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Ezechiel 22

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1 Opět stalo se slovo Hospodinovo ke mně, řkoucí:

2 Ty pak synu člověčí, zastával-li bys, zastával-liž bys toho města vražedlného? Raději mu oznam všecky ohavnosti jeho,

3 A rci: Takto praví Panovník Hospodin: Přicházíť čas města toho, jenž prolévá krev u prostřed sebe, a dělá ukydané bohy proti sobě, aby se poškvrňovalo.

4 Ty krví svou, kterouž jsi prolilo, zavinivší, a ukydanými bohy svými, jichž jsi nadělalo, sebe poškvrnivší, to jsi způsobilo, že se přiblížili dnové tvoji, a přišlo jsi k letům svým. Protož vydám tě v pohanění národům, a ku posměchu všechněm zemím.

5 Blízké i daleké od tebe budou se tobě posmívati, ó zlopověstné a různic plné.

6 Aj, knížata Izraelská jeden každý vší silou na to se vydali, aby krev v tobě prolévali.

7 Otce i matku zlehčují v tobě, pohostinnému činí nátisk u prostřed tebe, sirotka a vdovu utiskují v tobě.

8 Svatými věcmi mými zhrdáš, a sobot mých poškvrňuješ.

9 Utrhači jsou v tobě, aby prolévali krev, a na horách jídají v tobě; nešlechetnost páší u prostřed tebe.

10 Nahotu otce syn odkrývá v tobě, a nečisté v oddělení ponižují v tobě.

11 Jiný pak s ženou bližního svého páše ohavnost, a jiný s nevěstou svou poškvrňuje se nešlechetností, a jiný sestry své, dcery otce svého, ponižuje v tobě.

12 Dar berou v tobě, aby krev prolili; lichvu a úrok béřeš, a zisku hledáš s útiskem bližního svého, na mne se pak zapomínáš, dí Panovník Hospodin.

13 Protož aj, já tleskl jsem rukama svýma nad ziskem tvým, jehož dobýváš, i nad tou krví, kteráž byla u prostřed tebe.

14 Zdali ostojí srdce tvé? Zdaž odolají ruce tvé dnům, v nichž já budu zacházeti s tebou? Já Hospodin mluvil jsem i učiním.

15 Nebo rozptýlím tě mezi pohany, a rozženu tě po krajinách, a do konce vyprázdním nečistotu tvou z tebe.

16 A zavrženo jsuc před očima pohanů, poznáš, že já jsem Hospodin.

17 Potom stalo se slovo Hospodinovo ke mně, řkoucí:

18 Synu člověčí, obrátili se mi dům Izraelský v trůsku, všickni napořád jsou měď, cín, železo a olovo u prostřed peci, trůsky stříbra jsou.

19 Pročež takto praví Panovník Hospodin: Proto že jste vy všickni obrátili se v trůsky, protož aj, já shromáždím vás do Jeruzaléma.

20 Jakž se shromažďuje stříbro a měď, železo, olovo i cín do prostřed peci, k rozdmýchání ohně vůkol něho a k rozpouštění: tak shromáždím v hněvě a v prchlivosti své, a slože, rozpouštěti vás budu.

21 Sberu vás, pravím, a rozdmýchám okolo vás oheň prchlivosti své, i rozpustíte se u prostřed města.

22 Jakž se stříbro rozpouští v peci, tak se rozpustíte u prostřed něho, i zvíte, že já Hospodin vylil jsem prchlivost svou na vás.

23 Ještě stalo se slovo Hospodinovo ke mně, řkoucí:

24 Synu člověčí, rci: Ty země jsi nečistá, nebudeš deštěm svlažena v den rozhněvání.

25 Spiknutí proroků jejích u prostřed ní, jsou podobni lvu řvoucímu, uchvacujícímu loupež, duše žerou, bohatství a věci drahé berou, a činí mnoho vdov u prostřed ní.

26 Kněží její natahují zákona mého, a svaté věci mé poškvrňují, mezi svatým a poškvrněným rozdílu nečiní, a mezi nečistým a čistým nerozeznávají. Nadto od sobot mých skrývají oči své, tak že zlehčován bývám mezi nimi.

27 Knížata její u prostřed ní jsou jako vlci uchvacující loupež, vylévajíce krev, hubíce duše, aby sháněli mrzký zisk.

28 Proroci pak jejich obmítají jim vápnem ničemným, předpovídají marné věci, a hádají jim lež, říkajíce: Takto praví Panovník Hospodin, ješto Hospodin nemluvil.

