The Bible

 

耶利米哀歌 1

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1 先前满有人民的城,现在何竟独!先前在列国中为大的,现在竟如寡妇;先前在诸省中为王后的,现在成为进贡的。

2 她夜间痛哭,泪流满腮;在一切所亲的中间没有一个安慰她的。她的朋友都以诡诈待她,成为她的仇敌。

3 犹大因遭遇苦难,又因多服劳苦就迁到外邦。她在列国中,寻不着安息;追逼她的都在狭窄之地将她追上。

4 锡安的径因无人守圣节就悲伤;她的城凄凉;她的祭司叹息;她的处女受艰难,自己也愁苦。

5 她的敌人为首;她的仇敌亨通;因耶和华为她许多的罪过使她受苦;她的孩童被敌人掳去。

6 锡安城(原文是女子;下同)的威荣全都失去。她的首领像不着场的鹿;在追赶的人前无力行走。

7 耶路撒冷在困苦窘迫之时,就追想古时一切的乐境。她百姓落在敌人中,无人救济;敌人见,就因她的荒凉嗤笑。

8 耶路撒冷大大犯罪,所以成为不洁之物;素来尊敬她的,见她赤露就都藐视她;她自己也叹息退後。

9 她的污秽是在衣襟上;她不思想自己的结局,所以非常地败落,无人安慰她。她说:耶和华啊,求你我的苦难,因为仇敌夸大。

10 敌人伸,夺取她的美物;她眼见外邦人进入她的圣所─论这外邦人,你曾吩咐不可入你的会中。

11 她的民都叹息,寻求食物;他们用美物换粮食,要救性命。他们说:耶和华啊,求你观,因为我甚是卑贱。

12 你们一切过的人哪,这事你们不介意麽?你们要观:有像这临到我的痛苦没有─就是耶和华在他发烈怒的日子使我所受的苦?

13 他从使进入我的骨头,克制了我;他铺下罗,绊我的,使我回;他使我终日凄凉发昏。

14 我罪过的轭是他所绑的,犹如轭绳缚在我颈项上;他使我的力量衰败。主将我交在我所不能敌挡的人中。

15 耶和华轻弃我中间的一切勇士,招聚多人〔原文作大会〕攻击我,

16 我因这些事哭泣;我眼泪汪汪;因为那当安慰我、救我性命的,离我甚远。我的儿女孤苦,因为仇敌得了胜。

17 锡安举,无人安慰耶和华雅各已经出令,使四围的人作他仇敌;耶路撒冷在他们中间像不洁之物。

18 耶和华是公的!他这样待我,是因我违背他的命令。众民哪,请我的话,我的痛苦;我的处女和少年人都被掳去。

19 我招呼我所亲的,他们却愚弄我。我的祭司长老正寻求食物、救性命的时候,就在城中绝气。

20 耶和华啊,求你观,因为我在急难中。我肠扰乱;我在我里面翻,因我大大悖逆。在外,刀使人丧子;在家,犹如死亡。

21 见我叹息的有人;安慰我的却无人!我的仇敌都见我所遭的患难;因你做这事,他们都喜乐。你必使你报告的日子到,他们就像我一样。

22 愿他们的恶行都呈在你面前;你怎样因我的一切罪过待我,求你照样待他们;因我叹息甚多,中发昏。

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #899

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899. And twelve gates. This symbolizes all the concepts of truth and goodness by which a person is introduced into the church.

Gates symbolize concepts of truth and goodness from the Word, because a person is introduced into the church by them. For the wall that had the gates symbolizes the Word, as explained just above in no. 898. Moreover we are later told that "the twelve gates were twelve pearls: each gate was of one pearl" (verse 21), and pearls symbolize concepts of truth and goodness (no. 727). Clearly it is by these concepts that people are introduced into the church, as through gates into a city.

That the number twelve symbolizes all people may be seen in no. 348 above.

Gates symbolize concepts of truth and goodness also in the following places:

I will... lay your foundations in sapphires; I will make your pinnacles of garnets, and your gates carbuncle-stones. 1 (Isaiah 54:11-12)

Jehovah loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! (Psalms 87:2-3)

Enter through His gates with confession... Confess Him, bless His name. (Psalms 100:4)

Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built as a city that holds fast together. (Psalms 122:2-3)

Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem! ...For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children in your midst. (Psalms 147:12-13)

...that I may recount all Your praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion. (Psalms 9:14)

Open the gates, that a righteous nation which keeps its fealties may enter in. (Isaiah 26:2)

...raise your voice... that they may enter the gate of the princes. (Isaiah 13:2)

Blessed are those who do His commandments... and enter through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)

Lift up your heads, O you gates... that the King of glory may come in. (Psalms 24:7, 9)

The roads to Zion mourn... All her gates are desolate; her priests groan... (Lamentations 1:4)

Judah mourned, and her gates have been made to languish. (Jeremiah 14:2)

Jehovah has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion... Her gates have sunk into the ground. (Lamentations 2:8-9)

...who make a man to sin against the Word, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate... (Isaiah 29:21)

They chose new gods; then he began to attack the gates. (Judges 5:8)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 3:25-26; 14:31; 22:7; 24:12; 28:6; 62:10; Jeremiah 1:15; 15:7; 31:38, 40; Micah 2:13; Nahum 3:13; Judges 5:11.

Since gates symbolize introductory truths, which are concepts from the Word, therefore the elders of the city used to sit as judges at the gates, as is apparent from Deuteronomy 21:18-21; 22:15; Lamentations 5:14; Amos 5:12, 15; Zechariah 8:16.

Footnotes:

1. A name variously applied in former times to precious stones of a red or fiery color.

  
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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.