40、对邪恶的欲望的快乐和对良善的情感的快乐没有可比性；因为前者内在是魔鬼，后者内在是主。如果非要对比的话，那么对邪恶的欲望的快乐只能比作青蛙在池塘或蛇在垃圾堆中的淫乐，而对良善的情感的快乐可比作心灵在花园和花坛中所获得的快乐。事实上，吸引青蛙和蛇的那类事物会吸引地狱中那些陷入对邪恶的欲望之人；而吸引花园和花坛里的心灵的那类事物会吸引天堂中那些处于对良善的情感之人。因为如前所述，相对应的不洁之物吸引恶人，而相对应的洁净之物吸引善人。
40. The delights of lusts for evil and the delights of affections for good cannot be compared, because the delights of lusts for evil inwardly have the devil in them, whereas the delights of affections for good inwardly have the Lord in them. If comparisons are to be made, the delights of lusts for evil can be compared only to the lecherous pleasures of frogs in swamps or to those of snakes in rotting refuse, while the delights of affections for good may be compared to delights of the heart in botanical gardens and flower gardens. That is because the kinds of things that affect frogs and snakes affect also those people in the hells who are caught up in lusts for evil, while the kinds of things that affect people's hearts in botanical gardens and flower gardens affect also those people in the heavens who are impelled by affections for good. For, as we said above, unclean corresponding forms affect the evil, while clean corresponding forms affect the good.
40. There is no comparison between the pleasures of cravings for evil and the pleasures of desires for what is good, because within the pleasures of cravings for evil lies the devil and within the pleasures of desires for what is good dwells the Lord. If comparison is needed, we could compare the pleasures of cravings for evil to the pleasures of frogs copulating in a swamp or of snakes in a garbage dump. The pleasures of desires for what is good, though, can be compared to the pleasures that lift our spirits in flower gardens. In fact, the same kinds of things that appeal to frogs and snakes also appeal to people in the hells who are caught up in their cravings for evil, and the kinds of things that appeal to our spirits in flower gardens also appeal to people in the heavens who are caught up in desires for what is good. As already noted [38-39], things that answer to filth appeal to evil people and things that answer to what is clean appeal to good people.
40. The delights of the lusts of evil and the delights of the affections of good cannot be compared, because the devil is interiorly in the joys of the lusts of evil, and the Lord is interiorly in the joys of the affections of good. If comparison must be made, the joys of the lusts of evil can only be compared to the wanton joys of frogs in stagnant ponds, and of serpents amid foul smells; while the joys of the affections of good may be compared to the delights of the mind [animus] in gardens and flower-beds. For things like those which affect frogs and serpents affect those in the hells who are in the lusts of evil; and things like those which affect the mind [animus] in gardens and flower-beds affect those in the heavens who are in the affections of good; because, as was said above, corresponding unclean things affect the evil, and corresponding clean things affect the good.
40. The pleasures of the lusts for evil and the pleasures of affections for good cannot be compared; because the devil is inwardly in the pleasures of lusts for evil, and the Lord is inwardly in the pleasures of affections for good. If a comparison must be made, the pleasures of lusts for evil can only be compared to the lewd pleasures of frogs in ponds, or of snakes in putrid places; while the pleasures of affections for good may be compared to the delights of the mind in gardens and flower-beds. For the same things that affect frogs and snakes affect those in the hells who are in the lusts for evil; and the same things that affect the mind in gardens and flower-beds affect those in the heavens who are in affections for good; for, as has been said above, corresponding unclean things affect the evil, and corresponding clean things affect the good.
40. Jucunditates concupiscentiarum mali, et jucunditates affectionum boni, non possunt comparari, quia intus in jucunditatibus concupiscentiarum 1mali est diabolus, ac intus in jucunditatibus affectionum boni est Dominus; si comparandae sunt, non aliter comparari possunt jucunditates concupiscentiarum mali quam cum jucunditatibus lascivis ranarum in stagnis, ut et serpentum in putoribus; at jucunditates affectionum boni comparari possunt delitiis animorum in hortis et floretis: similia enim quae afficiunt ranas et serpentes, etiam afficiunt illos in infernis qui in concupiscentiis mali sunt, et similia quae afficiunt animos in hortis et floretis, etiam afficiunt illos in Coelis qui in affectionibus boni sunt: nam ut supra dictum est, immunda correspondentia afficiunt malos, et munda correspondentia afficiunt bonos.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: concupiscentiatum