404.关于那些一生想着变富，只关心自己之人的生活和对他们的惩罚。
有些灵人在世时一生只想使自己变得富有，并且通过忙碌的商人所习惯的那种生意技巧而如此行。也就是说，他们接近那些能使他们发财的人，两眼盯着这些人的财富，打着友谊的幌子，垂涎他们的财富。这些灵人四处游荡，无论到哪里，他们都问自己能否加入那里的人当中，声称他们很穷。于是，他们获得接待；但这些灵人只垂涎他们的财富或财产，所以从那里被驱逐了。因此，他们再次四处游荡，重复同样的行为，直到他们学会如何说一套，想一套。他们做这种事的技巧如此高超，以致于灵人们几乎分辨不出来，只知道他们就是自己所说的那种人。有一个这种类型的灵人也以这种方式来到我面前，问他能否留在这里服侍我。我回答他说，我什么都不是，而是每个人都被弥赛亚神接待。但由于他们已然是这样的人，恐怕想着嘴上说一套，心里想一套，所以他们当中有一个人被赋予权柄以悲惨的方式惩罚他。因为有许多灵人彼此意见相左，他们都想让他成为自己说话和行动的媒介。由于这些灵人彼此相反，所以这个媒介被悲惨地撕裂了，也就是说，他在两边的作用下被撕裂了，这一过程持续了大约一个小时。事实上，他们在他身上诱发一种身体幻觉，从而试图将整个身体及其各个部位撕成碎片。我不知道他从中受到多少痛苦，因为痛苦是减轻还是加重，取决于这种模拟的程度和性质。和我说话的一个人说，这是最残忍的。它变得越来越痛苦，因为所诱发的幻觉是有一具肉体和肉体般的感觉；而且，疲劳和抵抗越临到他，他就想越从他们那里获释，被解救出来，因为他不可能释放自己。这是撕成细碎片的一种撕裂。撕裂的灵人承认，能以这种方式折磨灵魂，他们从中获得很多快感。于是，与他们一伙的灵人随后被允许一个接一个地反过来折磨他们，好叫他们由此学会放弃并最终憎恶这种快感。
此后，他们被打发走了，并改变了他们的说话方式；他们靠近其他灵人，以便偷偷溜进他们的队伍；但他们再次遭到驱逐，因为那些灵人认出了他们，并声称，他们溜进来是为了掠夺他们的财产。事实上，灵人也制造拥有大量财富的幻觉，这类灵人对财富垂涎三尺。他们讲述了自己如何在别的地方也受到惩罚。这种境遇正等待着那些打着友谊的幌子，引领其他人只是为了获得其财富的人，世上有很多人就是这样做的。他们彷佛在旷野游荡，当遇见并欺骗同伴时，他们就受到惩罚并被逐出。因此，他们比这种人若被告知所能相信的还要悲惨。后面这些话是从曾在强盗中间，并以这种方式被撕碎的人那里写的。（1747年12月26日）
404. About the life and punishment of those who during their life want to make profit, and look out only for themselves
There were some who during their life had wanted only to make profit for themselves, doing this by the usual technique of eager business people. They get close to those from whom they can gain, eyeing their wealth, which, under a guise of friendship, is what holds their attention.
These people wander around, and wherever they come they ask if they may join those who are there, saying that they are poor. So they are welcomed; but because they stare with longing on their wealth or possessions, they are expelled. So again they wander around and repeat the same behavior, until they have learned how to say one thing while thinking another. This they do with so much skill that spirits can scarcely tell but that they are as they say they are.
In this manner a spirit of that type also came to me, asking whether he might stay here and serve me. I replied to him that I am nothing, but that everyone is welcomed by God the Messiah.
But since they had been like this and would probably say one thing with their mouth while wanting something else at heart, they were given the power of punishing one of their own, miserably. Now there were many spirits disagreeing [with each other], who all wanted to have him as their medium for speaking and acting; and since they were against one another, that medium was being miserably pulled apart, or being torn to pieces by action from both directions. This went on uninteruptedly for about an hour.
In fact, they induced on him the illusion of a kind of body, and were then attempting to tear the whole body and its parts to pieces.
How much pain he felt from this, I cannot tell. The pain is milder [or sharper] depending on the degree and nature of the simulation. The one speaking with me said that it had been most fierce. It becomes more and more painful according as the illusion is induced of having a body, with body-like sensations - also according as weariness and resistance come over him, making him long to be freed and let go from them. For it is impossible for him to free himself.
It is a kind of tearing apart into small pieces. The tearing spirits admitted that they had gotten much enjoyment from being able to torment souls in this way, wherefore their fellow spirits were subsequently permitted to torment them one after another, so that they would thus learn to abstain from, and finally abhor, that kind of enjoyment.
2] Thereafter, they were then sent off and, having changed their way of speaking, approached some spirits in order to steal into their company. But once more they were cast out, because the spirits recognized them and said that they were slipping in with the purpose of robbing them of their possessions. For the spirits also create the illusion of having much wealth, which people like these intensely covet.
They told how they had also been punished elsewhere. This is the condition that awaits those who, under a cloak of friendship, lead others on with the sole purpose of obtaining their riches, like very many in the world. They roam far and wide in desert-like places, and when they come upon companions and cheat them, they are punished and cast out. Thus they are more miserable than such a person's ears could believe [if told about it].
These latter words were written from him who had been among robbers, and was pulled apart in this way. 1747, the 26th day of December.
