291.魔鬼的能力纯粹是幻觉，因而是吹嘘；他能被一个纯真的人赶出去，然后自己折磨自己。正好地狱团伙中的一个偷偷上我这里来，行为诡诈。为揭穿这一切，他被寻查出来。当被发现时，对于自己的能力，他说了许多吹嘘的话；他还能隐藏不见。我和他谈了一会儿，说，若未经允许，他没有任何能力。于是，他被允许行使自己的能力；在徒然尝试了一番后，他承认，他在此什么也做不了。在他被告知，单凭一个小孩子就能把他赶下去之后，便有一个更小的纯真之人被差到他这里；这个人只是接近他，在我看来，就是围着他绕了一圈。他便因此受到如此大的痛苦的压迫，以致他哭喊着祈求这个纯真的人离开他，因为他感觉如此的压抑和痛苦，以至于无法形容。（1747年12月3日）
291. The power of the devil is mere illusion, and thus boasting, and he can be cast out by one innocent, and then be tormented by himself.
It happened that one of the hellish gang came up to me stealthily and worked deceitfully. To expose this, he was sought out, and found, and then he spoke many boastful words about his power; he had even been invisible. When I had spoken with him for a little while, saying that he possessed no power but what it was permitted him to have, then he was allowed to exercise his powers, and when he had tried in vain to do so, he admitted that he had been able to accomplish nothing whatsoever here. And after he was told that one little child alone could cast him down, one of the smaller innocents was sent to him, who only approached him and, as it seemed to me, circled around him; and because of this he was overcome by such great anguish that he cried out and implored that the innocent might leave him, because he was feeling so oppressed and anguished that he could not describe it. 1747, the 3rd day of December.
291. THAT THE POWER OF THE DEVIL IS MERE PHANTASY, AND HENCE BOASTING. AND HE CAN BE CAST OUT BY A SINGLE INNOCENT ONE, AND THEN BE TORMENTED OF HIMSELF
It happened that one of the infernal crew drew up to me secretly, and acted deceitfully. This was inquired into that it might be made open. When he was found, he spoke many boastful things about his power. He was also invisible. I spoke with him for some time, saying that he was endowed with no power except what was permitted. Therefore he was also permitted to exercise his own powers, and after having tried in vain, he confessed that he could do nothing whatever here. And after he had been told that one infant alone could cast him down, there was sent to him one of the minor innocents, who only approached him, and as it seemed to me, was carried around him. He was thereby oppressed with such anguish that he cried out and prayed that the innocent one should leave him, because he was so straitened, and suffered such anguish, that he could not describe it. 1747, Dec. 3.
291. Quod potestas diaboli sit mera phantasia, et inde jactantia, et ab unico innocenti ejici potest, et tunc cruciari ex semet
Accidit quod unus ex turba infernali appulerit clanculum ad me, ac dolose egit, quod ut manifestum factum, inquirebatur, et inventus est, et tunc multa jactabunda de potentia sua loquutus, invisibilis etiam erat, cum quo cum aliquantum loquutus, quod nulla potentia nisi quae ei permitteretur, praeditus esset, quare 1
etiam ei permissum, ut exerceret vires suas, quod cum incassum tentatus, fassus est quod nihil usquam hic 2
potuisset 3
efficere, cumque ei diceretur, quod unus infans solum eum potuisset dejicere, missus est ad eum quidam ex minoribus innocentiis, qui 4
eum modo appropinquabat, et sicut mihi videbatur, circumferebatur, exinde tanta angustia erat pressus, ut clamaret et oraret, ut is eum omitteret, quia ita coarctabatur et angustabatur, ut id describere non possit. 1747, die 3 Dec.
Footnotes:
1. hoc est tunc
2. forte legendum sic
3. The Manuscript has potuesset
4. In the Manuscript quae in qui emendatum esse videtur