5434. And they said unto him, Nay my lord, we are upright. That this signifies that they are truths in themselves, is evident from the signification of “saying to him, Nay my lord,” as being that they did not come to seek gain, which is signified by Joseph’s words, “Ye are spies” (see n. 5432), and that it was not the case that they would like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths, as is signified by Joseph’s words, “To see the nakedness of the land ye are come” (n. 5433); and from the signification of “we are upright,” as being that they are truths in themselves; for in the internal sense “upright” signifies truth, in this as in many other passages of the Word. This meaning-that they are truths in themselves-follows from the series; for to those who have procured for themselves the truths of the church for the purpose of gain, truths are indeed not truths (as was shown above, n. 5433); yet they may be truths in themselves, for the very truths of the church in general are signified by the “sons of Jacob.” That by the “upright” are meant truths in the abstract, is because in the internal sense everything is abstracted from person, and the idea of person is turned into the idea of thing (see n. 5225, 5287). The reason of this is that otherwise the thought and derivative speech must needs be drawn away and lost from the thing itself and the view of it, to such things as are of person; and moreover the thought and derivative speech can in no other way become universal, and comprehend many things at the same time, still less things unlimited and unutterable, as with the angels. Nevertheless this abstracted idea involves persons, namely, those who are in the things in question. Hence it is that by “the upright” are signified truths.