609# 这三个等级，也就是天堂所在的等级，因而也是人之心智所在的等级，还须借世上物质事物的比较，略加说明。
这三个等级，按其尊贵程度彼此有别，如同金、银、铜彼此有别；在尼布甲尼撒的像中，也用这些金属作比较（但2:31及以下）。这三个等级也按其纯洁与良善程度彼此区别，如同红宝石、蓝宝石与玛瑙彼此区别；又如橄榄树、葡萄树与无花果树彼此区别，等等。
在圣言中，金、红宝石、橄榄树 表示属天的良善，也就是最高天堂的良善；银、蓝宝石、葡萄树 表示属灵的良善，也就是中间天堂的良善；铜、玛瑙、无花果树 表示属世的良善，也就是最低天堂的良善。前文已经说过，等级有三种，即属天、属灵与属世。
609# 存在于天堂，因而存在于人类心智中的这三个层级，也可通过对比世界上的物质事物在某种程度上来说明。在其相对珍贵性或价值方面，这三个层级就像金、银和铜，尼布甲尼撒的雕像（但以理书 2:31-35）是用这些金属的另一个类比。这三个层级也像红宝石、蓝宝石和玛瑙在纯度和良善或价值方面一样彼此不同，又像橄榄树、葡萄树和无花果树一样彼此不同；等等。此外，在圣言中，“金”、“红宝石”和“橄榄树”表示属天良善，即最高层天堂的良善；“银”、“蓝宝石”和“葡萄树”表示属灵良善，即中间天堂的良善；而“铜”、“玛瑙”和“无花果树”表示属世良善，即最低层天堂的良善。前面已经说明，有三个层级，即属天层，属灵层和属世层。
609. The three levels on which the heavens exist, and therefore on which the human mind exists, can to some extent be illustrated by physical things in our world. The three levels are like the relative differences in value between gold, silver, and copper. (The statue of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 2:31 and following, is another analogy that uses these metals.) These three levels are as different from each other as a ruby, a sapphire, and an agate are different in purity and value. An olive tree, a grapevine, and a fig tree would be another set of examples; and so on. In fact, in the Word, gold, a ruby, and an olive tree symbolize goodness that is heavenly, the type of goodness found in the highest heaven; silver, a sapphire, and a grapevine symbolize goodness that is spiritual, the type of goodness found in the middle heaven; and copper, an agate, and a fig tree symbolize goodness that is earthly, the type of goodness found in the lowest heaven. (I have shown above that the three levels are the heavenly, the spiritual, and the earthly.)
609. The three degrees into which the heavens, and consequently the human mind, are divided, can to some extent be illustrated by comparisons with materials in this world. The three degrees are like the degrees of nobility which distinguish gold, silver and copper; and there is a comparison drawn between them in the description of Nebuchadnezzar's statue (Daniel 2:31ff). The three degrees are distinguished as ruby, sapphire and agate are in purity and quality; and as the olive-tree, the vine and the fig-tree, and so on. In the Word too gold, ruby and the olive stand for celestial good, the good of the highest heaven; silver, sapphire and the vine for spiritual good, the good of the middle heaven; and copper, agate and the fig-tree for natural good, the good of the lowest heaven. I said before that there are three degrees, celestial, spiritual and natural.
609. The three degrees in which the heavens are, and consequently, in which the human mind is, may also be illustrated in some measure by comparisons with material things in the world. In their relative nobility these three degrees are like gold, silver, and brass, to which metals they are likened in the statue of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:31-35). These three degrees are also distinct from each other, like the ruby, sapphire, and agate in respect to purity and goodness; also like the olive tree, the vine, and the fig-tree; and so on. Moreover, in the Word, "gold," "ruby," and "oil" signify celestial good, which is the good of the highest heaven; "silver," "sapphire," and "a vine" signify spiritual good, which is that of the middle heaven; while "brass," "agate," and "a fig-tree" signify natural good, which is that of the lowest heaven. That there are three degrees, a celestial, a spiritual, and a natural, has been stated above.
609. The three degrees which exist in heaven, and consequently in the human mind, may be illustrated in some measure by comparison with material things in the world. In relative excellence they are like gold, silver and copper, with which metals a comparison is made in the image seen by Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 2:31 and following verses. These three degrees also are distinct from one another as the ruby, the sapphire and the agate are in relative purity and goodness; and also as the olive-tree, the vine and the fig-tree; and so on. For in the Word gold, the ruby and the olive-tree signify celestial good which is the good of the highest heaven; silver, the sapphire and the vine signify spiritual good, which is the good of the middle heaven; and copper, the agate and the fig-tree signify natural good, which is the good of the lowest heaven. That there are three degrees, the celestial, the spiritual and the natural, was stated above.
609. Tres illi gradus in quibus Coeli sunt, consequenter in quibus Mens humana, possunt 1 etiam aliquatenus illustrari per comparationes cum materialibus in Mundo; illi tres gradus sunt sicut nobilitate inter se sunt Aurum, Argentum et Cuprum, cum quibus Metallis etiam 2 fit comparatio in Statua Nebuchadnezaris, Daniel 2:31, seq. Tres illi gradus etiam inter se distincti sunt, sicut inter se puritate et bonitate, Rubinus, Sapphirus et Achates: et quoque sicut Olea, Vitis et Ficus, et sic porro; etiam Aurum, Rubinus et Olea in Verbo significant bonum coeleste, quod est bonum supremi coeli, et Argentum, Sapphirus et Vitis significant bonum spirituale, quod est bonum medii Coeli; et Cuprum, 3 Achates et Ficus bonum naturale, quod est bonum ultimi Coeli; quod sint tres gradus, coelestis, spiritualis, et naturalis, supra dictum est.
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