371.那些在肉身生活中出于嫉妒的野心渴望在天上成为最大的，并凌驾于所有人之上的人都变成了魔鬼。我通过几天的经历获知，那些在世上渴望在肉身生命结束后凌驾于他人之上，并因此受对好于自己之人的嫉妒驱使的人，在来世都变成了魔鬼，并有类似的阴谋诡计。也就是说，他们想学习属灵事物，但目的只有一个，即：他们渴望在它们的帮助下凭自己的能力爬到他们所嫉妒的他人之上；而天堂的情感则在于渴望将他人提上天堂，哪怕他自己成为最小的。那些已经到了嫉妒他人的地步，并渴望在天堂超越他人的人能成为许多灵人的使臣，这也是已经观察到的事实。（1747年12月20日）
371. Those in the life of the body who, from jealous ambition, hope to be the greatest in heaven, and above all others, become devils
By an experience of several days, I learned that those in the world who want to stand out above others after the life of the body, and are therefore moved by envy against those who are better than themselves, become devils, and engage in the same kind of scheming. For they want to learn spiritual matters with nothing else in mind than the hope to rise up by means of them, on their own power, above others whom they envy; whereas the heavenly affection is to long to lift others up into heaven, even if one should turn out to be the least.
They who are such as to envy others, and who hope to stand out in heaven above others, are able to be the subjects of many spirits, a fact that has also been observed. 1747, the 20th day of December.
371. THOSE WHO, IN THE LIFE OF THE BODY, DESIRE TO BE THE GREATEST IN HEAVEN, FROM THE CUPIDITY OF ENVY, AND TO BE ABOVE ALL OTHERS, BECOME DEVILS
From the experience of some days I have been taught that those who in the world desire to be eminent above others after the life of the body, and thus are affected with envy against those who are better than themselves, become devils [in the other life], and have similar machinations: that is, they want to learn those things that are spiritual from no other end than that by their aid, and by their own powers, they desire to climb above others, whom they so envy; when nevertheless heavenly affection is that one desires to raise others into heaven, even though he himself should become the least. Those who are such that they envy others and desire to be pre-eminent above others in heaven, can be the subjects of many spirits, which has also been observed. 1747, Dec. 20.
371. Qui in vita corporis, cupiunt maximi esse in coelo ex invidiae cupiditate, et super omnes alios, fiunt 1
diaboli
Per experientiam aliquot dierum edoctus sum, quod ii qui in mundo cupiunt eminere super alios post vitam corporis, et sic invidia afficiuntur contra eos, qui iis meliores sunt, quod ii fiant diaboli, et similes machinationes habeant, nempe quod ob nullum alium finem discere velint ea quae spirituala sunt, quam ut eorum ope, propriis viribus, super alios eniti cupiant, quibus sic invident; cum tamen affectio coelestis est, ut desideret alios in coelum elevare, tametsi is minimus foret: qui tales sunt, ut invideant aliis, et cupiunt eminere in coelo prae aliis, possunt esse subjecta plurium spirituum, quod etiam observatum est. 1747, d. 20 Dec.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has alios fiunt