404. CONCERNING THE LIFE AND PUNISHMENT OF THOSE WHO DURING THEIR LIFE WANTED TO BECOME RICH, AND ONLY CONSIDER THEMSELVES
There were certain spirits who during their life only wanted to enrich themselves, and indeed by that craft to which diligent merchants are accustomed, namely, that they insinuate themselves [into the company of others] so that they may acquire wealth from them, hankering after their riches to which they direct their "animus" under [the guise of] friendship. These spirits wander about, and wherever they come, they inquire whether they can be with them, saying that they are poor, for which reason they are received; but because they hanker after their wealth or possessions, they are expelled thence. Therefore they again wander around and do similar things until they have learnt to speak one thing and think another, which also they do so diligently that spirits can scarcely know otherwise than that they are such as they say they are. Such a spirit also came to me and asked whether he might stay there by serving, to whom I replied that I am nothing, but that everyone is received by God Messiah. But because they were such, and perhaps wanted to say one thing with their mouth, and another in their heart, there was, therefore, given the power over one of them to punish him in a miserable manner, for there were many dissentient spirits who wanted to have him as a subject for speaking and acting. Since these were contrary [to one another], that subject was miserably rent, that is, being acted upon on both sides he was lacerated, and this continuously for about an hour's duration. Indeed by means of phantasies they induced upon him a kind of body, and thus endeavored to lacerate the whole and the parts. How much pain he felt therefrom I cannot know, for the pain is mitigated according to the degree and quality of the simulation. The one who spoke with me said it was most cruel. It becomes more and more painful as the phantasy that there is a body is induced, with a sense like that of the body; also as far as weariness and resistance are induced, so that he wants to be liberated and delivered from those spirits, for it is impossible for him to be able to free himself. It is a species of minute rending. The lacerating spirits admitted that they derived much pleasure from thus being able to torture souls. It is therefore permitted to their associate spirits, in order and process of time, to torture them so that they may learn thereby to abstain from, and at length abhor, the like pleasure. Moreover, they were next sent away, and, with a changed speech, they went to other spirits that they might insinuate themselves; but they were again cast out because those spirits recognized them, and said that they were insinuating themselves in order to despoil them of their possessions, for the phantasy is also induced by spirits that they have wealth, which such spirits hanker after. They related that they were also penalized elsewhere. Such a condition awaits those who, under the guise of friendship, impose upon others only for the purpose that they may be enriched by their wealth, as do very many in the world. They wander about as if in desert places, and when they find companions, whom they deceive, they are cast out with punishment, so that they are more miserable than such men can believe. These latter words are written from him who has been among the robbers, and torn in this manner. 1747, Dec. 26.
404. De vita et punitione eorum, qui in vita sibi volunt lucrari, et solum consulere
Quidam erant, qui in vita sibi solum lucrari voluerunt, et quidem ea arte, qua solent industrii mercatores 1
, nempe quod se insinuent, ut ab iis lucrum capiant, inhiando tunc eorum opibus, in quas sub amicitia animum intendunt; ii vagantur et ubicunque veniunt interrogant, num cum iis esse possint, dicendo se pauperes, quare accipiuntur, sed quia eorum opibus, aut facultatibus inhiant, inde propelluntur, quare iterum circumvagantur, et similia agunt, usque dum didicerint aliud loqui et aliud cogitare, quod etiam ita industrie 2
faciunt, ut vix scire queant spiritus, quam quod tales sint, quales se esse dicunt; ita ad me etiam spiritus talis venit, rogavitque an hic morari potuisset, serviendo, cui respondebam quod nihil sim, sed quod omnis accipiatur a Deo Messia; sed quia tales fuerunt, et fortasse aliud ore loqui, aliud corde vellent, ideo data super unum eorum potestas puniendi modo miserabili, erant enim spiritus dissentientes plures, qui eum pro subjecto loquendi agendique habere vellent, qui quia 3
contrarii erant, subjectum illud misere discerpebatur, seu utrinque agendo lacerabatur, et hoc continue per circiter horae spatium, imo per phantasias inducebant ei speciem corporis, et sic totum et partes lacerare 4
, [erant] conantes 5
, quantum doloris inde senserit, non scire possum, nam lenitur dolor secundum gradum et qualitatem simulationis, crudelissimum fuisse dicit, qui mecum loquitur; evadit magis magisque dolorificus, sicut inducitur phantasia quod sit corpus, cum sensu qualis est corporis, tum quantum inducitur taedium et renisus, ut velit liberari et ab iis solvi, nam impossibile est, ut is se liberare 6
queat, est species discerptionis minutae; spiritus lacerantes fassi sunt, quod inde voluptatem cepissent multam, quod ita animas cruciare possent, quare sociis spiritibus permissum est, eos ordine et successu temporis cruciare, ut inde discerent abstinere, et tandem abhorrere simili voluptati. Praeterea missi dein sunt, et 7
mutata loquela iverunt ad spiritus, ut se insinuarent, sed iterum inde ejecti, quia spiritus agnoverunt eos, et dixerunt quod se insinuarent, ut diriperent facultates eorum, nam inducitur etiam a spiritibus phantasia, quod opes habeant, quibus inhiant similes, narrabant quod etiam mulctati sint alibi; talis conditio manet eos, qui sub amicitiae specie inducunt alios, ut modo divitias eorum lucrentur, sicut in mundo perplures sunt: pervagantur sicut in desertis locis, et dum inveniunt socios, quos fallunt, cum punitione ejiciuntur, ita miseriores sunt, quam ut aures 8
talis id credere possint; haec posteriora verba sunt scripta ex eo, qui inter latrones fuit, ac ita discerptus. 1747, die 26 Dec.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has mercetores
2. inclarum in the Manuscript
3. The Manuscript has qui
4. The Manuscript has lacerere
5. vide praefationem hujus editionis sub capite "Idiosyncrasies"
6. The Manuscript has libeare
7. The Manuscript has forte ita vel iterum
8. In the Manuscript aurib[us] in aures emendatum esse nobis videtur