9206. 'And your wives will become widows' means that forms of good with them will perish. This is clear from the meaning of 'wives' (mulier) as forms of good, dealt with in 6014, 8337, the reason why they mean forms of good being that the marriage of a man (vir) and a woman (mulier) represents truth and good joined together ('a man' means truth, and 'a woman' good, see 4510, 4823); and from the meaning of 'widows' as those who have good but not truths, and still have a desire for truths, 9198. But those who have no desire for truths are meant here, since the evil who afflict widows are the subject. So it is that 'widows' is used here to mean those with whom forms of good perish.

[2] The situation is that the good of people who have good but no desire for truth is not real good, because truths are what make good real good. For good receives its specific quality from truths, see 9154. Good joined to truth is what is meant by spiritual good; therefore when truth perishes with a person, so too does good, and conversely when good perishes, so too does truth. For the bond between them is severed and dissolved, see 3804, 4149, 4301, 4302, 5835, 6917, 7835, 8349, 8356. Consequently good is recognized from this, that it has a desire and an affection for truth for the sake of good and useful service, thus for life's sake. Regarded in itself, the actual desire or affection for truth for life's sake is an affection for being joined to it. It is like food or bread that desires water or wine for the sake of combining with it; for combined with each other they provide nourishment. It is also like heat and light. Light combined with heat causes all things on the planet to spring forth and grow up; but if the combination is dissolved that which has sprung forth and grown up dies.

[3] As it is with good, so it is with all delight, pleasantness, sweetness, agreement, and harmony; these joys are such not of themselves but by virtue of the things they hold within them. Good and truth joined together make them such and determine their specific character. But what it is within them that has connection with good and what with truth is something that people who have understanding may recognize if they ponder on the matter; for everything whatever in the world, and everything whatever in heaven, thus in the whole of creation, has connection with good and with truth. Everything that has sprung forth from them has connection with both at the same time, thus with both joined together. This explains why all things were likened by the ancients to marriages, see 54, 55, 1432, 5194, 7022, and why every detail of the Word has the marriage of goodness and truth within it, 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712, 4138 (end), 5138, 5502, 6343, 7945, 8339 (end).