299、我还蒙允许得知人的焦虑、心里的愁苦和被称为抑郁｛注1｝的内心悲伤的根源。有些灵人尚未与地狱联结，因为他们处在人死后的第一个状态（稍后谈到“灵人界”时再加以描述）｛注2｝。这类灵人喜欢半消化的有害物，如在胃里变得腐化的食物。因此，他们在人里面的这类物质中，从中找到快乐。他们在那里出于自己的邪恶情感彼此交谈。他们交谈的情感便从这个源头流入人。当这种情感与人的情感相反时，就会在人里面出现悲伤和抑郁的焦虑；当它与人的情感一致时，就会在人里面变成愉快和兴奋。这些灵人出现在胃部附近，有的在胃的左侧，有的在胃的右侧，有的在下面，有的在上面，有的在近处，有的在远处，根据他们的情感而各不相同。｛注3｝大量的经历向我展现并证明，这就是内心焦虑的源头。我看见过这些灵人，也听到了他们，还感受到由他们所产生的焦虑，｛注4｝并与他们交谈过。当他们被赶走时，焦虑就停止了；当他们回来时，焦虑也回来了。我注意到焦虑随着他们靠近和远离而增长和下降。由此清楚地向我显明，一些没有良心而不知良心为何物的人将良心的痛苦归于胃痛。｛注5｝
｛注1｝：【英189】这里翻译为“抑郁”的拉丁原文是melancholia（忧郁症）。
｛注2｝：【英190】参见491-498节。
｛注3｝：【英191】关于灵界的位置参见上文第3节注释【英22】。
｛注4｝：【英192】这句话让人想起《属天的奥秘》第68节，在那里，史威登堡承认，灵界的经历会给信仰带来压力，但这并不能阻止他，因为正如他所说，“我看到了，我听到了，我感觉到了。”
｛注5｝：那些没有良心的人不知道何为良心（7490，9121）。甚至有些人在听说何为良心时还嘲笑良心（7217）。有些人认为良心什么也不是；有些人认为良心是某种属世的忧愁和悲哀，要么是由身体的原因，要么是由世界的原因所产生的；有些人认为良心是普通百姓从他们的宗教信仰那里所得来的某种东西（206，831，950节；《真实的基督教》665节）。既有真正的良心，也有模仿的良心和伪谬的良心（1033）。良心的痛苦是一种由不义、不诚实或任何邪恶（人以为这些违背上帝、违背邻舍利益）所引发的内心的焦虑（7217）。那些处在对上帝之爱和对邻之仁中的人拥有良心，而那些没有处在其中的人则没有良心（831，965，2380，7490）。
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299. 我还蒙允许获知人的焦虑, 心里的愁苦和被称为抑郁的内心悲伤来自何处. 有些灵人尚未与地狱联结, 因为他们处于第一个状态; 等到后面论述灵人界时, 我们会描述这些灵人. 这类灵人喜欢未消化的有害物, 如在胃里变成粪便的食物. 因此, 他们在人里面便粘附于这类物质, 因为他们以之为快乐; 他们在那里出于自己的邪恶情感彼此交谈. 他们交谈的情感便从这个源头流入人; 当这种情感与人的情感相反时, 它就会在人里面产生悲伤和焦虑性抑郁; 当它与人的情感相一致时, 它就会在他里面变成欢喜和快乐. 这些灵人出现在胃部附近, 有的在胃左侧, 有的在胃右侧, 有的在下面, 有的在上面, 有的在近处, 有的在远处, 因而照着他们的情感而各不相同. 大量经历使我确信, 这就是精神焦虑的源头. 我见过这些灵人, 也听见他们, 还感受过由他们所产生的焦虑, 并与他们交谈过. 当他们被赶走时, 焦虑就停止了; 当他们回来时, 焦虑也回来了. 我发现, 这焦虑随着他们靠近和远离而增长和下降. 由此清楚向我显明, 为何有些因没有良心而不知良心为何物的人将良心的痛苦归因于胃痛.
