588、至于地狱的数量，它们和天堂里的天使社群一样多，因为每个天堂社群都有一个对应的与它相反的地狱社群。天堂有无数的社群，都是依照爱、仁和信的良善来划分的。可参阅“构成天堂的社群”（第41-50节）和“天堂的浩瀚”（第415-420节）等内容。
[2]因此，同样地，地狱也有无数社群，它们是依照这些良善所对立的邪恶来划分的。和每一种良善一样，每一种邪恶也具有无限的多样性。人们如果对任何一种邪恶，如蔑视、敌意、仇恨、报复、欺骗和其它类似的邪恶，只有简单的想法，就无法理解这一点。但人们要认识到，每一种邪恶都包含着如此多的具体差异，每种差异又包含许多的特殊或具体的区别，以至于写一本书也不足以列举它们。地狱是如此明显地按照每种邪恶的不同而排列有序，以至于没有什么排列比这更完美、更清楚了。由此可以确定，地狱的数量不可胜数，彼此依照其邪恶在总体、局部和具体细节上的不同相距或近或远。
[3]地狱之下还有地狱，一些经由通道与其它地狱往来，更多的是通过呼气与其它地狱相通，这一切都严格照其邪恶在所属和种类上的密切程度而定。我蒙允许得知地狱的数量是如此之多，即每一个大山、小丘、岩石，以及每一个平原、山谷之下都有地狱，而且在下面延伸得又远、又广、又深，换句话说，整个天堂和整个灵人界的下面可以说都被掏空了，是连绵不断的地狱。关于地狱的数量就说这么多。
------------
588. 至于地狱的数目, 它们和天堂里的天使社群一样多, 因为每个天堂社群都有一个相对应的地狱社群与它对立. 我在论述构成天堂的社群(天国的奥秘 41-50节)和天堂的浩瀚(天国的奥秘 415-420节)等章节解释过, 天堂社群数不胜数, 都是照爱, 仁与信的良善来划分的. 因此, 地狱社群也一样, 它们是照邪恶, 也就是这些良善的对立面来划分的.
和每种良善一样, 每种邪恶也具有无限多样性. 人们若对具体的邪恶, 如蔑视, 敌意, 仇恨, 报复, 欺骗, 以及其它类似邪恶只有简单化的概念, 就无法理解这一点. 但要让人们知道, 其中每种邪恶都包含如此多的不同形式, 每种形式又包含如此多的不同或具体形式, 以至于一整卷书都不足以列出它们. 地狱照每种邪恶的不同而被排列得如此清晰, 以至于再没有比这排列得更明确, 更清晰的了. 由此可见, 地狱是数不胜数的, 彼此照邪恶在总体, 具体和细微上的不同而相距或近或远.
此外, 地狱之下还有地狱, 有的经由通道与其它地狱相通, 更多的通过散发物与其它地狱相通, 这一切都严格按照邪恶在种类或物种上的密切程度而定. 我曾蒙允许从以下事实意识到地狱的数目何等之大, 即: 一切大山, 小山, 悬崖峭壁, 平原, 山谷之下皆有地狱, 而且这些地狱在那里延伸得又远, 又广, 又深. 简言之, 整个天堂和整个灵人界下面可以说都被掏空了, 它们下面是一个绵延不断的地狱. 关于地狱的数目就这么多了.
------------
588. 至於地獄的數量, 它和天國的社群一樣多, 因為每個天國社群都有一個與之對立的地獄社群。天國由無數社群構成, 這無數社群是照仁智義信之善的分別而劃分的。同理, 地獄也由無數社群構成, 這無數社群則是照與天國之善對立的惡的差別而劃分的。
和善一樣, 每種惡都有無數的多樣性。人對蔑視, 敵對, 仇恨, 報復, 欺騙等惡若只有粗淺的觀念, 就無法領悟這一點。但是, 他們應當瞭解, 每種惡都有許多不同的形式, 每種形式又包含許多具體的形式, 一部著作也述之不盡。地獄井然有序而清楚分明地照每種惡的具體差異而分, 沒有比這更井然有序而清楚分明的。由此可見, 地獄的數量是數不勝數的, 根據其惡在總體和局部上的差別, 它們的距離或遠或近。
另外, 地獄之下還有地獄, 有的直接相交, 有的間接相交, 完全根據其惡在種類上的親疏關係而定。
從每個高山, 小山, 峭壁, 平原, 山谷之下皆有地獄縱橫延伸的事實, 我看出地獄的數量是何其龐大。簡而言之, 整個天國和整個精靈界之下洞穿著一個延綿不絕的地獄。關於地獄的數量, 就介紹到這裡。
588. As for the number of the hells, there are just as many hells as there are angelic communities in the heavens, because there is a hellish community that corresponds inversely to each heavenly one. I explained in the chapter on the communities that constitute heaven (41-50) and the chapter on the vastness of heaven (415-420) that there are countless heavenly communities, all differentiated according to their virtues of love, thoughtfulness, and faith. The same holds true for the hellish communities, which are differentiated according to the evils opposite to those virtues.
[2] There is an infinite variety to everything evil just as there is to everything good. People do not grasp this if they have only simplistic concepts of particular evils like contempt, hostility, hatred, vengefulness, deceit, and the like; but they should realize that each of these contains so many distinctive forms, each of which also contains distinctive or particular forms, that a whole volume would not be adequate to list them. The hells are so clearly arranged according to the distinctive features of everyone's evil that nothing could be more definitely and clearly arranged. We can gather from this that they are beyond counting, some near each other and some far removed according to the general, specific, and particular differences of their evils.
