1771. About those in the earth of lower spirits
In the earth of lower spirits there are many habitations, or many locations, where those who are being prepared are kept, some of which may be seen spoken of elsewhere [see 1741]. Approximately under the left foot, a little to the front at a considerable height, many spirits are kept in a dark place, their condition being almost midway between the life of the body and its sleep. There they think very little, only now and then recalling wrongs they had rashly committed in their lives. But this is certainly not for the purpose of tormenting their conscience, for they are the type of spirits who had not committed evil against a better conscience, or on purpose, and yet had done evil acting without forethought. For they could have known in bodily life what was wrong, because they had been taught from the Lord's Word; but the Lord's Word, after they had adopted their principles, could no longer penetrate because they persisted in their rash way of life.
1771. CONCERNING THOSE WHO ARE IN THE LOWER EARTH [inferiorum terra].
(There are in the lower earth many mansions or many places where those are detained who are undergoing preparation (concerning some of this class see elsewhere). [Their position is] nearly under the left foot, a little in front, and rising up to a very considerable altitude. Many are held in a kind of obscurity, especially such as are in almost a middle state between the life of the body and its sleep; and there they think scarcely at all, barely remembering at times what they had done in their lifetime from a rash and evil prompting, but still not so that they are tormented by conscience on account of it; for those in that region are not such as have done evil with a clear conscience and of set purpose, but yet they have perpetrated evil, although it has been from imprudence,) for they might have known in the life of the body that it was evil, as they were thus instructed from the Word of the Lord; but the Word of the Lord, after their principles were firmly adopted, could not penetrate, inasmuch as they persisted in the imprudence of their life.
1771. De iis qui in inferiorum terra
In terra inferiorum sunt plures mansiones seu plura loca, ubi ii tenentur, qui praeparantur, de aliquibus, videatur alibi [cf. 1741]; sub pede sinistro fere, paulo antrorsum, satis ad multam altitudinem, tenentur in obscuro plures, qui in statu paene medio sunt inter vitam corporis et ejus somnum, ac ibi perparum cogitant, modo per vices reminiscuntur eorum, quae in vita ex imprudentia male egerant, sed non quidem ita, ut inde torqueantur conscientia, nam tales ibi [sunt], qui non ex meliori conscientia aut ex proposito malum egerant, sed usque malum patrarunt, sic ex imprudentia, nam quod malum fuerat, id nosse in vita corporis potuerant, nam sic instructi sunt ex Verbo Domini, sed Verbum Domini, post capta eorum principia, non amplius penetrare potuit, quia in vitae suae imprudentia perseveraverint.