注: 那些没有良心的人不知道何为良心(天国的奥秘 7490, 9121节). 甚至有些人在听说良心存在时还嘲笑良心(天国的奥秘 7217节). 有些人认为良心什么也不是; 有些人认为良心是某种属世之物, 这种属世之物要么是由身体的原因, 要么是由世界的原因所产生的忧愁和悲哀; 有些人认为良心是普通百姓从他们的宗教信仰那里所得来的某种事物(天国的奥秘 206, 831, 950节; 《真实的基督教》665节). 既有真正的良心, 也有模仿的良心和虚假的良心(天国的奥秘 1033节). 良心的痛苦是一种由不义和不诚实, 以及人以为违背神, 违背邻舍福祉的邪恶所引发的精神焦虑(天国的奥秘 7217节). 那些处于对神之爱和对邻之仁的人拥有良心, 而那些没有处于其中的人则没有良心(天国的奥秘 831, 965, 2380, 7490节).
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299. 我還得知我們的憂慮, 壓力, 傷感, 沮喪是從何得來的。有一類靈, 他們處於死後的第一個狀態(等談論靈界時再作描述), 尚未與地獄結合。他們喜歡半消化的有害物, 如胃裡腐敗的食物, 因而向我們裡面類似的物質依附, 因為他們在其中找到樂處。他們在彼處以其惡欲彼此絮叨, 其語氣情緒流入我們, 若與我們的情感相反, 就產生悲傷與焦慮之感, 反之, 若與我們的情感相合, 就產生快活與興奮之感。他們可見於胃的附近, 有在左, 有在右, 有在上, 有在下, 或遠, 或近, 取決於他們所陷入的情感。大量經歷向我證實, 這正是我們心靈焦慮的由來。我看見了, 聽見了, 也感受了從他們湧出的焦慮。我與他們對話, 當他們被驅逐時, 焦慮就停息了, 當他們回來時, 焦慮也回來了。隨著他們的進與退, 我感受到焦慮的增與減。我由此明白了焦慮是從何而來, 若不明白, 容易將之歸結於胃痛。
299. I have been enabled to learn where we get the anxiety, distress of mind, and inward sadness called depression. There are spirits who are not yet united with hell because they are still in their first state (which will be described later when we talk about the world of spirits). They love half-digested and noxious substances like the foods that are becoming excrement in the stomach, so they attach themselves to the same sort of matter in us, because they find delight in it; and they talk with each other there out of their evil affection. The emotional tone of their conversation flows into us, and since it is contrary to our affection, it brings about a sadness and an anxious depression; while if it agrees with our affection, it brings about a sense of happiness and exhilaration. These spirits can be seen in the neighborhood of the stomach, some on the left and some on the right, some lower and some higher, nearer or farther away - variously depending on the affections they are involved in. A great deal of experience has convinced me that they are the source of our anxiety of spirit. I have seen them, heard them, felt the anxieties that well up from them. I have talked with them, they have been driven off and the anxiety has ceased, they have come back and the anxiety has returned, I have observed its increase and decrease as they drew near and moved away. It has become clear to me, then, where that anxiety originates that is blamed on a stomachache by people who do not know what conscience is because they do not have any. 1
Footnotes:
1. People who do not have a conscience do not know what a conscience is: 7490, 9121. There are even people who laugh at conscience when they hear that it exists: 7217. Some people believe that conscience is nothing, some that it is a kind of natural, distressing sadness that arises either from events in the body or events in the world, and some that it is something common people get from their religion: 950. There is a true conscience, an imitation conscience, and a false conscience: 1033. Pangs of conscience are an anxiety of mind because of anything unjust, dishonest, and evil that we believe to be contrary to God and contrary to the welfare of our neighbor: 7217. People who are in love for God and charity toward their neighbor have conscience, but not people who are not: 831, 965, 2380, 7490.
