10457. 'The noise of a wretched cry I hear' means the lamentable state of their interiors. This is clear from the meaning of 'the noise of a wretched cry' as that which is lamentable. In the original language this is expressed by a word which means not only a cry but also affliction, and wretchedness, and so means a wretched cry. And when 'the noise' means the essential nature of the interiors, 10454, 'the noise of a wretched cry' means the lamentable state of the interiors.

3218. When angels are stirred by affections and at the same time are discussing these, such things manifest themselves among spirits in the lower sphere as representative types of animals. When the discussion concerns good affections, beautiful, gentle, and useful animals emerge such as those used in sacrifices in the Divine representative worship within the Jewish Church - such as lambs, sheep, kids, she-goats, rams, he-goats, calves, young bulls, and oxen. And whatever is seen at any time on the animal represents some mental image in the angels' thought, which upright spirits are also allowed to perceive. From this one may see what was meant by the animals in the religious observances of the Jewish Church, and what by the same animals when mentioned in the Word, namely affections, 1823, 2179, 2180. But when angels' discussion is about evil affections it is represented by offensive, vicious creatures serving no use, such as tigers, bears, wolves, scorpions, serpents, rats, and so on, even as such affections are also meant by these in the Word.