[3] Further, there are hells below hells. Some communicate by traffic to and fro, many by emanations, all in strict accord with the affinities of each genus and species of evil with others.
I have been given some knowledge of the number of the hells from the fact that they are underneath every mountain, hill, and cliff, every plain and valley, and that they stretch out there far and wide and deep. In short, it is as though the whole heaven and the whole world of spirits are hollowed out with one continuous hell under them. So much for the number of the hells.
------------
588. In regard to the number of the hells, there are as many of them as there are angelic societies in the heavens, since there is for every heavenly society a corresponding infernal society as its opposite. That the heavenly societies are numberless, and are all distinguished in accordance with the goods of love, charity, and faith, may be seen in the section that treats of the societies of which the heavens consist (41-50), and in the section on the immensity of heaven (415-420).
[2] The like is true, therefore, of the infernal societies, which are distinguished in accordance with the evils that are the opposites of those goods. Every evil, as well as every good, is of infinite variety. That this is true is beyond the comprehension of those who have only a simple idea regarding any one evil, such as contempt, enmity, hatred, revenge, deceit, and other like evils. But let them know that each one of these evils contains so many specific differences, and each of these again so many specific or particular differences, that a volume would not suffice to enumerate them. The hells are so distinctly arranged in order in accordance with the differences of every evil that nothing could be more perfectly ordered or more distinct. Hence it can be established that the hells are innumerable, near to and remote from one another in accordance with the differences of evils generically, specifically, and particularly.
[3] There are also hells beneath hells. Some communicate with others by transits, and more by exhalations, and this in exact accordance with the affinities of one kind or one species of evil with others. How great the number is of the hells I have been permitted to realize from knowing that there are hells under every mountain, hill, and rock, and also under every plain and valley, and that they stretch out beneath these in length and in breadth and in depth. In a word, the entire heaven and the entire world of spirits are, as it were, excavated beneath, and under them is a continuous hell. These things regarding the number of the hells.
------------
588. In regard to the number of the hells, there are as many of them as there are angelic societies in the heavens, since there is for every heavenly society a corresponding infernal society as its opposite. That the heavenly societies are numberless, and are all distinguished in accordance with the goods of love, charity, and faith, may be seen in the chapter that treats of the societies of which the heavens consist (41-50), and in the chapter on the immensity of heaven (415-420). The like is true, therefore, of the infernal societies, which are distinguished in accordance with the evils that are the opposites of those goods.
[2] Every evil, as well as every good, is of infinite variety. That this is true is beyond the comprehension of those who have only a simple idea regarding every evil, such as contempt, enmity, hatred, revenge, deceit, and other like evils. But let them know that each one of these evils contains so many specific differences, and each of these again so many specific or particular differences, that a volume would not suffice to enumerate them. The hells are so distinctly arranged in order in accordance with the differences of every evil that nothing could be more perfectly ordered or more distinct. Evidently, then, the hells are innumerable, near to and remote from one another in accordance with the differences of evils generically, specifically, and particularly.
[3] There are likewise hells beneath hells. Some communicate with others by passages, and more by exhalations, and this in exact accordance with the affinities of one kind or one species of evil with others. How great the number is of the hells I have been permitted to realize from knowing that there are hells under every mountain, hill, and rock, and likewise under every plain and valley, and that they stretch out beneath these in length and in breadth and in depth. In a word, the entire heaven and the entire world of spirits are, as it were, excavated beneath, and under them is a continuous hell. Thus much regarding the number of the hells.
------------
588. Quod pluralitatem infernorum attinet: sunt inferna tot numero quot sunt societates angelicae in caelis, quoniam cuivis societati caelesti ex opposito correspondet societas infernalis. Quod societates caelestes innumerae sint, et omnes discriminatae secundum bona amoris, charitatis et fidei, videatur in articulo De Societatibus ex quibus Caeli consistunt (41-50); et in articulo De Immensitate Caeli (415-420): similiter itaque societates infernales, quae discriminatae sunt secundum mala bonis opposita.
[2] Unumquodvis malum est infinitae varietatis, sicut unumquodvis bonum. Quod ita sit, non capiunt illi qui modo simplicem ideam de unoquovis malo habent, sicut de contemptu, de inimicitia, de odio, de vindicta, de dolo, et de similibus aliis: sed sciant quod unumquodvis ex illis contineat tot differentias specificas, et tot differentias iterum specificas seu particulares, ut non sufficiat volumen illis enumerandis. Inferna sunt secundum differentias cujusvis mali ita ordinate distincta, ut nihil ordinatius et distinctius. Inde constare potest, quod sint innumerabilia, unum prope alterum, et unum remote ab altero, secundum differentias malorum in genere, in specie, et in particulari.
[3] Sunt quoque inferna sub infernis: sunt communicationes quorundam per transitus, et sunt communicationes plurium per exhalationes, et hoc prorsus secundum affinitates unius generis et unius speciei mali cum aliis. Inferna quanto numero sunt, datum mihi est scire ex eo, quod inferna sint sub omni monte, colle et petra, et quoque sub omni planitie et valle, et quod sub illis se extendant in longum, latum, et profundum; verbo, totum caelum, ac totus mundus spirituum, sunt quasi excavati, et sub illis continuum infernum. Haec de pluralitate infernorum.