29 Lid této země činí nátisk, a cizí věci mocí béře, chudému a nuznému ubližují, a pohostinného utiskují nespravedlivě.

30 Hledaje pak někoho z nich, kterýž by udělal hradbu, a postavil se v mezeře před tváří mou za tuto zemi, abych jí nezkazil, žádného nenacházím.

31 Protož vyleji na ně rozhněvání své, ohněm prchlivosti své konec jim učiním, cestu jejich jim na hlavu obrátím, praví Panovník Hospodin.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #238

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238. And miserable and poor. That this signifies that neither do they know that these have neither knowledges of truth nor knowledges of good, is evident from the signification of misery, or miserable, as being those who are destitute of the knowledges of truth; and from the signification of poor, as being those who are without the knowledges of good. That the terms miserable and poor have such signification is evident from many passages in the Word, and moreover from this consideration, that spiritual misery and poverty are nothing else but a defect of the knowledges of truth and good, for when such defect exists, the spirit is both miserable and poor; but when these knowledges are possessed, the spirit is rich and opulent; therefore by riches and wealth in the Word are signified spiritual riches and wealth, which are the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good, as was shown above (n. 236).

[2] Miserable and poor are terms used in many passages in the Word; but when the spiritual sense of these terms is not known, it is believed that only those are meant who are miserable and poor as to the things of the world; when nevertheless these are not meant, but those who are not in truths and goods and in the knowledges thereof. Indeed, by the miserable are meant those who are not in truths because not in the knowledges of them, and by the poor, those who are not in goods because they are not in the knowledges thereof. Because truths and goods, are meant by these two expressions, therefore in many places both are mentioned, as in David:

"I am miserable and poor, Lord, remember me" (Psalms 40:17; 70:5).

Again:

"Incline thine ear, O Jehovah, answer; for I am miserable and poor" (Psalms 86:1).

That by the miserable and poor are not meant those who are so as to worldly riches, but as to spiritual riches, is clear, because David spoke this concerning himself; therefore he also said, "Jehovah, incline thine ear, and answer."

[3] Again:

"The wicked make bare the sword, and bend their bow, to cast down the miserable and poor" (Psalms 37:14).

That by the miserable and poor are here also meant those who are spiritually such but yet desire the knowledges of truth and good is evident, for it is said that the wicked make bare the sword, and bend their bow; the sword signifying falsity fighting against truth and endeavouring to destroy it; and the bow, the doctrine of falsity against the doctrine of truth; therefore it is said that they do this to cast down the miserable and poor. (That by sword is signified truth fighting against falsity, and, in an opposite sense, falsity fighting against truth, may be seen above, n. 131; and that by bow is signified doctrine in both senses, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 2686, 2709.)

[4] Again:

The wicked "persecuted the miserable and poor, and the dejected in heart to slay him" (Psalms 109:16).

In Isaiah:

"The fool speaketh foolishness, and his heart doeth iniquity to practise hypocrisy and to speak error against Jehovah, to make empty the hungry soul, and to make him who thirsteth for drink to faint. He deviseth wicked devices to destroy the miserable with words of falsehood, even when the poor speaketh judgment" (32:6, 7).

In this passage, also, by the miserable and poor are meant those who are destitute of the knowledges of truth and good; therefore it is said that the wicked deviseth wicked devices to destroy the miserable with words of falsehood, even when the poor speaketh judgment; words of falsehood denote falsities, and to speak judgment denotes what is right. Because such are here treated of, it is also said that they practise hypocrisy and utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause him that thirsteth for drink to faint. To practise hypocrisy and to utter error denotes to do evil from falsity, and to speak falsity from evil; to make empty the soul of the hungry denotes to deprive of the knowledges of good those who desire them, and to cause the thirsty to faint for drink is to deprive of the knowledges of truth those who desire them. Again:

"The miserable shall have joy in Jehovah, and the poor of men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel" (29:19).

By the miserable and poor are here also signified those with whom there is a deficiency of truth and good, and who, nevertheless, desire them; of these it is said that they "shall have joy in Jehovah, and exult in the Holy One of Israel," and not of those who are miserable and poor as to worldly wealth.

[5] From these considerations it is evident what is signified by the miserable and poor in other passages in the Word, as in the following:

"The poor shall not always be forgotten; and the hope of the miserable shall not perish for ever" (Psalms 9:18).

Again:

"God shall judge the miserable of the people, he shall keep the sons of the poor. He shall liberate the poor when he crieth; the miserable also. He shall spare the poor and the needy, and shall save the souls of the poor" (Psalms 72:4, 12, 13).

