3833# "到了晚上"象征着仍然模糊的状态，这从"晚上"象征着模糊状态可知（参3056节）。在古代，那些遵循相应仪式的人们所举行的晚筵或晚餐，象征着结合之前的入门状态。这种入门状态相对于结合状态而言是模糊的。
当人被引入真理并由此被引入良善的过程中，他所接受的一切知识对他而言都是模糊的。然而，一旦良善与他结合，并由此使他能观看真理时，这一切就变得清晰起来，而且会逐渐变得更加明朗。因为此时他不再怀疑事物是否存在或是否如此，而是确切地知道它的存在和性质。当人达到这种状态时，他就开始能够领会无数的真理。
【2】因为此时，人是从他所信仰和领受的良善与真理出发，如同从中心向四周扩展。他越是前进，就越能看到周围的事物，而且这种视野会不断扩大，因为他不断地推进和拓展认知的界限。此后，他能从这界限内的每一个事物出发，将其作为新的中心点，再次向外拓展新的范围，如此循环往复。通过这个过程，来自良善的真理之光就会无限增长，形成一个连续的光明领域，因为此时他就在来自主的天堂之光中。
然而，对那些总是怀疑并不断询问"是否存在"和"是否如此"的人来说，这些无数的、无限的真理对他们而言毫无意义。对他们来说，一切都显得模糊不清，这些真理几乎不被看作是确实存在的事物，而是被视为不确定是否存在的事物。可悲的是，今天的人类智慧和聪明正处于这种状态：能巧妙地推理某事物是否存在被认为是智慧，而论证其不存在则被视为更高的智慧。
【3】让我们举几个例子来说明：
首先，关于圣言是否具有所谓的神秘内在意义这个问题。在人相信这一点之前，他们无法理解内在意义中那些数不胜数的真理，这些真理是如此丰富，以至于以无限的变化形式充满了整个天堂。
其次，考虑那些质疑圣治是否仅限于普遍层面而不涉及具体细节的人。这样的人无法理解关于圣治的无数奥秘。这些奥秘涵盖了从每个人生命的开始到结束的所有偶然事件，从世界的创造到其终结，甚至延伸到永恒。
再比如，有人推理说因为人的意志本质上已经败坏，所以人是否能处于良善之中。持这种观点的人永远无法理解重生的所有奥秘，甚至无法理解主会植入一个新的意志这个事实，更不用说理解与此相关的深奥真理了。其它方面也是如此。由此我们可以看出，这些持怀疑态度的人处于何等模糊的状态中：他们甚至无法看到通往智慧的第一道门槛，更遑论跨越它了。
3833.“到了晚上”表这种状态仍旧模糊的时候。这从“晚上”的含义清楚可知，“晚上”是指一种模糊的状态（参看3056节）。此外，在拥有适当宗教仪式的古人当中，晚上举办筵席，也就是晚餐，无非表示先于结合的引入状态。相对于结合的状态，这种状态是模糊的。事实上，当人正被引入真理，并由此被引入良善时，他学到的一切都是模糊的。但是，一旦良善与他结合，并且他站在良善的立场上看待真理，那么他所学到的一切就会向清楚显明，并且越来越清晰。因为他现在不再怀疑某事是否存在，或它是不是真的，而是知道它的确存在并且千真万确。
一旦人到达这种状态，他便开始知道数不清的事物，因为他现在从他所相信并觉知到的良善与真理出发，如同从一个中心点出发到周围区域；他在何种程度上从这良善与真理出发，就在何种程度上看见周围的事物，且所看的范围越来越广，因为他不断推出并拓宽边界。此后，他又从位于这些边界空间里的每个对象开始，并通过如同新中心的这些对象推出新的周围区域，如此反复。良善所放射的真理之光以这种方式大大增强，变成一片光明，因为他现在沐浴在从主所发出的天堂之光中。但对那些倾向于怀疑并质询某事是否存在、真实的人来说，这些数不清、事实上无限的事物根本就看不见。在他们看来，一切事物，无论总体还是细节，完全是模糊的。他们几乎看不见作为一个整体真实存在的这些事物，仅把它们看作一个他们不确定其存在的整体。如今，人类智慧和聪明便沦落到这种境地。能巧妙推理某事是否存在现已成为智者的标志，而能推理它不存在则成了更有智慧者的标志。
以这个问题为例，即：被这种人称之为神秘意义的圣言内义是否存在。在相信内义存在之前，他们不可能知道存于内义的无数事物中的一个事物。这些事物如此之多，以至于以无限种类充满整个天堂。另举一例：人若推理圣治是否仅仅是普遍的，并没有延伸到具体细节，就不可能知道与天命（Providence）有关的无数奥秘。这些奥秘在数量上和每个人从开始到结束的一生，以及这个世界从创造到结束，甚至直到永远所发生的事一样多。再举一例：人若推理良善能否存在于人里面，因为人的意愿从根上堕落了，就绝无可能知道与重生有关的一切奥秘，甚至不知道一个新的意愿被主植入，并且不知道涉及这种植入的奥秘。这在其它一切事上也一样。由此可知，这种人处在何等的黑暗中，他们甚至看不见、更触及不到智慧的第一道门槛。
Potts(1905-1910) 3833
3833. And it came to pass in the evening. That this signifies the state as yet obscure, is evident from the signification of "evening," as being an obscure state (see n. 3056). Among the ancients, who were in congruent rituals, the feasts that were made in the evening, that is, the suppers, signified nothing else than the state of initiation which precedes conjunction, which state relatively to the state of conjunction is obscure. For during man's initiation into truth and thence into good, all that he learns is obscure to him; but when good is being conjoined with him, and he regards truth therefrom, it then becomes clear to him, and this successively more and more; for now he is no longer in doubt as to whether a thing exists, or whether it is so; but he knows that it exists, and that it is so. [2] When man is in this state, he then begins to know innumerable things, for he now proceeds from the good and truth which he believes and perceives as from a center to the circumferences; and in proportion as he proceeds, in the same proportion he sees the things which are round