1626、除了花园外，还能看到各个城市，城中有一栋接一栋的宏伟宫殿，色彩鲜艳华丽，远远超过建筑师们的一切艺术。因此，毫不奇怪，当先知们的内眼被打开时，他们也看到类似城市，事实上看得如此清晰，以至于世上再没有比这更清晰的了；如约翰所看到的新耶路撒冷，他以下面这些话来描述它：
在灵里，天使就带我到一座又大又高的山上，将那大城，就是由神那里从天而降的圣耶路撒冷指示我。有高大的墙，有十二个门；墙的构造是碧玉的，城是精金的，如同明净的玻璃。城墙的根基是用各样宝石修饰的：第一根基是碧玉，第二是蓝宝石，第三是玉髓，第四是绿宝石，第五是红玛瑙，第六是红宝石，第七是橄榄石，第八是绿柱石，第九是黄玉，第十是绿玉髓，第十一是紫玛瑙，第十二是紫晶。（启示录21:10，12，18-20）
先知们也见过类似场景。像这样的事物，天使和天使灵在晴天白日下看到过无数；说来奇妙，天使和灵人以其所有感官来感知它们。凡以人类哲学的术语和定义，以及推理扑灭属灵观念的人永远不会相信这些事；然而，它们又是千真万确的。圣徒们多次看到它们的事实也能使人们相信这是真的。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1626. In addition to these wonders of paradise, one also sees cities full of splendid mansions, one after another, gleaming with color, beyond the skill of any architect to create. Not surprisingly, cities like them appeared to the prophets as well, when their inner eyes were open; and these cities were as plain to see as any that could exist in the world. The New Jerusalem appeared to John, for instance, and he described it in these words:
He took me away in spirit onto a mountain big and high and showed me the great city, Jerusalem the Holy, having a wall big and high, having twelve gates. The structure of the wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold, like golden glass.{*1} The foundations of the wall were adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sard, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth,{*2} the twelfth amethyst. (Revelation 21:10, 12, 18-19, 20)
The prophets also describe the new Jerusalem.{*3} Sights like these in countless numbers appear to angels and angelic spirits in broad daylight, and surprising to say, the angels and spirits perceive them with all their senses. This will never be believed by anyone who has blotted out all spiritual thinking by means of the terms and definitions used in human philosophy and by argumentation 钬?yet it is absolutely true. The fact that the saints{*4} saw them so many times could have convinced such people that it is true.
Footnotes:
{*1} As Elliott points out (Swedenborg [1749-1756] 1983-1999), in other passages in which Swedenborg quotes or refers to this verse (Secrets of Heaven 6419, 8988; New Jerusalem 1; Revelation Unveiled summary of Revelation 21:18 and 搂搂907, 912, 917), the original Greek expression 峤懳会砍 魏伪胃伪蚁峥?(hu谩l艒i kathar艒i), "pure glass," is rendered literally (vitro puro), rather than as "golden glass" (vitro aureo). [LHC]
{*2} For more about the stone called "hyacinth," see note 1 in 搂1589. [LHC]
{*3} For prophets' descriptions of the new Jerusalem, see, for instance, Isaiah 33:20; Ezekiel 45:6-7; 48:8-21, 30-35; Zechariah 2:1-5; 8:3-5. [LHC]
{*4} By "saints" (Latin Sancti) who had visions, Swedenborg is probably referring to John, Peter, and Paul (and possibly also the Old Testament prophets) and the accounts of their visions in the Bible; compare True Christianity 851:2-3. [JSR]
Potts(1905-1910) 1626
1626. Besides these paradisal scenes, cities are also presented to view, with magnificent palaces, contiguous to one another, resplendent in their coloring, beyond all the art of the architect. Nor is this to be wondered at; cities of similar appearance were seen also by the prophets, when their interior sight was opened, and this so clearly that nothing in the world could be more distinct. Thus was the New Jerusalem seen by John, which is also described by him in these words:
And he carried me away in the spirit upon a mountain great and high, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem; having a wall great and high, having twelve gates; and the building of the wall thereof was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto golden glass. The foundations of the wall there adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprasus, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst (Rev. 21:10, 12, 18-20). Such things were seen also by the prophets. Similar things, beyond number, are seen by angels and angelic spirits in clear day; and wonderful to say, they are perceived with all fullness of sense. These things cannot be credited by one who has extinguished spiritual ideas by the terms and definitions of human philosophy, and by reasonings; and yet they are most true. That they are true might have been apprehended from the fact that they have been seen so frequently by the saints.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1626
1626. In addition to the gardens, cities too are to be seen with magnificent palaces, built in terraces, resplendent in colours, and far superior to anything architects can design. It is not surprising therefore that the like were also seen by the prophets when their interior sight had been opened, seen indeed so plainly that nothing in the world is ever plainer, such as the New Jerusalem seen by John, which he also describes in the following words,
He carried me away in the spins on to a great and high mountain and showed me the great city, the Holy Jerusalem, having a wall great and high, having twelve gates. The structure of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold like cleara glass. The foundations of the wall were furnished with every precious stone, the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. Rev 21:10, 12, 18-20.
Similar scenes were witnessed by the prophets as well. Countless things such as these are seen in broad daylight by angels and angelic spirits, and what is astonishing, they are perceived by each of the senses. This no one is ever able to believe who has done away with spiritual ideas by means of the terms and definitions employed in human philosophy and by means of reasonings; yet they are utterly true. That they are true could have been grasped from the fact that they have been seen so often by saints.
Latin(1748-1756) 1626
1626. Praeter paradisiaca haec, sistuntur etiam videndae urbes cum palatiis magnificis, contiguis, splendidis ex coloribus, supra omnem artem architectonicam: quod nec mirum, similes quoque visae sunt prophetis quando visus interior illis apertus, et quidem tam manifeste ut non manifestius in mundo; ut Johanni Nova Hierosolyma, quae quoque ab illo describitur his verbis, Abstulit me in spiritu super montem magnum et altum, et ostendi mihi civitatem magnam, Sanctam Hierosolymam,... habentem murum magnum et altum, habentem portas duodecim;... erat structura muri jaspis, et civitas aurum purum similis vitro aureo; fundamenta muri omni lapide pretioso exornata, fundamentum primum jaspis, secundum sapphirus, tertium chalcedonius, quartum smaragdus, quintum sardonyx, sextum sardius, septimum chrysolithus, octavum beryllus, nonum topazius, decimum chrysoprasus, undecimum hyacinthus, duodecimum amethystus Apoc. xxi 10, 12, 18-20;praeter a prophetis: innumerabilia talia ab angelis et spiritibus angelicis videntur in clara die, et quod mirum, percipiuntur omni sensu; quod nusquam aliqui qui exstinxit ideas spirituales per philosophiae humanae terminos et definitiones perque ratiocinationes, credere potest, cum tamen verissima sunt; quod vera inde capere potuissent quod sanctis toties visa sint.