合，要么只进入邪恶和虚假的联结或结合，因为只要活在世上，他就被保持在改造或重生的状态中。然而，死后，每个人都要进入这一种或那一种的结合，因为他无法再被改造并重生；那时，他在世上的生活是什么样，也就是他的主导爱是什么样，他仍是什么样。因此，如果他的生活是喜爱邪恶的生活，那么他在世上从教师、讲道或圣言本身中所获得的一切真理都会从他那里被夺走；真理被夺走后，他会像海绵吸水那样吸收与其邪恶一致的虚假。另一方面，如果他的生活是喜爱良善的生活，那么他在世上通过听闻和阅读所拾起、但自己并未确认的一切虚假，都会被除去，取而代之的是赋予他的与其良善一致的真理。这就是主说这些话的意思：
夺过他这一千来，给那有十千的。因为凡有的，还要给他，叫他充足有余。没有的，连他所有的，也要从他夺过来。（马太福音25:28，29；13:12；马可福音4:25；路加福音8:18；19:24-26）
17. A person can come into one or the other conjunction or union, that is, into one of good and truth or into one of evil and falsity, only with difficulty in the world, for as long as he lives there, he is kept in a state in which he can be reformed or regenerated. But everyone comes into the one or the other conjunction or union after death, because he can then no longer be reformed and regenerated. He remains then such as the life he had lived in the world, that is, such as his dominant love was. Consequently, if his life had been one of a love of evil, all the truth that he had acquired in the world from a teacher, preaching, or the Word is taken away from him, and after it has been taken away, he soaks up falsity in harmony with his evil, as a sponge soaks up water. So, too, the converse. If his life had been one of a love of good, all the falsity he had picked up in the world through hearing and reading, but had not confirmed in himself, is removed, and in its stead he is given truth which is in harmony with his good.
This is what is meant by these words of the Lord:
Take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, (that he may) have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away... (Matthew 25:28-29. Cf. Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18, 19:24-26.)
17. It is hard for us to attain union or unity (of what is good and what is true or of what is evil and what is false) in this world, because as long as we are living here we are kept in a state of reformation or rebirth. We all attain one union or the other after death, though, because then we can no longer be remade or reborn: we keep the quality of the life we led in the world, that is, the quality of our primary love. If our life was governed by evil love, anything true we have learned in this world from teachers, sermons, or the Word is taken away. Once it is gone, we soak up the falsity that agrees with our evil the way a sponge soaks up water.
Conversely, if our life has been governed by good love, then everything false we have picked up from what we have heard and read in the world without intentionally adopting it is taken away, and in its place we are given the truth that agrees with our good.
This is the intent of these words of the Lord:
Take the talent from this one and give it to the one who has ten talents. To all those who have, more will be given, in ample supply; but from those who do not have, even what they have will be taken away. (Matthew 25:28-29; Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; Luke 19:24-26)
17. It is with difficulty that a man in this world can enter into either the one or the other conjunction or union, namely, of good and truth, or of evil and falsity; for as long as he is living in the world he continues in a state of reformation or regeneration. After death, however, every man comes into one union or the other, because he can no longer be reformed and regenerated; he then remains such as his life, that is, such as his ruling love, has been in this world. If, therefore, his life has been a life of the love of evil, every truth that he acquired in the world from a teacher, from preaching, or from the Word itself is taken away from him; and when the truth has been taken away, he acquires, as a sponge takes up water, such falsity as agrees with his evil. On the other hand, if his life has been a life of the love of good, all the falsity which he gathered in the world from hearing and from reading, but which he did not confirm in himself, is removed; and in its place there is given him truth agreeing with his good. This is meant by these words of the Lord:
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. Matthew 25:28-29, 12; 4:25, 18; 24-26.
17. In this world a man can enter only with difficulty into either conjunction or union, that is, of good and truth, or of evil and falsity; for so long as he is living in the world, he is held in a state of reformation or of regeneration; but after death every man comes into one or the other, because then he can no longer be reformed and regenerated; he then remains such as his life, that is, such as his ruling love, has been in this world. If, therefore, his life has been a life of the love of evil, every truth that he has acquired in the world from a teacher, from preaching, or from the Word, is taken away, and when truth has been taken away, he imbibes such falsity as agrees with his evil, as a sponge imbibes water. On the other hand, if his life has been a life of the love of good, all the falsity that he has gathered in the world from hearing and from reading, but has not confirmed in himself, is removed; and in its place truth agreeing with his good is given him. This is meant by these words of the Lord:-
Take the talent from him, and give it to him that hath the ten talents; for unto every one that hath shall be given, that he may have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath (Matthew 25:28-29; 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:24-26).
17. Homo in conjunctionem seu unionem unam aut alteram, hoc est, boni et veri, aut mali et falsi, aegre potest venire in mundo, nam quamdiu ibi vivit, in statu reformationis seu regenerationis tenetur, sed in unam 1aut alteram 1venit omnis homo post mortem, quia tunc non amplius reformari et regenerari potest; manet tunc qualis ei vita mundo fuerat, hoc est, qualis ei amor regnans; quare si vita amoris mali ei fuerat, aufertur omne verum quod sibi ex magistro, praedicatione, aut Verbo in mundo comparavit, quo ablato imbuit, sicut spongia aquam, falsum malo suo concordans; et vicissim; si autem vita amoris boni ei fuerat, removetur omne falsum, quod per auditum et per lectionem in mundo tulerat, et non apud se confirmaverat, et loco ejus datur verum, quod cum bono ejus concordat. Hoc intelligitur per haec Domini verba, "Tollite ab eo talentum, et date habenti decem talenta: habenti enim omni dabitur ut abundet; ab eo autem, qui non habet, etiam quod habet auferetur," Matthaeus 25:28-29; 13:12, Marcus 4:25, Lucas 8:18; 19:24-26.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: unum
2 Prima editio: alterum