The Bible

 

Lamentaciones 5

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1 Acuérdate, oh SEÑOR, de lo que nos ha sucedido. Ve y mira nuestro oprobio.

2 Nuestra heredad se ha vuelto a extraños, nuestras casas a forasteros.

3 Huérfanos somos sin padre; nuestras madres son como viudas.

4 Nuestra agua bebemos por dinero; nuestra leña por precio compramos.

5 Persecución padecemos sobre nuestra cerviz; nos cansamos, y no hay para nosotros reposo.

6 Al egipcio y al asirio dimos la mano, para saciarnos de pan.

7 Nuestros padres pecaron, y son muertos; y nosotros llevamos sus castigos.

8 Siervos se enseñorearon de nosotros; no hubo quien nos librase de su mano.

9 Con peligro de nuestras vidas traíamos nuestro pan delante del cuchillo del desierto.

10 Nuestra piel se ennegreció como un horno a causa del ardor del hambre.

11 Violaron a las mujeres en Sion, a las vírgenes en las ciudades de Judá.

12 A los príncipes colgaron con su mano; no respetaron el rostro de los ancianos.

13 Llevaron los jóvenes a moler, y los niños desfallecieron en la leña.

14 Los ancianos cesaron de la puerta, los jóvenes de sus canciones.

15 Cesó el gozo de nuestro corazón; nuestro corro se tornó en luto.

16 Cayó la corona de nuestra cabeza. ¡Ay ahora de nosotros! Porque pecamos.

17 Por esto fue entristecido nuestro corazón, por esto se entenebrecieron nuestro ojos,

18 Por el Monte de Sion que está asolado; zorras andan en él.

19 Mas tú, SEÑOR, permanecerás para siempre; tu trono de generación en generación.

20 ¿Por qué te olvidarás para siempre de nosotros, y nos dejarás por largos días?

21 Vuélvenos, oh SEÑOR, a ti, y nos volveremos; renueva nuestros días como al principio.

22 Porque repeliendo nos has desechado; te has airado contra nosotros en gran manera.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #764

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764. "For she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen and am not a widow, and will not see grief.'" This symbolically means that this is the lot of those Roman Catholics, because owing to their elation of heart over their dominion, and exultation of spirit over their riches, they possess the confidence and conviction that they will dominate forever and defend themselves, and that they can never lose what they have.

To say in her heart means, symbolically, to possess confidence owing to their elation of heart over their dominion, and a conviction owing to their exultation of spirit over their riches. Her saying, "I sit as queen," means symbolically that they will have dominion, in this case forever, because the declaration follows, "I will not see grief." Her saying, "I am not a widow," means symbolically that they will defend themselves. A widow, being without a man, symbolizes someone without protection. The terms queen and widow are used, and not king or man, because the reference is to Babylon as the church. And her saying, "I will not see grief," means symbolically that they can never lose these two, dominion and riches. That from this arises their grief after death may be seen just above in no. 763.

[2] Almost the same statements are made of Babylon in Isaiah:

...you shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms... You said (in your heart), "I shall be a lady forever," ...saying in your heart, "I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, nor shall I know the loss of children." But these two things shall come to you... in one day: the loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you... because of the multitude of your sorceries, and the great abundance of your enchantments. You have trusted in your wickedness. You have said, "No one sees me." Your wisdom... led you astray, when you have said in your heart, "I am, and there is no one else besides me." Therefore... devastation shall come upon you suddenly... (Isaiah 47:5, 7-11)

A widow in the Word means someone without protection, for in the spiritual sense a widow symbolizes someone who possesses goodness and no truth, for a man symbolizes truth, and his wife goodness. Thus a widow symbolizes goodness without truth, and goodness without truth lacks protection, for it is truth that protects goodness. A widow has this symbolism in the Word where one is mentioned, as in Isaiah 9:14-15, 17; 10:1-2; Malachi 3:5; Psalms 68:5; 146:7-9; Exodus 22:21-24; Deuteronomy 10:18; 27:19; Matthew 23:14; Luke 4:25; 20:47.

  
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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.