9253. And thou shalt not reverence a poor man in his cause. That this signifies that no favor is to be shown to the falsities in which are those who are in ignorance of truth, is evident from the signification of “a poor man,” as being those who are in few truths, and are also in falsities from ignorance. But those among them who are in good, wish to be instructed in truths; whereas those who are in evil, do not wish to be instructed. For with those who are in good, falsities can be bent to truths, and finally can be dissipated; whereas with those who are in evil, falsities cannot be bent to truths, thus cannot be dissipated. Of these “poor men” it is said “thou shalt not reverence them in their cause,” that is, thou shalt not favor their falsities; for by “reverencing” is signified favoring, and by “a cause” is signified a controversy of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth. (That the “poor” denote those who are in few truths, and are in falsities from ignorance, see n. 9209; and that the falsities with those who are in good are gentle and flexible, while the falsities with those who are in evil are hard and inflexible, n. 4736, 6359, 8051, 8149, 8298, 8311, 8318)