415.灵人知道如何在一瞬间将自己的邪恶转到别人那里；同样知道如何将良善变为邪恶。令人惊奇的是，灵人似乎出于一种自然的本能，能立刻将良善转变为邪恶，并且做起这种事来非常熟练、巧妙，就好像他们通过长期练习才学会了一样。同样令人惊奇的是，他们能把自己所受的任何惩罚或类似的事转嫁给别人，甚至转移给一个无辜的人，从而逃避自己的命运。我通过大量经历已清楚看到这一点，不过，这些经历讲起来太冗长乏味了。这种性质或本能唯独源于说谎的习惯，因而源于活在肉身期间将自己的过错转嫁给别人，或使怀疑落到别人身上，从而使自己摆脱过错。这就是那造成一种扭曲性格的东西。（1747年12月28日）
415. Spirits know how to shift their own evil to another in an instant; likewise [to turn] good into evil
It is amazing how spirits, from what seems to be a natural instinct, are able at once to transform good into evil, and this very expertly, as though they had learned it from long practice. Likewise, how they can transfer some punishment or other, which they have coming to them, to someone else, and even to an innocent person, and thus escape it that time around. This has become evident to me from much experience, which would be too much to cite.
This kind of nature or instinct has no other origin than the habit formed in bodily life of lying, and thereby shifting all blame to another, or causing suspicion to fall upon another, so as to be freed of it oneself. This is what leads to such a distorted character. 1747, the 28th day of December.
415. THAT SPIRITS IN A MOMENT KNOW HOW TO TRANSPORT THEIR EVIL INTO ANOTHER: ALSO GOOD INTO EVIL
It is wonderful that spirits, from a kind of natural instinct, can at once transfer good into evil, and indeed as assiduously as though they had learnt it from long continued use. It is equally wonderful that they can transfer any penalty or similar thing inflicted upon themselves to another, and indeed to one who is innocent, and so escape from their fate. This has been made evident to me by much experience which it would be tedious to relate. Such a nature or instinct comes from no other source than from the habit of lying, and thus during the life of the body of transferring whatever blame they may have to others, or of contriving that suspicion may fall upon another, that they themselves may be freed. Hence there is derived so depraved a nature. 11747, Dec. 28.
Footnotes:
1. Crossed out: "which unless it be removed, cannot but undergo vastation".
415. Quod spiritus momento sciant transportare malum suum, in alterum, tum bonum in malum
Mirabile est, quod spiritus ex naturali quasi instinctu illico possint transferre bonum in malum, et quidem tam industrie, tanquam id ex usu diutino didicerint; pariter quod possint aliquam poenam aut simile iis illatum, illud in alium et quidem in innocentem transferre, et sic se subducere quoad eam vicem; hoc 1
multa experientia mihi constitit, quam proferre, prolixum opus foret: similis natura seu instinctus non aliunde venit, quam ex habitu mentiendi, et sic quid culpae in iis sit, eam in vita corporis transferre in alios, seu facere 2
ut suspicio cadat in alium, ut ii liberentur; inde talis prava indoles ducitur. 1747, die 28 Dec.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has fortasse haec
2. inteltexerim transfereni...faciendi