193.关于给予恶灵的许可，以及对他们的限制或约束；恶灵比什么都不是还不是。我从大量日常经验发现，恶灵能一度释放出大量恶意，一度释放出少量恶意。其原因如今比以前更清楚地透露给我，即：弥赛亚神通过天使松开他们的约束到什么程度，他们就作恶到什么程度；相反，天使活跃到什么程度，他们的束缚似乎就收紧到什么程度，也就是说，他们行动的能力被剥夺到什么程度，以致最后他们什么也做不了，甚至不知道要做什么。仿佛其约束的松与紧的量照着弥赛亚神愿意与他们同在的那个人被允许进入的许可状态而如同在一架天平上被精确而完美地衡量；并且衡量得如此精确，以致由于不计其数的不同情况而无法描述。同样，当他们被允许在约束被松开的状态下说话时，他们说的话可怕而污秽；但在收紧或可以说被套上缰绳，或自由受限的状态下，他们要么从自己说话，要么从别人说话。当从别人说话时（这种情况也具有极大的多样性），他们会说一些他们不想说的话，如违背自己本性的真理；否则，他们完全不知道自己在说什么。由此可知，他们什么也不是，甚至比什么都不是还不是。
193. About the permission given to evil spirits, and about how they are restrained or withheld; they are less than nothing
In the course of much and daily experience, I have noticed that evil spirits were able to carry out or exercise their malice at one time a lot, at another little. The reason for this was today disclosed to me more clearly than formerly, namely, that to the extent that their restraints are slackened or loosened by God the Messiah [working] through angels, they carry on in evil ways; but to the extent that angels are active, their bonds seem to be tightened, that is, their power of action is taken away, so that finally they can do nothing, and do not even know what they were about to do.
It is as if the amount of slackening and tightening of their bonds were being precisely and exactly weighed, as on a scale, depending upon what degree of liberty God the Messiah wills that the person [they are with] be let into. It is such an exact balancing that it cannot be described on account of the countless number of different cases.
Likewise, when they are permitted to speak in a condition of slackened bonds, they say horrible and filthy things, whereas in the condition of tightened or so to speak pulled in reins, or [restricted] freedom, they speak from themselves, or from others. When from others, which also occurs with immensely great diversity, then they say things they do not want to say, such as truths contrary to their character - or else, they simply do not know what they are saying. 1747, the 2nd day of September (old calendar).
From all this it follows that they are nothing, or less than a nothing.
193. CONCERNING THE PERMISSION GRANTED TO EVIL SPIRITS, AND CONCERNING THEIR RESTRICTION OR RESTRAINT. EVIL SPIRITS ARE LESS THAN NOTHING
From much long continued experience it was observed that evil spirits could sometimes work or exercise much, sometimes little, malice. The cause of this was disclosed to me today more clearly than before, namely, that so far as their bond is slackened and relaxed by God Messiah through the angels, to that extent do they act evilly; but so far as it is exercised by the angels, to that extent the bond is as it were tightened, that is, the power of acting is taken away, so that at length they are unable to do anything, and do not even know what they are going to do. There is a certain precise and exact weighing, as in a balance, of this loosening and tightening according to the state of the license which God Messiah is willing that the man should be allowed; the balance is so exact that it cannot be described on account of its indefinite varieties. It is the same when they are permitted to speak: in the state in which the bond is slackened, they speak dreadful and filthy things, but in the state of the tightening or as it were contraction of the said bond or license, they speak either from themselves or from others; when they speak from others, which is also of indefinite variety, they then say things which they do not will, thus speak truths contrary to their nature, or else they are entirely ignorant of what they are saying. 1747, Sept. 2, o.s.
From all this it follows that they are of no account whatever, or are less than nothing.
193. De permissione spiritibus malis data, ac de eorum restrictione vel inhibitione; quod sint minus nihilo
Observatum est, per multam ac diutinam experientiam, quod spiritus mali jam multum jam parum agere seu exercere suam malitiam potuerint, causa hodie clarius mihi detecta est quam prius, nempe, quod quantum iis per angelos a Deo Messia remittitur, seu relaxatur vinculum, in tantum male agunt, in quantum autem ab angelis agitur, in tantum quasi constringitur vinculum, hoc est aufertur potentia agendi, sic ut tandem nihil agere queant, et ne quidem sciant, quid acturi, sicut libratio quaedam est praecisa et exacta, sicut in bilance, eorum remissionis et constrictionis, secundum statum licentiae, in quem Deus Messias, velit ut homo emittatur, talis est exacta libratio, ut non describi queat, ob indefinitas 1
varietates.--Similiter dum iis permittitur loqui, in statu remissionis vinculi, dira et foeda loquuntur, at vero in statu constrictionis seu quasi attractionis dicti vinculi, seu licentiae, loquuntur ex se, aut ab aliis, quando ab aliis, quod etiam est indefinitae varietatis, tunc loquuntur ea, quae non volunt, sic vera contra indolem, vel etiam nesciunt plane quid loquuntur. 1747, die 2 Sept. st. v. Ex his sequitur, quod prorsus nihili sint, seu minus nihilo.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has indifinitas