760. On hatred during life in the body: what it causes in the other life
A certain person, owing to various misfortunes and for various reasons, during his bodily life had nursed a hatred against some he thought had persecuted him, and on account of the length of time [he had persisted in doing this], it had taken root. I was able to tell this from the acts of his life, as well as from conversation with him. When he saw someone whom he had hated in bodily life, it was as if he had suddenly been torn away from the conversation he was having with another and had been hurled from above like a bolt of lightning, casting himself at the one whom he hated, intent on destroying him - but he was not permitted to do so. Only to me, it appeared that he took something from [the other's] head, but this then fell out of his hands.
So he was brought to me, and he remained for some time, almost as in sleep, absent from himself, constantly thinking about the one whom he had hated. Afterwards he spoke with me, and I showed him that he could have no reason for hating that person, because I had never heard that person speaking of him, either well or ill, nor had that person ever hated him, but what he had done had been done by necessity and by agreement.
Finally I noticed that the hatred in him was allayed, showing that he was still capable of moderating his hatred. This I can infer for the reason that when he suffered misfortunes during his bodily life, the Lord had been merciful to him. 1748, 13 February. This was written in his presence.
760. CONCERNING HATRED IN THE LIFE OF THE BODY: WHAT IT BRINGS ABOUT IN THE OTHER LIFE
A certain spirit in the life of the body, owing to various misfortunes and other causes, had cherished hatred against those who, he supposed, had persecuted him, and because of the length of time it had become inrooted in him. I could know this from the acts of his life, and also from conversation with him. When he perceived a certain one whom he had hated during his life in the body, it was as if he were suddenly snatched away from the conversation in which he was engaged with another, and like a thunderbolt lightning from above, he threw himself at the one whom he hated, and wished to utterly destroy him. But this was not permitted, although it seemed to me that he took something away from his head, but this at once fell from his hands. So he was brought to me, where he remained for some time almost as if he were asleep, outside himself, continually thinking about him whom he hated. He afterwards spoke with me, and I showed him that he could have had no cause for hating him, for I had never heard that person speaking about him either good or bad, nor did that other ever hate him, but what he had done had been done from necessity and consent. At length I observed that his hatred was appeased, so that he was still such that his hatred could be moderated; therefore I can conclude that, because in the life of the body he had suffered misfortunes, his Lord had been merciful. 1748, Feb. 13.
This was written in his presence.
760. De odio in vita corporis, quid faciat in altera vita
Quidam ex variis infortuniis et causis nutriverat in vita corporis odium contra eos, quos putarat 1
, eum 2
persequutos, et propter diuturnitatem temporis id radicavit, sicut scire potui ex vitae ejus actis, tum ex colloquutione cum eo, is, cum percepit quendam, quem in vita corporis odio habuerat, subito quasi raptus est a sermone, in quo erat cum alio, et sicut fulmen ejectus superne, et se conjecit ad illum, quem odio habuit, voluitque illum interimere, sed non admissus, solum mihi videbatur quod aliquid abstulerit ex capite, sed hoc mox delapsum est ex manibus ejus, sic ad me allatus, et ibi mansit aliquamdiu paene sicut in somno, extra se, jugiter cogitans super eum, quem odio habuerat, postea mecum loquutus est, et monstravi ei, quod nullam causam habere potuerit illum odio habendi, quia nusquam audivi illum loquentem 3
de eo, neque bene neque sinistre, et quod nusquam eum odio habuerit, sed quod effecerat, id ex necessitate et consensu factum; tandem animadverti quod apud eum, odium est sedatum, sic ut usque capax fuerit, ut temperari posset odium, quod concludere possum ideo, quia [cum] in vita corporis infortunia passus, Dominus ejus misertus fuerit. 1748, 13 Febr. Hoc in praesentia ejus scriptum est.
Footnotes:
1. J.F.I in Tafel's edition putavit
2. The Manuscript has se
3. imperfectum in the Manuscript