5830. About the State of those who are in the hells
Several hundred were sent out from one hell for the purpose of their being transferred from there into another, and they were permitted to act according to their nature. Immediately, by means of fantasies, they forced their way up higher, and looking down from there they zealously tried to extinguish marriage love wherever it was, which too they attempted to do with all their might, and after this they tried to do evil. They were then reminded that in hell they had said among themselves that if they were allowed to leave, they would live in that love just as wisely as others do, and yet now they act as a hellish crowd more than the rest. Then I wanted to speak with them, but they were incapable of understanding because they were engrossed in their fantasies, just as they had been in their hell. Upon anything being said in which there was the light of truth, they were severely tormented, so that they fled before the torment began. This happened several times to confirm for me that those who are in the hells cannot bear the light of truth and so neither understanding and wisdom, but are tormented if held in it. They said that I was inflicting evil on them. I replied that I wanted to give them understanding, and that this was what tormented them. I then clearly realized that someone who once comes into hell remains there to eternity and cannot at all live where there is understanding, thus where there is the light of heaven. They also said that thousands choose to live in hell rather than outside it. It was also found that they have no other delight than doing as much evil as they dare and are able to do to whomever they see.
5830. THE STATE OF THOSE WHO ARE IN THE HELLS.
Those from one hell were sent forth to the number of several hundreds, for the purpose of being transferred thence into another; and it was then permitted them to act according to their nature. Immediately, they mounted up, by means of phantasies, to the higher places, and, looking down thence, strove with the utmost assiduity to extinguish conjugial love wherever it was, which, also, they derived from struggling aloft; and afterwards they attempted to commit evil. It was then recalled to their memory, that they told each other, in hell, that, if it were permitted them to get out, they would live as wisely as others, and, nevertheless, they are now acting the infernal crew more than the rest. Afterwards, I wanted to speak with them; but they were not able to understand, because they were in phantasies, just as in their hell. They were so severely tortured at any discourse in which there was the light of truth, that they fled before the torture. This occurred several times, to the end that I might be confirmed in the truth that those who are in the hells cannot bear the light of truth, consequently, intelligence and wisdom, but, if they are kept in it, are tormented. They said that I hurt them. I answered that I wanted to bestow understanding, and that this was what tormented them. I then clearly perceived, that he who once comes into hell stays there to eternity, and that he can by no means live where intelligence, thus where the light of heaven, is. They also stated that they would a thousand times rather live in hell than out of it. It was also ascertained that they had no other delight but that of harming everyone whom they could see, so far as they dare and are able.
5830. De Statu illorum qui in infernis
Ex uno inferno emissi sunt ad aliquot centena, ex causa ut inde in aliud transferrentur, et tunc permissum est illis agere secundum naturam suam, statim per phantasias enisi sunt ad altiora, et inde despicientes summo studio connitebantur exstinguere amorem conjugialem ubi erat, quod etiam tentabant summo nisu, et postea conabantur malum facere, tunc in memoriam eorum revocatum est, quod in inferno dixerint inter se, quod si liceret eis exire, quod viverent aeque sapientes illum 1
sicut alii, et tamen nunc agunt turbam infernalem prae reliquis. Dein loqui cum illis volebam, sed non potuerunt intelligere, quia in phantasia erant, sicut in suo inferno, ad aliquem sermonem in quo lux veri erat, cruciabantur valde, sic ut prae cruciatu aufugerent, hoc factum aliquoties, ut confirmarer quod illi qui in infernis sunt, non sustineant lucem veri, ita intelligentiam et sapientiam, sed quod crucientur si in eo tenerentur, dixerunt quod malum illis facerem, respondi quod vellem intellectum dare, et quod hoc esset quod cruciaret; percepi tunc clare, quod qui semel in infernum venit, maneat ibi in aeternum, et nullatenus possit vivere ubi intelligentia, ita ubi lux coeli, dixerunt etiam quod millies eligerent in inferno vivere, quam extra id. Compertum etiam est quod non aliud jucundum iis esset quam malefaciendi cuicunque quem viderent, quantum audent et possunt.
Footnotes:
1. h.e. amorem conjugialem