763. 18:7 "In the measure that she glorified herself and worked her pleasure, in the same measure give her torment and grief." This symbolically means that to the degree of their elation of heart due to their dominion, and of their exultation in mind and body due to their riches, to the same degree they will experience after death an inner anguish owing to their being cast down and becoming objects of derision, and owing to their poverty and wretchedness.

In the measure that she glorified herself means, symbolically, to the degree of their elation of heart due to their dominion, for it is owing to this that Roman Catholics glorify themselves. In the measure that she worked her pleasure means, symbolically, to the degree of their exultation in mind and body due to their riches and consequent delights and gratifications, as in no. 759 above. To give her torment symbolizes an inner anguish owing to their being cast down from their dominion and then becoming objects of derision, their torment after death having no other cause. And to give her grief symbolizes an inner anguish owing to their poverty and wretchedness, which is the reason for their grief after death.

[2] The delight of a love of exercising dominion arising from self-love over everything that is the Lord's, which is everything connected with heaven and the church, is turned after death into such torment, and the gratification of a love of filling mind and body with delights gained from wealth is, in the case of people caught up in the aforesaid love of exercising dominion, turned into such grief. For feelings of delight and gratification resulting from loves constitute everyone's life; consequently, when these are turned into their opposites, they become feelings of torment and grief.

These are the retributions and punishments meant in the Word by torments in hell. And hatred for the Lord, therefore, and for everything connected with heaven and the church, is what is meant by fire there.

Similar statements are made regarding Babylon in the Prophets. As for example:

I will repay Babylon... for all the evil they have done in Zion in your sight... (Jeremiah 51:24)

...the plunderer shall come... against Babylon... For Jehovah is a God of retributions; He will surely repay. (Jeremiah 51:55-56)

Your magnificence is brought down to hell... The worm is spread under you (the torment that is an inner anguish).... You have said in your heart: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God...; I will be like the Most High." Yet you shall be brought down to hell... Those who see you... will say: "Is this the man who shook the earth, who made kingdoms tremble (and so on). (Isaiah 14:11, 13-16)

The last is said of Lucifer, referring there to Babylon, as is apparent from verses 4-22 in that chapter.

If we turn ourselves toward the Lord, we can get the full inflowing of His wisdom and love; if we turn away from Him we cast ourselves into cold and shadow -- we turn ourselves toward hell. In the Bible, "turning" generally refers to a change in spiritual state, as people turn themselves toward the Lord or away from the Lord.