4375. The evil esteem no friend, but want to torment all
There was a certain acquaintance for whom I did a greater favor than I had ever done for anyone else, and he had always looked on me as a friend. He had stayed with me for months, constantly thinking evil against me, and striving with all his effort to torment me, more secretly than all others. I reminded him of the acts of friendship and other things of the kind I had performed, but this meant nothing to him. He had no reason at all, not the least reason, but only the enjoyment of tormenting someone.
Such are the evil in the other life. He had contracted this nature from the fact that in life he had occupied the kind of function that enabled him either to assist, or to destroy, but he constantly thought about destroying, caring nothing for orphans, widows, the miserable - only for the rich, or anyone who could raise him to honors or give him some money lest he go to ruin. This he also admitted. 1749, 24 Aug. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of Saturn, meaning Saturday.
4375. THAT THE EVIL HAVE NO TRUE REGARD FOR ANY OF THEIR FRIENDS, BUT ARE DISPOSED TO TORMENT ALL.
There was a certain one whom I well knew, to whom I had rendered greater service than to any other, and who had always seemed to regard me as a friend. This person was with me for the space of several months, and was continually plotting evil and studying by secret methods, beyond all others, to torment me. I reminded him of the acts of friendship I had performed for him, and the like, but it was of no avail; he continued to torment me, though he had not the slightest shadow of a cause, but was prompted solely by a certain pleasure in inflicting misery upon everyone. Such are the evil in the other life. The person in question had contracted this nature from the circumstance that during his life he had occupied situations in which he could either assist or injure; but he was in fact continually intent upon injury, caring nothing for orphans, widows, or the wretched, but truckling to the rich who could promote him to honor, or buy off his depredations, which he in fact confessed. - 1749, August 24.
4375. Quod mali nullum amicum aestiment, omnes cruciare velint
Erat quidam notus, cui majus officium praestiti, quam usque alii, et semper me aspexit ut amicum, is per menses apud me fuit, et continue malum cogitavit, et studuit omni opera me cruciare, prae aliis omnibus clanculum, dictum ei quod amicitiae opera praestiterim, et alia similia, sed hoc erat sicut nihil, nullam usque causam habuit, ne minimum causae, sed solum voluptatem cruciandi quemcunque: tales sunt mali in altera vita; traxit hanc naturam ex eo, quod in vita in ea functione esset, ut potuisset juvare et perdere, sed continue cogitavit de perdere, nihil curans pupillos, viduas, miseros, solum divites, [sive] qui potuisset eum ad honores vehere, sive aliquid pecuniae dare ne perderet, quod etiam fassus. 1749, 24 Aug.