284、人的理解力既能接受良善和邪恶，也能接受真理和虚假，而他的意愿本身却不能。这意愿必须要么处于邪恶，要么处于良善，不可能处于这两者，因为意愿就是这个人自己，他的生命之爱就在那里。然而，在理解力里面，良善和邪恶就像内在之物和外在之物那样保持分离；所以人能内在处于邪恶，外在处于良善。但在他改造期间，良善和邪恶会相遇，然后冲突和争战就会产生。这种争战若严厉，就被称为试探，若不严厉，则像葡萄酒或啤酒的发酵那样发生。那时，如果良善得胜，邪恶及其虚假就被移至边缘，如同渣滓沉到瓶底；良善就像发酵后的精制葡萄酒，或清澈的啤酒。但如果邪恶得胜，良善及其真理就被移至边缘，变得浑浊和昏暗，如同半发酵的葡萄酒或啤酒。这个过程被比作发酵，是因为在圣言中，“酵或发酵”表示邪恶的虚假（如何西阿书7:4；路加福音12:1等等）。
284. A person's intellect is receptive of both good and evil, and of both truth and falsity, but not so a person's underlying will. This must be either in a state of evil or in a state of good. It cannot be in both, for the will is the essential person, and in it resides his life's love.
Good and evil in the intellect, however, are kept apart as something internal and something external. Thus a person can be inwardly in a state of evil and outwardly in a state of good. But when the person is being reformed, the good and evil are brought into opposition, and a conflict and struggle arises then, which if severe is called a temptation or trial, but which if not severe is like the fermentation of wine or liquor. If good wins out then, evil with its falsity is moved to the sides, comparatively as sediment falls to the bottom of a vessel, and the good becomes like vintage wine after fermentation or clear liquor. But if evil wins out, then good with its truth is moved to the sides, and becomes turbid and repulsive like unfermented wine or unfermented liquor.
A comparison with fermentation is possible, because leaven in the Word symbolizes the falsity of evil, as in Hosea 7:4, Luke 12:1, and elsewhere.
284. Our discernment can accept what is good and what is evil, what is true and what is false, but our essential volition cannot. This must be focused on what is evil or what is good and not on both, because our volition is our essential self. It is where our life's love is. In our discernment, what is good and what is evil are kept apart like an inside and an outside, so we can be inwardly focused on evil and outwardly on good. However, when we are being reformed, the goodness and the evil are brought face to face. Then a clash occurs, a battle that is called a temptation if it is severe. If it is not severe, though, it happens like the fermentation of wine or beer. If the goodness wins, then the evil and its distortion are moved to the sides much as dregs settle to the bottom of the bottles. The goodness comes to be like a wine that has become vintage wine after fermentation, or beer that has become clear. If the evil wins, though, then the goodness and its truth are moved to the sides and become murky and dark like half-fermented wine or half-fermented beer.
The comparison with fermentation is based on the fact that in the Word, yeast means the falsity that comes from evil, as it does in Hosea 7:4; Luke 12:1; and elsewhere.
284. Man's understanding is a recipient of both good and evil, and of both truth and falsity, but not his will, for this must be either in evil or in good; it cannot be in both, for the will is the man himself, and in it is his life's love. In the understanding, however, good and evil are separated, like what is internal and what is external. Hence man may be interiorly in evil and exteriorly in good; and yet while a man is being reformed good and evil are brought together, and then arise conflict and combat. This, if severe, is called temptation; but if not severe, what takes place is like the fermentation of wine or strong drink. If good then conquers, evil with its falsity is removed to the outskirts as, to use a comparison, the lees fall to the bottom of a vessel; and the good is like wine that becomes generous after fermentation and like strong drink that becomes clear. If, however, evil conquers then good with its truth is removed to the outskirts, and becomes turbid and noisome like unfermented wine and unfermented strong drink. This comparison is made with fermentation because leaven in the Word signifies the falsity of evil, as in Hosea 7:4; Luke 12:1.
284. Man's understanding is a recipient of both good and evil and of both truth and falsity, but his will itself is not; this must be either in evil or in good, it cannot be in both, for the will is the man himself, and his life's love is there. In the understanding, however, good and evil are separated, like what is internal and what is external, and in consequence man can be interiorly in evil and exteriorly in good; and yet during his reformation good and evil meet, and then conflict and combat arise; this, if severe, is called temptation, but if not severe it goes on like the fermentation of wine or liquor. If good then conquers, evil with its falsity is removed to the sides, comparatively as dregs fall to the bottom of a vessel; and the good is like wine that becomes generous after fermentation, or liquor that becomes clear. But if evil conquers, good with its truth is removed to the sides, and becomes turbid and offensive, like unfermented wine or liquor. This process is compared to fermentation because "ferment" [leaven] signifies in the Word the falsity of evil (as in Hosea 7:4; Luke 12:1; and elsewhere).
284. Intellectus hominis est recipiens tam boni quam mali, et tam veri quam falsi, non autem ipsa voluntas hominis; haec erit vel in malo vel in bono; non potest esse utroque, nam voluntas est ipse homo, et ibi amor vitae ejus: bonum et malum autem in intellectu separata sunt sicut internum et externum; inde potest homo interius in malo esse et exterius in bono: at usque cum homo reformatur, bonum et malum committuntur, et tunc existit conflictus et pugna, quae si gravis est, vocatur tentatio, at si non gravis est, fit sicut fermentat vinum aut sicera; si tunc bonum vincit, malum cum suo falso removetur ad latera, comparative sicut faex cadit ad fundum vasis, ac bonum fit sicut vinum post fermentationem generosum et sicera clara; at si malum vincit, tunc bonum cum suo vero removetur ad latera, ac fit turbidum ac tetrum, sicut infermentatum vinum ac infermentata sicera. Comparatio cum fermento est, quia fermentum in Verbo significat falsum mali, ut Hoschea 7:4, Lucas 12:1, et alibi.