about, and successively more and more widely, for he is constantly pushing out and widening the boundaries. Thenceforth also he commences from every subject in the space within the boundaries; and from these as from new centers he throws out new circumferences, and so on. In this way the light of truth from good increases immeasurably, and becomes like a continuous lucidity, for the man is then in the light of heaven, which is from the Lord. But with those who are in doubt and in discussion as to whether a thing exists, and whether it is so, these innumerable, nay, illimitable things do not appear one whit; to them all things in both general and particular are utterly obscure, and are scarcely regarded as one really existing thing, but rather as one thing the existence of which is doubtful. In such a state is human wisdom and intelligence at this day, when he is deemed wise who can reason with ingenuity as to whether a thing exists; and he is deemed still wiser who can reason that it does not exist. [3] For example take the proposition that there is an internal sense of the Word, which is called mystical: until this is believed, it is impossible for men to know the least of the innumerable things which are in the internal sense, and which are so many as to fill the whole heaven with an infinite variety. Another example is that the man who reasons concerning the Divine Providence, as to whether it is only universal, and not in the singulars, cannot possibly know the innumerable arcana of Providence, which are as many in number as are the contingencies of everyone's life from first to last, and from the creation of the world to its end; nay, even to eternity. Again: he who reasons as to whether it is possible for anyone to be in good, seeing that the will of man is radically depraved, can never know all the arcana relating to regeneration, nor even that a new will is implanted by the Lord, nor the arcana relating to this implantation; and so with everything else. From this it may be known in what obscurity such persons are, and that they do not even see, much less touch, the first threshold of wisdom.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3833
3833. 'And so it was in the evening' means when the state was still obscure. This is clear from the meaning of 'the evening' as an obscure state, dealt with in 3056. Furthermore feasts held in the evening, that is, suppers, meant nothing else among the ancients who had appropriate religious observances than the introductory state which comes before an actual joining together, which is obscure compared with that state when the joining together has taken place. Indeed when a person is being introduced into truth and from this into good, everything he learns at that time is obscure. But once good is joined to him and he regards truth from the standpoint of good, everything he learns becomes clear to him, gradually and increasingly so. For he is now no longer in doubt about whether something exists or whether it is true but knows that it exists and is true.
