The Bible

 

創世記 4

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1 有一日,那和他妻子夏娃同房,夏娃就懷孕,生了該隱(就是得的意思),便耶和華使我得了一個子。

2 又生了該隱兄弟亞伯亞伯是牧的;該隱是種地的。

3 有一日,該隱拿地裡的出產為供物獻給耶和華

4 亞伯也將他羊群中頭生的和的脂油獻上。耶和華看中了亞伯和他的供物,

5 只是看不中該隱和他的供物。該隱就大大的發怒,變了臉色。

6 耶和華該隱:你為甚麼發怒呢?你為甚麼變了臉色呢?

7 你若行得好,豈不蒙悅納?你若行得不好,就伏在前。他必戀慕你,你卻要制伏他。

8 該隱與他兄弟亞伯話;二人正在田間。該隱起來打他兄弟亞伯,把他殺了。

9 耶和華該隱:你兄弟亞伯在那裡?他:我不知道!我豈是看守我兄弟的麼?

10 耶和華:你作了甚麼事呢?你兄弟的血有聲音從地裡向我哀告。

11 開了,從你裡接受你兄弟的血。現在你必從這地受咒詛。

12 你種不再你效力;你必流離飄蕩在上。

13 該隱耶和華:我的刑罰太重,過於我所能當的。

14 你如今趕逐我離開這,以致不見你面;我必流離飄蕩在上,凡遇見我的必殺我。

15 耶和華對他:凡殺該隱的,必遭報七倍。耶和華就給該隱立一個記號,免得人遇見他就殺他。

16 於是該隱離開耶和華的面,去在伊甸東邊挪得之

17 該隱妻子同房,他妻子就懷孕,生了以諾該隱建造了一座城,就按著他兒子的名將那城以諾

18 以諾生以拿;以拿生米戶雅利;米戶雅利生瑪土撒利;瑪土撒利生拉麥。

19 拉麥娶了兩個妻:個名叫亞大,個名叫洗拉。

20 亞大生雅八;雅八就是帳棚、牧養牲畜之人的祖師。

21 雅八的兄弟名叫猶八;他是一切彈琴吹簫之人的祖師。

22 洗拉又生了土八該隱;他是打造各樣銅利器的(或作:是銅匠匠的祖師)。土八該隱的妹子是拿瑪。

23 拉麥對他兩個妻子:亞大、洗拉,我的聲音;拉麥的妻子,細我的話語:壯年傷我,我把他殺了;少年損我,我把他害了(或作我殺壯士卻傷自己,我害幼童卻損本身。)

24 若殺該隱,遭報七倍,殺拉麥,必遭報七倍

25 亞當又與妻子同房,他就生了一個兒子,起名塞特,意思另給我立了一個兒子代替亞伯,因為該隱殺了他。

26 塞特也生了一個兒子,起名以挪士。那時候,人才求告耶和華的名。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #382

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382. 'Being a wanderer and a fugitive in the land' means not knowing what truth and good are. This is clear from the meaning in the Word of 'wandering' and of 'fleeing', as in Jeremiah,

Prophets and priests wander blind in the streets; they are defiled with blood. Things which have no power they touch with their garments. Lamentations 4:13-14.

Here 'prophets' stands for those who teach, 'priests' for those who live according to what is taught. 'Wandering blind in the streets' means not knowing what good and truth are.

[2] In Amos,

Part of one field had rain, and part of the field on which it did not rain dried up. So two or three cities will wander to one city to drink water, and they will not be satisfied. Amos 4:7-8.

Here 'the part of the field on which rain fell' is the doctrine of faith that derives from charity, while 'the part or section of the field on which it did not rain' is the doctrine of faith devoid of charity. 'Wandering to drink water' similarly means searching for truth.

[3] In Hosea,

Ephraim has been stricken, their root has dried up, they will bear no fruit. My God will cast them away because they have not hearkened to Him, and they will be wanderers among the nations. Hosea 9:16-17.

'Ephraim' stands for an understanding of truth, that is, for faith, since he was Joseph' s firstborn. 'A root which had dried up' stands for charity that is incapable of bearing fruit. 'Wanderers among the nations' means that they have no knowledge of truth and good.

[4] In Jeremiah,

Go up against Arabia and lay waste the sons of the east. Flee, wander far away; the inhabitants of Hazer have plunged into the depths to dwell there. Jeremiah 49:28, 30.

'Arabia' and 'the sons of the east' stand for the possession of celestial riches, or things of love, which when laid waste are also spoken of as 'fleeing and wandering', or fugitives and wanderers, when they achieve nothing good at all. And 'the inhabitants of Hazer', or those who possess spiritual riches, which are things of faith, are spoken of as 'plunging into the depths', which means perishing.

In Isaiah,

All your chief men are wandering about together, on account of the bow they have been put in chains. They have fled from far away. Isaiah 12:3.

This refers to 'the valley of vision', which is the delusion that faith can exist without charity. This explains why verse 14 below speaks of 'a wanderer and a fugitive', that is, a person who, confessing faith in isolation from charity, has no knowledge at all of truth and good.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.