4992. Behold, my lord knoweth not what is with me in the house. That this signifies that natural good did not desire even appropriation, is evident from the signification of his “lord,” as being natural good (see n. 4973); and from the signification of “not knowing what is with me in the house,” as being not to desire appropriation. That this is the meaning cannot be seen except from the series of things in the internal sense; for a third state is now treated of, in which the celestial of the spiritual was in the natural: in this state the good and truth natural which is spiritual, is separate from the good and truth natural which is not spiritual; and consequently by “not knowing what is in the house” is signified that there is no desire for appropriation. But these things, being arcana, cannot be made clear except by examples. Let the following example therefore serve for illustration. To be conjoined with one’s wife from lust alone, this is natural not spiritual; but to be conjoined with one’s wife from conjugial love, this is spiritual natural; and when the husband is afterward conjoined from lust alone, he believes that he transgresses, as one who does what is lascivious, and therefore he no longer desires that this should be appropriated to him. Let this also serve as an example. To benefit a friend, no matter what his quality, provided he is a friend is natural not spiritual; but to benefit a friend for the sake of the good that is in him, and still more to hold good itself as the friend which is to be benefited, this is spiritual natural; and when anyone is in this, he knows that he transgresses if he benefits a friend who is evil, for then through him he injures others. When he is in this state, he holds in aversion the appropriation of good natural not spiritual, in which good he was before. And so it is with everything else.