3290. About a spirit who strives for nothing else than that he may do evil
There was a spirit with me, inwardly, who harbored no other intention than to watch for chances to harm me, nor was I aware of this, except two or three times. I spoke with him, saying that he is such that while others are speaking and thinking about other things, he [is thinking] only of how when the opportunities occur, he may harm, plunder, or inflict evil upon them when he has the chance, for which he is constantly on the lookout. Many on our earth are of that character that while they are speaking and thinking about other things, at heart they are looking for injuries to bring on others. But since I have not actually run into this type of characters, I guess they are separated from others because their thought is discordant. 1748, 23 Sept.
3290. CONCERNING A SPIRIT WHO AIMS AT NOTHING ELSE THAN TO DO EVIL.
There was a spirit with me inwardly, who harbored nothing else in his mind than to watch how he might injure me; and I did not perceive it, but twice or thrice I spoke with him, [saying] that he is of such a nature that when any speak and think concerning others, he only [looks out] how when occasion is offered he may injure, despoil, or inflict evil, just as the occasion offers, for which he perpetually watches. Of such a character are many in our world, that they watch in mind for the evils of any, when these speak and think concerning others; but inasmuch as I have not manifestly met with such, having such a nature, I presume that they are separated from others because their thought is at variance. - 1748, September 23.
3290. De spiritu qui nihil aliud studet, quam ut malum faciat
Erat spiritus apud me, intus, qui non aliud animo ferebat, quam ut invigilaret quomodo mihi noceret, nec id percepi, nisi bis et ter, cum quo loquutum, quod talis sit, ut dum alii de aliis loquuntur et cogitant, is solum ea, quomodo ex occasionibus oblatis, noceat, praedetur aut malum infligat, sicut occasio offert, cui jugiter invigilat; tales sunt multi, in tellure nostra, ut animo invigilent aliorum malis, cum de aliis loquuntur et cogitent, sed quia tales non offendi manifeste, tali natura, reor quod separati ab aliis sint, quia 1
cogitatio eorum est discors. 1748, 23 Sept.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has sint. quia