Arcana Coelestia # 862
862. That 'it happened at the end of forty days' means the duration of the former state, and the beginning of the one that followed, is clear from the meaning of 'forty', see 730, where, the subject being temptation, the phrase 'forty days and forty nights' was used, which meant the duration of temptation. Here, since the subject is the state following temptation, 'forty days' is mentioned but not forty nights. The reason is that charity now starts to appear, which in the Word is compared to the day and is called the day. Faith however which precedes but has not yet been so joined to charity is compared to the night and is called the night, as in Genesis 1:16, and elsewhere in the Word. Faith is also called 'the night' in the Word because it receives its light from charity, just as the moon does from the sun. Faith is therefore also compared to the moon and is called the moon; and love or charity is compared to the sun and is called the sun. 'Forty days', or the duration of time meant by them, refers both to the things that precede and to those that follow; hence the statement 'at the end of forty days', which accordingly means both the duration of the previous state, and the beginning of the one being described now. This then begins the description of the second state following temptation of the member of this Church.
Proverbs 7
1
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2
Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
3
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
4
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5
That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
6
For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7
And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8
Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9
In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10
And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
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(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12
Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
13
So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
14
I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
15
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16
I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19
For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20
He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
21
With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
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Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
24
Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25
Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26
For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27
Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
