417.关于发生在天堂的一个变化。有些人在天堂占据最高的地方，因为他们在尘世的时候就自以为是至高无上的，除了他们之外，所有人都如同无有。这个地方被一些人占据，我没有被允许提及这些人的名字，也不允许公布原因。这些灵人好比星星，因为他们觉得自己像太阳，从世界漂流到那里的灵人崇拜他们。他们因活在肉身时就崇拜他们，故首先被介绍给他们，好叫他们以后可以从那里被带走。昨天，若不是我弄错了，这些大星中有一颗就从那个最高的地方被扔下来，与他们当作偶像来崇拜的那一位在一起的，还有大约500到600人的一群人，如前所述。但是今天，和以前一样逗留在这个领域中的这群人和他们的首领，开始制造麻烦，而且现在是更大的麻烦。因此，他们的首领再次受到教导和警告后，因仍不愿意远离他那颠倒的信仰观点，故被弃绝了；在大约一两分钟的时间里，他受到地狱般的折磨，这折磨使他发出痛苦的惨叫。不久，当他从这些痛苦中被解救出来时，有声音从天上来到他这里，说，耶稣基督是神的儿子。于是，他开始思考这句话，并有点承认它；但由于只是折磨痛苦驱使他这样做，故他的忏悔还不能被接受，因为它还不是来自信仰。（1747年12月29日）
417. About a change that took place in heaven
There were some who had seized the highest place in heaven, because when on earth they had believed they were uppermost, and all but themselves were as nothing. That place was occupied by some whom I am not permitted to mention by name, nor am I allowed to make known the reason. Such [spirits] as these are compared to stars, for they appear to themselves like suns, and souls drifting up from the world worship them. Because they had worshipped them in life, they are just introduced to them, so that they may then be released.
A large one of those stars was yesterday, if I am not mistaken, cast down out of that highest place, and with him, whom they had worshipped as an idol, a crowd numbering about five to six hundred, as I was told. But today they and their chief, lingering in that realm as they had continually before, now began to stir up greater trouble. For this reason their chief, after being instructed once more and warned, and yet not wanting to step away from his upside-down view of faith, was therefore rejected, and for about one or two minutes, suffered hellish torments that made him cry out miserably. Presently, when he was delivered from them, a voice came to him from heaven, [saying] that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. So he then began to think on it and acknowledge it somewhat, but because only the torments had compelled him to it, his confession is not yet acceptable, because it does not yet come from belief.
417. CONCERNING THE CHANGE MADE IN HEAVEN
There were those who occupied the highest place in heaven from their having believed, when on earth, that they were supreme, and that all except them were as nothing. That place was occupied by certain ones of whom it is not allowable to make mention, nor is it allowable to publish the cause. They are likened to stars, for they appear to themselves as suns, and the souls who flow thither from the world adore them: and because they had adored them in the life [of the body] they are first introduced to them, in order that they may afterwards be taken away from there. Yesterday, unless I am mistaken, one of those great stars was cast down from that highest place, and with him whom they had adored as an idol there was then remaining a crowd of about 500 to 600, as was said. But this crowd, staying today with their prince in their sphere began, as they had continually done before, to make disturbances, but now greater ones. Therefore, after their prince had been again instructed and admonished, and nevertheless was unwilling to desist from his inverted opinion of faith, he was therefore rejected, and for about a minute or two he suffered infernal torments in which he cried out in misery. Presently, when he had been delivered from these torments, a voice came to him from heaven, saying that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Thus he then began to think and acknowledge something, but because the torments had first driven him, his confession cannot as yet be accepted, because it is not as yet from faith. 1747, Dec. 29.
417. De mutatione facta in coelo
Fuerunt, qui altissimum locum in coelo occuparunt, ex eo quod crediderint in terra, se supremos esse, et omnes praeter eos, tanquam nihil, locus iste occupatus a quibusdam, quorum mentionem non facere licet, nec causam licet propalare, assimilantur similes stellis, nam apparent sibi tanquam soles, et qui ex mundo animae alluunt, eos adorant, et quia adorarunt in vita, introducuntur ad eos primum, ut dein inde eximantur; stellarum istarum magna heri, ni fallor, ex altissimo eo loco dejecta est, et cum eo, quem adorarunt, sicut idolum, circiter turba tunc manens 500 ad 1
600, ut dictum, sed ii cum principe eorum in hac sphaera subsistentes hodie, sicut continue prius, sed nunc majores turbas excitare inceperunt, quare postquam princeps eorum instructus iterum et admonitus, et tamen a sua opinione fidei inversa non desistere voluit, ideo rejectus est, et per unum aut alterum circiter minutum passus cruciatus infernales, in quibus misere exclamavit, mox ab iis liberatus vox ad eum ex coelo venit, quod Jesus Christus est Filius Dei, ita incepit tunc cogitare, et aliquid agnoscere, sed quia cruciatus primum adegerunt eum, ejus confessio adhuc non potest accipi, quia adhuc non ex fide. 1747, d. 29 Dec.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has a