5398. From the western quarter there was a multitude whose speech sounded sincere, so that from it they might be believed to be virtual models of honesty, and who by their speech could induce simple people to believe that they were honest. They were those who had appeared such in the world and had affected honesty for the sake of reputation but inwardly were without conscience and without religion. They plot together how they can conquer and exercise control. They attack others from behind and not head on, and in this way breathe in such things as they themselves are thinking, and finally overcome those others. These too were together cast into a hell there toward the front under the western tract. These were for the most part inwardly malicious, thinking out tricks for making a profit for the purpose of exercising control.
5398. In the western quarter was a multitude, whose speech sounded sincere, so that, from the speech, they might be believed to be as it were sincerity itself, and who, by means of this fact, were able to induce the simple-minded to believe that they were sincere. They were those who so appeared in the world, and tried to obtain a reputation for sincerity, but, inwardly, were destitute of conscience and without religion. They consult together how they may subjugate and rule the simple-minded. They assail others behind the back, and not to their face; and they thus inspire such things as they think, and at length subjugate them. They were also cast into a hell in front there, under the western region. For the most part, they were, inwardly, wickednesses - devisers of arts to get gain, with the end of ruling.
5398. Ab occidentali plaga fuit multitudo, quorum loquela sonabat sincera, sic ut ex loquela crederentur quasi sinceritates, qui per id inducere potuerunt simplices ad credendum quod sinceri essent, erant qui in mundo ita apparuerunt, ac sinceritatis famam affectarunt, at intus absque conscientia, et absque religione; illi consultant inter se quomodo simplices subjugent et dominentur; a tergo aggrediuntur alios, et non a facie, et sic inspirant talia quae cogitant, et tandem subjugant; illi etiam conjecti sunt in infernum ibi antrorsum sub tractu occidentali; hi quoad plurimam partem intus erant malitiae, excogitatores artium lucrandi ex dominandi fine.