The Bible

 

耶利米哀歌 4

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1 何其失光!纯何其变色!所的石头倒在各市口上。

2 锡安宝贵的众子好比精金,现在何竟算为窑匠所做的瓦瓶?

3 野狗尚且把奶哺其子,我民的妇人倒成为残忍,好像旷野的鸵鸟一般。

4 吃奶孩子的舌头因乾渴贴住上膛;孩童求饼,无人擘给他们。

5 素来美好食物的,现今在街上变为孤寒;素来卧朱红褥子的,现今躺卧粪堆

6 都因我众民的孽比所多玛还大;所多玛虽然无人加於他,还是转眼之间被倾覆

7 锡安的贵胄素来比纯净,比奶更白;他们的身体比红宝玉(或译:珊瑚)更红,像光润的蓝宝石一样。

8 现在他们的面貌比煤炭更黑,以致在街上无人认识;他们的皮肤紧贴骨头,枯乾如同槁

9 饿的不如被刀杀的,因为这是缺了田间的土产,就身体衰弱,渐渐消灭。

10 慈悲的妇人,当我众民被毁灭的时候,亲自己的儿女作为食物。

11 耶和华发怒成就他所定的,倒出他的烈怒;在锡安使着起,烧毁锡安的根基

12 上的君和世上的居民都不信敌人和仇敌能进耶路撒冷的城

13 这都因他先知罪恶祭司孽;他们在城中流了人的血。

14 他们在街上如瞎子乱走,又被血玷污,以致人不能摸他们的衣服。

15 人向他们喊着:!不洁净的,躲开,躲开!不要挨近我!他们逃走飘流的时候,列国中有人:他们不可仍在这里寄居。

16 耶和华发怒,将他们分散,不再眷顾他们;人不重看祭司,也不厚待长老

17 我们仰望人来帮助,以致眼目失明,还是枉然;我们所盼望的,竟盼望一个不能人的国!

18 仇敌追赶我们的脚步像打猎的,以致我们不敢在自己的街上行走。我们的结局临近;我们的日子满足;我们的结局到了。

19 追赶我们的比空中的更快;他们在上追逼我们,在旷野埋伏,等候我们

20 耶和华的受膏者好比我们鼻中的气,在他们的坑中被捉住;我们曾论到他:我们必在他荫,在列国中存活。

21 乌斯以东民哪,只管欢喜快乐;苦杯也必传到你那里;你必喝醉,以致露体。

22 锡安的民哪,你孽的刑罚受足了,耶和华必不使你再被掳去。以东的民哪,他必追讨你的孽,显露你的罪恶

   

The Bible

 

以赛亚书 57:15

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15 因为那至至上、永远长存(原文是住在永远)、名为圣者的如此:我住在至至圣的所在,也与灵痛悔谦卑的人同居;要使谦卑人的灵苏醒,也使痛悔人的苏醒。

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #148

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148. And upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth except he that receiveth, signifies a state of interior life unknown to all except those who are in it. This is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality of state (of which see Arcana Coelestia (1754, 1896, 2009, 3237, 3421); here the quality of the state of the interior life, because it is said "a new name, which no one knoweth except he that receiveth," for the quality of the state of the interior life is wholly unknown to those who are not in the interior life. Those are in the interior life who are in love to the Lord, and none are in love to the Lord except those who acknowledge the Divine in His Human (that to love the Lord is to live according to His precepts, see Arcana Coelestia 10143, 10153, 10578, 10645, 10829). Interior life is the spiritual life, in which the angels of heaven are; but the exterior life is the natural life, in which are all who are not in heaven. With those, moreover, who live according to the precepts of the Lord and acknowledge the Divine in His Human, the interior mind is opened, and man then becomes spiritual; but those who do not so live, and do not acknowledge the Lord, remain natural. (That to all who are not in heavenly love the state of the interior or spiritual life is unknown, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 395-414; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 105, 238.)

[2] That "name" in the Word signifies quality of state is evident from many passages there, some of which I will here cite in confirmation. Thus in Isaiah:

Lift up your eyes on high and see; who hath created these? He that leadeth out the host in number; that calleth them all by name (Isaiah 40:26).

"His calling them all by name" is knowing the quality of all, and giving to them according to the state of love and faith with them. In John the meaning is similar:

He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out (John 10:2-3).

In Isaiah:

Thus saith Jehovah thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Former, O Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, and have called thee by name; thou art Mine (Isaiah 43:1).

In the same:

That thou mayest know that I am Jehovah, who had called thee by thy name. For Jacob My servant's sake, and Israel My chosen, I have called thee by thy name, when thou didst not know Me (Isaiah 45:3-4).

"I have called thee by thy name" means that He knew the quality of the state of the church; for "Jacob" and "Israel" are the church, "Jacob" the external church, and "Israel" the internal.

[3] In the same:

Israel, if thou hadst hearkened to My commandments, his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before Me (Isaiah 48:18-19).

"The name being cut off and destroyed from before Jehovah" denotes the quality of the state by which conjunction is effected, which state is the spiritual state of him who is of the church signified by "Israel." Again in the same prophet:

Jehovah hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother doth He make mention of my name (Isaiah 49:1).

here "making mention of the name" is knowing the quality. In the same:

For Zion's sake I will not be still, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet. And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall utter (Isaiah 62:1, 2).

In the same:

He shall call His servants by another name (Isaiah 65:15).

"To call by a new name," and "by another name," is to bestow another state of life, namely, a state of spiritual life. In Ezekiel:

The city of bloods, polluted by name (Ezekiel 22:2, 5).

"The city of bloods" is the doctrine that offers violence to the good of charity; this is said to be "polluted by name" when it abounds with falsities and evils therefrom, which constitute its quality.

[4] In Moses:

Moses said unto Jehovah, Thou hast said, I know thee by thy name. And Jehovah said unto Moses, This word also that thou hast spoken I will do, for I know thee by name (Exodus 33:12, 17).

"His knowing Moses by name" is knowing his quality. In Revelation:

Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white garments, and I will confess his name before My Father. He that overcometh, I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, and My new name (Revelation 3:4, 5, 12).

It can be seen that "name" here signifies the quality of state in respect to the good of love and the truth of faith. In another place:

Whose names have not been written in the book of life (Revelation 13:8; 17:8).

"Names written in the book of life" are the quality of all things of man's love and faith, the all things of his spiritual life. In another place:

They shall see the face of God and the Lamb, and His name shall be in their forehead (Revelation 22:4).

"His name in their forehead" is a state of love, for "forehead" corresponds to love, and therefore signifies love.

[5] "Name" in the Word signifies the quality of man's state, because in the spiritual world each one is named according to the state of life in which he is, thus variously; for spiritual speech is not like human speech; all things there are expressed according to ideas of things and of persons; and these ideas fall into words. (This can be seen more clearly from what is shown on The Speech of the Angels in Heaven, in the work on Heaven and Hell 234-245; also see above, n. 102, 135, where it is shown what "the name of Jehovah," "of the Lord," and "of Jesus Christ" signify in the Word.)

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.