269.关于巫术、法术、占卜等等，它们的起源。我通过经历被指示，一些灵人认为只要通过涉及神性事物的代表被教导如何把它们转化为实践，他们就无所不能，因为他们以为这类事物会产生如同神性那样的效果。无需描述这些代表本身（参看233节）。这种事起初因种种原因，尤其因无知而被允许。当这类技艺被那些简单地相信它们具有神奇力量的人学会，但后来因贪欲被歪曲，以致他们为了利益和自我荣耀而施展这些技艺时，目的立刻就灭亡了，它们变得像落叶，或像无核的外壳，自动掉下来死了。这些事通过一个系列被展示给我，只是这个系列太长了，无法描述。（1747年11月27日）
2)如今，利用这类做法的灵人被移除了，这类灵人被囚禁。有时，那些稍稍被释放的灵人想说服我去学习这类东西，但由于弥赛亚神的怜悯，这是徒劳的。所以，他们被送回监里，在那里他们不得不通过好比火或破败的折磨而经历相当显著的变化。埃及人的法术就属这类，因为他们歪曲了古教会的代表，由此练习了无数法术；但所有这些练习就像无核的外壳，或树汁枯干时脱落的叶子，尽管表面上看，它们短时间内似乎仍五光十色。因此，这类法术好比那些似乎能使人能力超群的东西，诸如他自己的智谋、良好的判断力等等，他由此以为自己能掌控全世界。同样，科学和哲学也像占卜和巫术，人们以为通过它们就能掌控属灵和属天事物。因此，如今这类事物要以巫术等等来理解，也要以埃及人的智慧等等来理解。（1747年11月27日）
269. About witchcraft, magical arts, fortune telling and the like - where they originated
1.) It has been shown me by experience that some of the spirits thought they could do anything in heaven and on earth, if only they were taught by symbolic displays involving divine matters, and brought these into practice, thinking they would have the same result as if they were divine. It is unnecessary to describe the displays themselves. [see 233.]
This is at first allowed for a number of reasons, especially because of ignorance, when such things are learned by those who in simplicity believe them to have a miraculous power. But afterwards they are corrupted by desires to practice them in the pursuit of profit and self-glory; then the goal immediately perishes, and they become like fallen leaves, or like shells without kernels, which drop of their own accord, and perish. All this was portrayed to me in a sequence, which it would take too long to describe. 1747, the 27th day of November.
2.) At this day, those who engage in such practices have been put down, and spirits of this kind are held in bonds. Several times, when somewhat loosed from these bonds, they wanted to persuade me to learn similar arts, but due to the mercy of God the Messiah, it was in vain, so they were returned to their bonds, where they must necessarily undergo a considerable change, through torments comparable to either fire or decay.
The Egyptian magicians were of this kind, because they distorted the symbolic depictions of the ancient Church and thereby practiced magical arts, probably countless in number - but all of which were like shells without the kernels, or leaves that fall off when the sap is gone, even though they may outwardly appear bright with varied colors for a short time.
Equivalent to such magical arts, therefore, are those qualities in which people seem to shine, such as their own good judgment, and the like, by which they imagine themselves to be in control of everything. Likewise, science and philosophy, by which people believe they control spiritual and heavenly matters, are like fortune telling and witchcraft. Therefore these are to be understood at the present day by witchcraft and the like, and by Egyptian wisdom, etc. 1747, the 27th day of November.
269. CONCERNING SORCERIES, MAGIC ARTS, SOOTHSAYERS AND THE LIKE: WHENCE THEIR ORIGIN
It was shown me by experience that some of the spirits supposed that they could do all things in heaven and on earth, provided they have been taught from representations, which involve things Divine, how to translate them into practice, supposing that such things would produce the like effect as if they were Divine. There is no need to describe the representations themselves. This is at first permitted for many reasons, especially on account of ignorance. When such arts are learnt by those who believe in simplicity that such things have a miraculous power, but are afterwards perverted by cupidities, so that they exercise these arts for gain and self-interest, then the end at once perishes, and they become like falling leaves, or like shells without kernels which drop off of themselves, and perish. These things were represented to me by a certain series which would be much too long to describe. 1747, Nov. 27. Those who make use of such practices are at this day removed, and such spirits are held in bonds. Sometimes those who were loosed, as it were, desired to persuade me to learn similar things, but by the mercy of God Messiah, it was in vain. Wherefore, they were sent back to their bonds, where they cannot but undergo a marked change owing to torment, which may be likened either to fire or to corruption. Such were the Egyptian magicians, for they perverted the representations of the Ancient Church, and thence they practiced magical arts which could have been innumerable; but all these practices were like shells without kernels, or leaves which fall off when the sap is dried up, although outwardly they seem to flourish for a time. To such magical arts, therefore, are compared those things by which man seems to excel in power, such as his own prudence and the like, by which he supposes that he can rule the whole [world]. Similarly, the science and philosophy by which he supposes he can rule over spiritual and celestial things are like soothsayings and sorceries. Therefore, at this day such things are understood by sorceries and similar practices. They are also understood by Egyptian wisdom, and the like. 1747, Nov. 27. 1
Footnotes:
1. This paragraph is thus entered in the Index (s.v. Magia): "Those who trust in their own prudence and who ascribe all things to it, and who by the sciences enter into the arcana of faith, are prone to such magic arts."
269. De praestigiis, magicis artibus, hariolis ac similibus, unde eorum origo
Per experientiam mihi ostensum est, quod aliqui spirituum putaverint se omnia posse in coelo et in terra, modo edocti ex repraesentationibus, quae divina involvunt, eas transferre in exercitium, putantes, quod ea similem effectum ederent, ac si divina essent, ipsas repraesentationes non opus est describere; hoc permittitur primum, ob causas plures, cumprimis ignorantiae, quando addiscuntur ab iis qui simpliciter credunt talia 1
vim miraculosam habere, sed postmodum pervertuntur a cupiditatibus, ut ea exerceant lucri suique studio, tunc illico finis perit, et fiunt instar foliorum caducorum, seu putaminum absque nucleis, quae sponte dilabuntur, et pereunt: haec mihi repraesentata sunt per seriem quandam, quam praelongum foret describere. 1747, die 27 Nov. Ii qui exercitia talium exercent, hodie sublati 2
sunt, et spiritus tales in vinculis tenentur; aliquoties quasi soluti me ad discenda similia, persuadere cupiebant, sed incassum, ex misericordia Dei Messiae, quare in sua vincula remissi, ubi non possunt non insignem mutationem, per cruciatus, subire, qui vel igni vel putredini assimilantur 3
. Tales fuerunt magiae aegyptiacae, quia perverterunt repraesentationes antiquae Ecclesiae, et inde exercebant magias, quae innumerabiles potuerunt esse, sed fuerunt omnia sicut putamina absque nucleis, ut folia succo absente, quae decidunt, tametsi florere aliquantisper externe videantur; talibus magiis comparantur itaque ea quibus praepollere videtur homo, sicut propria prudentia, et similia, quibus regere totum putet, similiter scientia 4
et philosophia, quibus regere spiritualia 5
et coelestia putat. sunt similia hariolis et praestigiis, quare ea hodie intelliguntur per praestigias et similia, tum per sapientiam aegyptiacam et similia. 1747, die 27 Nov.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has credunt, talia
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has sublata
3. The Manuscript has assimilatur
4. imperfectum in the Manuscript
5. The Manuscript has spirituali