[2] Once a person has reached this state he starts to know countless things, for he now proceeds from the good and truth which he believes and perceives. He proceeds so to speak from the central point out to the peripheral regions; and in the measure that he proceeds from such good and truth, he sees in the same measure the things round about, and gradually more and more widely since he is constantly pushing out and extending the boundaries. Thereafter he also begins from each subject situated in the space within those boundaries, and from those subjects as new centres he pushes out new peripheral regions; and so on in the spaces within these. Consequently the light of truth radiating from good increases enormously and becomes one expanse of light, for he is now bathed in the light of heaven which shines from the Lord. But to people who are prone to doubt and who question whether something exists and is true, those countless, indeed limitless things are not visible at all. To them every single one is totally obscure. Those things are scarcely seen by them as a single whole which definitely exists, only as a single whole whose very existence they are uncertain of. Such is the condition into which human wisdom and intelligence has fallen at the present day. Being able to reason cleverly whether something exists is now the mark of a wise man, and being able to reason that it does not exist is the mark of one wiser still.
[3] Take for example the question whether in the Word an internal sense exists which such people call the mystical sense. Until they believe in the existence of it they cannot know a single one of the countless things existing within that sense, so many that they fill the whole of heaven in unending variety. Take as another example one who reasons about whether Divine Providence is merely universal and does not extend to specific details. That person cannot know the countless arcana which have to do with Providence, as many in number as the occurrences in everyone's life from start to finish and in the world from its creation to its end, and even for ever. Take as yet another example one who reasons whether good can exist in anyone, seeing that the will of man is fundamentally depraved. He cannot possibly be aware of all the arcana that have to do with regeneration, nor even that a new will is implanted by the Lord and the arcana concerning this. And the same is so with everything else. From this one may recognize what obscurity surrounds such people and that they do not even see, let alone reach, the outskirts of wisdom.
Latin(1748-1756) 3833
3833. `Et fuit in vespera': quod significet statum adhuc obscurum, constat a significatione `vesperae' quod sit status obscurus, de qua n. 3056; etiam convivia quae in vespera fiebant, seu cenae, nec aliud apud antiquos qui in ritualibus congruis fuerunt, significabant quam statum {1}initiationis qui praecedit {2}conjunctionem, qui status est obscurus respective ad statum conjunctionis; cum enim initiatur homo in verum et inde in bonum, est ei omne quod tunc discit, obscurum, at cum conjungitur ei bonum et inde spectat verum, tunc fit ei clarum, et hoc successive magis et magis, non enim tunc amplius in dubio est num sit aut num ita sit, sed novit quod sit et quod ita sit; cum homo in hoc statu est, tunc innumerabilia scire incipit, [2](x)procedit enim tunc a bono et vero quae credit et percipit, quasi a centro ad {3}peripherias, et quantum procedit, tantum illa quae circumcirca sunt, videt, et successive adhuc extensius, continue enim terminos educit et dilatat; et quoque dein a quavis re in spatio intra terminos incohat, et inde ut ex novis centris novas peripherias educit, et sic porro; inde lux veri a bono in immensum crescit, et fit {3}sicut continuum lucidum, nam in luce caeli tunc est quae a Domino; at qui in dubio sunt, et disquirunt num sit et num ita sit, illis innumerabilia illa, immo indefinita ne hilum apparent; sunt eis omnia et singula prorsus obscura, et {4}spectantur illa vix ut unum quod sit, sed ut unum quod non sciunt {5}num sit; in tali statu est sapientia et intelligentia humana hodie, posse ingeniose ratiocinari num sit, sapientis est, et ratiocinari quod non sit, {7}adhuc magis sapientis est: [3]ut pro exemplo, num detur sensus internus Verbi quem vocant mysticum; antequam hoc creditur, ne hilum de innumerabilibus illis scire possunt quae in sensu interno sunt, quae tot sunt ut universum caelum cum infinita varietate impleant: sit etiam pro exemplo, qui ratiocinatur de Providentia Divina, num sit modo universalis, et non in singularibus; ille nec scire potest innumerabilia illa arcana quae Providentiae sunt, quae tot sunt, quot contingentia usque a cujusvis primo vitae ad ultimum, aque mundi creatione ad ejus finem, immo quae in aeternum:sit quoque pro exemplo, qui ratiocinatur num aliquis in bono possit esse quia voluntas hominis radicitus depravata est, is nusquam scire potest omnia illa arcana quae regenerationis sunt, et ne quidem quod nova voluntas implantetur a Domino, et hujus rei arcana; ita in omnibus reliquis; inde sciri potest in quali obscuro sunt illi qui tales sunt, et quod ne quidem primum limen sapientiae videant, minus id tangant. @1 obscurum$ @2 statum initiationis$ @3 i omnes$ @4 i etiam$ @5 spectant$ @6 an$ @7 A ip above this quodnam est$