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299. I have also been permitted to know the source of human anxiety, grief of mind (animus), and interior sadness, which is called melancholy. There are spirits not as yet in conjunction with hell, because they are in their first state; these will be described in the following pages where the world of spirits is dealt with. These spirits love things undigested and unprofitable, such as pertain to food becoming foul in the stomach. Consequently, they are present where such things are with man, because they find delight in them; and they talk there with one another from their own evil affection. The affection that is in their speech inflows from this source with man; and when this affection is the opposite of man's affection it becomes in him sadness and melancholy anxiety; but when it is in agreement it becomes in him gladness and cheerfulness. These spirits appear near to the stomach, some to the left and some to the right of it, and some beneath and some above, also nearer and more remote, thus variously in accordance with the affections in which they are. That this is the source of anxiety of mind has been shown and proved to me by much experience. I have seen these spirits, I have heard them, I have felt the anxieties arising from them, I have talked with them; when they have been driven away the anxiety ceased; when they returned the anxiety returned; and I have noted the increase and decrease of it according to their approach and removal. From this, it has been made clear to me why some who do not know what conscience is, because they have no conscience, ascribe its pain to the stomach. 1
Footnotes:
1. Those who have no conscience do not know what conscience is (Arcana Coelestia 7490, 9125).
There are some who laugh at conscience when they hear what it is (Arcana Coelestia 7217).
Some believe that conscience is nothing; some that it is something natural that is sad and mournful, arising either from causes in the body or from causes in the world; some that it is something pertaining to the common people as a result of their being religious (Arcana Coelestia 206, 831, 950; [True Christian Religion 665]).
There is true conscience, spurious conscience, and false conscience (Arcana Coelestia 1033). Pain of conscience is an anxiety of mind on account of what is unjust, insincere, or in any respect evil, which man believes to be against God and against the good of the neighbour (Arcana Coelestia 7217).
Those have conscience who are in love to God and in charity towards the neighbour, but those who are not so have no conscience (Arcana Coelestia 831, 965, 2380, 7490).
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299. I have also been permitted to learn the source of human anxiety, grief of mind, and interior sadness, which is called melancholy. There are spirits not as yet in conjunction with hell, because they are in their first state; these will be described hereafter when treating of the world of spirits. Such spirits love things undigested and pernicious, such as pertain to food becoming foul in the stomach; consequently they are present with man in such things because they find delight in them; and they talk there with one another from their own evil affection. The affection that is in their speech flows in from this source into man; and when this affection is the opposite of man's affection there arises in him sadness and melancholy anxiety; but when it agrees with it it becomes in him gladness and cheerfulness. These spirits appear near to the stomach, some to the left and some to the right of it, and some beneath and some above, also nearer and more remote, thus variously in accordance with their affections. That this is the source of anxiety of mind has been shown and proved to me by much experience. I have seen these spirits, I have heard them, I have felt the anxieties arising from them, and I have talked with them; when they have been driven away the anxiety ceased; when they returned the anxiety returned; and I have noted the increase and decrease of it according to their approach and removal. From this it has been made clear to me why some who do not know what conscience is, because they have no conscience, ascribe its pangs to the stomach. 1
Footnotes:
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299. Datum etiam est scire, unde homini anxietas, dolor animi ac tristitia interior quae melancholia vocatur. Sunt spiritus qui nondum in conjunctione cum inferno sunt, quia adhuc in primo suo statu, de quibus in sequentibus, ubi de Mundo Spirituum, dicetur: illi amant indigesta et maligna, qualia sunt sordescentium ciborum in ventriculo quapropter adsunt ubi talia apud hominem, quia illa iis sunt jucunda, ac inter se ex sua affectione mala ibi loquuntur. Affectio loquelae eorum influit inde apud hominem, quae affectio si contraria est affectioni hominis, fit ei tristitia et anxietas melancholica; si autem convenit, fit ei laetitia et hilaritas. illi spiritus juxta ventriculum apparent quidam ad sinistrum ejus, quidam ad dextrum ejus quidam inferius, quidam superius etiam propius et remotius ita varie secundum affectiones in quibus sunt. Quod inde anxietas animi sit, ex pluri experientia scire et confirmari datum est vidi illos, audivi illos, sensi anxietates ab illis subortas, locutus sum cum illis, abacti sunt et cessavit anxietas, redierunt et rediit anxietas, et appercepi incrementum et decrementum ejus secundum eorum appropinquationem et remotionem. Inde patuit mihi, unde est, quod quidam, qui non sciunt quid conscientia ex eo quod non sit illis conscientia, adscribant ejus dolorem ventriculo. 1
Footnotes: