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但以理书 4

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1 尼布甲尼撒王晓谕住在全地各方、各国、各族的人说:愿你们大享平安!

2 我乐意将至的神向我所行的神迹奇事宣扬出来。

3 他的神迹何其大!他的奇事何其盛!他的国是永远的;他的权柄存到万代!

4 尼布甲尼撒安居在宫中,平顺在殿内。

5 我做了一梦,使我惧怕。我在床上的思念,并脑中的异象,使我惊惶。

6 所以我降旨召巴比伦的一切哲士到我面前,叫他们把梦的讲解告诉我。

7 於是那些术士、用法术的、迦勒底人、观兆的都进来,我将那梦告诉了他们,他们却不能把梦的讲解告诉我。

8 末後那照我神的名,称为伯提沙撒的但以理来到我面前,他里头有圣神的灵,我将梦告诉他说:

9 术士的领袖伯提沙撒啊,因我知道你里头有圣神的灵,甚麽奥秘的事都不能使你为难。现在要把我梦中所见的异象和梦的讲解告诉我。

10 我在床上脑中的异象是这样:我看见地当中有一棵树,极其大。

11 那树渐长,而且坚固,高得顶天,从地极都能看见,

12 叶子华美,果子甚多,可作众生的食物;田野的走兽卧在荫,天空的飞鸟宿在枝上;凡有血气的都从这树得食。

13 我在床上脑中的异象,见有一位守望的圣者从天而降。

14 大声呼叫:伐倒这树!砍枝子!摇掉叶子!抛散果子!使走兽离开树,飞鸟躲开树枝。

15 树墩却要留在地内,用铁圈和铜圈箍住,在田野的青草中让天露滴湿,使他与地上的兽一同吃草,

16 使他的心改变,不如人心;给他一个兽心,使他经过期(期:或译年;本章同)。

17 这是守望者所发的命,圣者所出的令,好叫世人知道至者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁,或立极卑微的人执掌国权。

18 这是我─尼布甲尼撒王所做的梦。伯提沙撒啊,你要说明这梦的讲解;因为我国中的一切哲士都不能将梦的讲解告诉我,惟独你能,因你里头有圣神的灵。

19 於是称为伯提沙撒的但以理惊讶片时,心意惊惶。王:伯提沙撒啊,不要因梦和梦的讲解惊惶。伯提沙撒回答:我主啊,愿这梦归与恨恶你的人,讲解归与你的敌人。

20 你所见的树渐长,而且坚固,得顶天,从地极都能看见;

21 叶子华美,果子甚多,可作众生的食物;田野的走兽住在其;天空的飞鸟宿在枝上。

22 王啊,这渐长又坚固的树就是你。你的威势渐长及天,你的权柄管到地极。

23 王既看见一位守望的圣者从天而降,:将这树砍伐毁坏,树墩却要留在地内,用铁圈和铜圈箍住;在田野的青草中,让天露滴湿,使他与地上的兽一同吃草,直到经过七期。

24 王啊,讲解就是这样:临到我主我王的事是出於至者的命。

25 你必被赶出离开世人,与野地的兽同居,吃草如牛,被天露滴湿,且要经过七期。等你知道至者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁。

26 守望者既吩咐存留树墩,等你知道诸天掌权,以後你的国必定归你。

27 王啊,求你悦纳我的谏言,以施行公断绝罪过,以怜悯穷人除掉罪孽,或者你的平安可以延长。

28 这事都临到尼布甲尼撒王。

29 过了十二个月,他游行在巴比伦王宫里(原文是上)。

30 :这大巴比伦不是我用大能大力建为京都,要显我威严的荣耀麽?

31 这话在王口中尚未完,有声音从天降下,尼布甲尼撒王啊,有话对你,你的国位离开你了。

32 你必被赶出离开世人,与野地的兽同居,吃草如牛,且要经过七期。等你知道至者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁。

33 当时这话就应验在尼布甲尼撒的身上,他被赶出离开世人,吃草如牛,身被天露滴湿,头发长长,好像鹰毛;指甲长长,如同鸟爪。

34 日子满足,我─尼布甲尼撒举目望天,我的聪明复归於我,我便称颂至者,赞美尊敬活到永远的神。他的权柄是永有的;他的国存到万代。

35 世上所有的居民都算为虚无;在天上的万军和世上的居民中,他都凭自己的意旨行事。无人能拦住他手,或问他,你做甚麽呢?

36 那时,我的聪明复归於我,为我国的荣耀、威严,和光耀也都复归於我;并且我的谋士和大臣也来朝见我。我又得坚立在国位上,至大的权柄加增於我。

37 现在我─尼布甲尼撒赞美、尊崇、恭敬天上的王;因为他所做的全都诚实,他所行的也都公平。那行动骄傲的,他能降为卑。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #158

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158. "'Be watchful.'" (3:2) This symbolically means that they should have truths and live in accordance with them.

To be watchful has precisely this symbolic meaning in the Word, for a person who learns truths and lives according to them is like someone who awakens from sleep and becomes alert. By contrast, a person who lacks truths, but who is engaged simply in worship, is like someone who is asleep and dreaming.

Natural life, regarded in itself or apart from spiritual life, is really no more than a state of sleep, whereas natural life that contains spiritual life is a state of alertness. This alertness, moreover, is obtained only through truths - truths which appear in their own light and in their own clarity when a person lives in accordance with them.

This is the symbolic meaning of watching in the following passages:

Watch..., for you do not know at what hour your Lord will come. (Matthew 24:42)

Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, will find watching... Be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect. (Luke 12:37, 40)

Watch..., for you do not know when the lord of the house will come..., lest, when he comes suddenly, he find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:35-37)

While the bridegroom was delayed, (the virgins)...slumbered and slept... And the (five foolish) virgins came..., saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us!" But (the Lord) answered..., ."..I do not know you." Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour at which the Son of Man will come. (Matthew 25:1-13)

Because the Lord's coming is called the morning (no. 151), and truths are then revealed and light dawns, therefore that time is called "the beginning of the watches" in Lamentations 2:19, and the Lord is called "a watcher" in Daniel 4:13. Moreover we read in Isaiah,

Your dead shall live... Awake..., you who dwell in dust. (Isaiah 26:19)

To be shown that the state of a person who lacks truths is called slumbering and sleep, see Jeremiah 51:39, 57, Psalms 13:3; 76:6, Matthew 13:25, and other places.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.