3047. On the nature of evil spirits
The wickedness and deceitful nature of inward evil spirits is indescribable. For the least bit of thought that a person can ever discern, when it is good, 1they so skilfully turn into evil, that it is hardly imaginable. Nor are they only so malicious as to turn good into evil, as soon as it appears, but there are also those who, when they so to speak smell that good is going to come of it, immediately turn that [into evil].
Footnotes:
1. The original has homo, I believe, for bonum.
3047. CONCERNING THE NATURE OF EVIL SPIRITS.
Interior evil spirits are of such a nature, that their wickedness and deceitful nature cannot be described; that, to wit, the least of the thoughts, that can ever be perceived by man, while a man is turned [by them] into evil with such skill, as can scarcely be imagined [cogitari]: not only are they of such wickedness, that they turn good into evil, as soon as it appears, but there are also [some] who when they as it were smell that thence [proceeds] good, immediately turn it [into evil].
3047. De natura malorum spirituum
Interiores mali spiritus tales sunt, ut non describi queat eorum malitia, et natura dolosa, quod nempe minimum cogitationum, quod usque percipi potest ab homine, dum bonum 3
, tam solerter vertatur in malum, ut vix possit cogitari: nec solum istius malitiae sunt ut vertant bonum in malum, ut primum apparet, sed etiam sunt qui dum quasi subolfaciunt quod inde bonum {a}, illico illud vertant.