Again:

"The miserable shall see, those seeking Jehovah shall be glad, because Jehovah heareth the poor" (Psalms 69:32, 33).

Again:

"Jehovah delivereth the miserable from him that is too strong for him, and the poor from him that spoileth him?" (Psalms 35:10).

Again:

"The miserable and poor praise thy name" (74:21; 109:22).

"I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the miserable, and the judgment of the poor" (Psalms 140:12).

And also elsewhere; as in Isaiah 10:2; Jeremiah 22:16; Ezekiel 16:49; 18:12; 22:29; Amos. 8:4; Deuteronomy 15:11; 24:14. The reason why both the miserable and the poor are mentioned in the passages adduced above, is, that it is according to the style of the Word that where truth is treated of good is also treated of; and, in the opposite sense, where falsity is treated of evil is also treated of, because they form one, and are like a marriage. On this account the miserable and the poor are mentioned together; for by the miserable are meant those who are deficient in the knowledges of truth, and by the poor those who are deficient in the knowledges of good. (That there is such a marriage almost everywhere in the prophetical parts of the Word, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712, 3004, 3005, 3009, 4138, 5138, 5194, 5502, 6343, 7022, 7945, 8339, 9263, 9314.) On this account also it is said in what follows: "And blind and naked;" for by the blind are meant those who have no understanding of truth, and by the naked those who have no understanding and will of good. Also, in the verse following, it is said, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed;" for by gold tried in the fire is meant the good of love, and by white raiment the truths of faith. And further, it is said, "That the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see," by which is meant lest the evils and falsities should be seen. The case is the same in other passages; but that such a marriage exists in every part of the Word, none can see but those who are acquainted with its internal sense.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8339

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8339. 'With timbrels and with dances' means praise from joy and gladness. This is clear from the meaning of 'timbrel' as that which has regard to an affection for spiritual good, or to the good of truth, and means the delight or joy belonging to it, dealt with just above in 8337; and from the meaning of 'dance' as that which has regard to an affection for spiritual truth, and means the delightful feeling or gladness belonging to it, dealt with below. In ancient times not only musical instruments and singing served to bear witness to gladness of heart but also dancing. Joyful feelings in the heart or interior things erupted into various activities in the body, such as singing and also dancing. Since in ancient times the glad feelings excelling all others were spiritual ones, that is, feelings springing from affections belonging to spiritual kinds of love, which were affections for goodness and truth, people were allowed, when they engaged in singing and musical harmony, to dance as well and so in dancing also to bear witness to their joy. This explains why 'dancing' is mentioned in the Word, meaning the glad feelings that belong to affections for truth, or to faith grounded in good or charity, as in Jeremiah,

Again you will adorn your timbrels, 1 and will go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Their life 2 will become like a watered garden, and they will not sorrow any more. Then will the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together. Jeremiah 31:4, 12-13.

In the same prophet,

The joy of our heart has ceased 3 , our dance has been turned into mourning. Lamentations 5:15

In David,

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. Psalms 30:11.

In the same author,

Let them praise His name in dancing, with timbrel and harp let them make melody to Him. Psalms 149:3; 150:4.

Also the gentiles played and danced when they worshipped their gods, as is clear in Exodus 32:6, 19.

[2] The words 'joy and gladness' are used because 'joy' in the Word has reference to good and 'gladness' to truth. This is why 'joy' and 'gladness' are mentioned many times in the Word both together, as in Isaiah,

Behold, joy and gladness consist in slaying oxen ... Isaiah 22:13.

In the same prophet,

They will obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10.

In the same prophet, Joy and gladness will be found in Zion, confession and the voice of song. Isaiah 51:3, 11.

In Jeremiah,

The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. Jeremiah 33:11.

In Zechariah,

The fast of the tenth [month] will be to the house of Judah one of joy and gladness. Zechariah 8:19.

In David,

You shall cause me to hear joy and gladness. Psalms 51:8.

In these places both are mentioned because 'joy' has reference to good and 'gladness' to truth; if this were not so the use of one word would have been sufficient. This holy way of speaking is used in the Word in order that the heavenly marriage, that is, the marriage of goodness and truth, might be present in every detail there, 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 4138 (end), 5138, 5502, 7945.

Footnotes:

1. See footnote on page 138.

2. lit. soul

3. Reading cessavit (has ceased), which Swedenborg has in his rough draft, for cessabit (will cease).

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