1756、上述内容就是本章内义概述的信息；但当每一个事物都照这些词语的含义来解释时，整个思路及其优美就不能像它们整个以一个概念来理解那样清楚看出来。因为当它们都以一个概念来理解时，分散的东西看起来就很优美地被连贯并联结起来。这种情况就像一个人听别人说话，但却只注意他所用的词语。在这种情况下，他就不像忽略这些词语及其具体含义时那样清楚理解说话者的想法。因为相对于圣言的外在意义或字义，圣言的内在意义或内义几乎就像这样的言语：我们几乎没听见它所用的实际词语，更不说关注它们了，如当我们的心思完全专注于说话者的词语所表示的事物的意义，或说专注于体现在说话者的词语中的观念时的情形。
上古的写作方式是用一些人和一些词语来代表真实事物或主题，他们用这些人或这些词语来表示完全不同于这些人或词语的事物。那些时代的世俗作家以这种方式编写他们的历史，甚至包括那些与文明道德的生活，或说公共生活和私人生活有关的事。事实上，他们以这种方式来编写：任何东西都和字面上所写的不一样，而是要理解为字面之下的其它某种东西，或说所写的每一个词都不是字面看上去的那样，每个词都代表另一种含义。他们甚至将各种情感都描绘为神和女神，后来异教徒便向这些神和女神献上神性敬拜，这一点是每个受过良好教育的人都能知道的，因为这类古书仍然存在。他们从生活在大洪水之前的上古之人那里获得这种写作方式，上古之人就通过诸如地上和世间的可见物体来代表天上的神性事物，从而在观看宇宙物体，尤其因其形态和秩序而美丽的物体时，他们的心智和灵魂充满欢喜快乐。这就是为何在那些时代，教会所有的书都是以这种风格写成的。约伯记就是这样一本书，所罗门的雅歌也是对这些书的一个模仿。摩西在民数记（21:14，27）提到的两本书都具有这种性质，此外还有许多没有幸存下来的书。
后来，这种写作风格因其古老而在外邦人和雅各的后代当中备受推崇，甚至到了这种程度：凡不以这种风格写成的东西，他们都不尊为神性。这就是为何他们被先知的灵感动时，就会以这种方式说话，这是出于许多隐藏的原因。雅各（创世记49:3-17）、摩西（出埃及记15:1-21；申命记33:2-29）、作为来自叙利亚（古教会仍存在于叙利亚）的一个东方人的巴兰（民数记23:7-10，19-24；24:5-9，17-24）、底波拉和巴拉（士师记5:2-31）、哈拿（撒母耳记上2:2-10），以及其他许多人都是这种情形。尽管很少有人明白或知道他们的话表示主国度和教会的天上事物，但他们仍被震撼，充满敬畏和惊奇，并感觉这些话蕴含神性和神圣之物在里面。
不过，圣言的历史也具有类似性质；也就是说，它们里面的每一个名字和每一个词语都代表和表示主国度的属天和属灵事物。学术界尚未认识到这一点，只知道圣言直至最小的点都是被启示的，并且每一个细节都包含天堂的奥秘。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1756. This is the message of the inner meaning, in its general outlines; but when every last word is explained according to its symbolism, the actual train of thought and its beauty cannot be seen as well as it would be if the whole were captured in a single mental image. When all of it is grasped in a single idea, then scattered particulars are seen to cohere and connect in a beautiful way.
The situation resembles that in which we hear someone talking and focus on the words. We do not pick up on the idea of the speaker as well as we would if we ignored the words and their definitions. Scripture's inner meaning (compared to its outer letter) is almost the same as speech whose words we only barely hear, much less pay attention to, when our mind is entirely absorbed by the ideas embodied in the speaker's words.
[2] The ancient method of writing used words and human figures to represent ideas in an entirely allegorical way. Secular writers of the day composed their histories in this way, and also [their works on] issues of public and private life. As a matter of fact, not a single written word was what it literally seemed to be; each represented another meaning. Ancient authors even presented the full range of passions as gods and goddesses, whom pagan peoples later began to worship as divine. Any literate person can see that this is so, since ancient books of the kind are still in existence.
This method of writing they inherited from the very earliest people, who lived before the Flood. The earliest people were in the habit of representing heavenly concepts and divine ones to themselves in the form of things visible in nature and in their culture. Because of this, it filled their minds and souls with pleasure and delight to observe the objects of the universe, especially those that displayed beauty of form or design. So all the books in the church of that time were written this way. Job is one such book. Solomon's Song of Songs is one that imitated them. The two books Moses mentioned in Numbers 21:14, 27 were of the same kind.{*1} And there were many more that did not survive.
[3] This writing mode was later admired for its antiquity by both Jacob's descendants and the surrounding nations — so much so that they revered nothing as divine that was not written in that mode. People inspired by the prophetic spirit spoke in a similar way: Jacob (Genesis 49:3-27); Moses (Exodus 15:1-21; Deuteronomy 33:2-29); Balaam, a "child of the east" from Syria, where the ancient church remained in existence (Numbers 23:7-10, 19-24; 24:5-9, 17-24); Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:2-end); Hannah (1 Samuel 2:2-10); and many others. They spoke this way for many hidden reasons. People did not understand their words, and only a very small number realized that the words symbolized the heavenly affairs of the Lord's kingdom and church. Even so, touched and filled with wondering awe, they sensed that something divinely sacred was present in those words.
[4] The histories of the Word are like this as well; in them too the individual names and the individual words represent and symbolize the heavenly and spiritual qualities of the Lord's kingdom. This has not yet been recognized by the scholarly world, though, which knows only that the Word was inspired down to its smallest jot and that as a whole and in every word it contains secrets of heaven.{*2}
Footnotes:
{*1} The names of the books mentioned in Numbers 21:14, 27 are 1. the Book of the Wars of Yahweh (that is, Jehovah), already referred to in 1659:3 and 1664:11-12 under the title Jehovah's Wars; and 2. what Swedenborg elsewhere calls The Utterances (Enuntiata in Latin; see 2686:1, 2897-2898; True Christianity 265). Both books are now lost. [Editors]
{*2} "Jot" refers to the smallest letter, which in the Hebrew alphabet is yod (י). The term comes from the name of the Greek letter iota, which in turn comes from the same source as yod. An allusion to Matthew 5:18 is probably intended: "Till the heavens and the earth pass away, not a jot or a tittle will by any means pass away from the law." ("A tittle" here refers to a little upstroke that appears on many Hebrew letters.) [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1756
1756. The foregoing are the things that are in general involved in the internal sense of this chapter; but the series or connection itself of the things, and its beauty, cannot appear when each separate thing is explained in detail according to the signification of the words, as they would if they were embraced in a single idea, for when they are all apprehended under a single idea the things that had been scattered appear beautifully coherent and connected. The case herein is like that of one who hears another speaking, and gives his attention to the words; in which case he does not so well apprehend the idea of the speaker as he would if he paid no attention to the words or their signification. For the internal sense of the Word holds nearly the same relation to the external or literal sense as speech does to its words when these are scarcely heard, still less attended to, and when the mind is kept exclusively in the sense of the things signified by the words of the speaker. [2] The most ancient mode of writing represented subjects by using persons and words which were understood as meaning things that were quite different. Profane writers then composed their historicals in this way, even those matters which pertained to civic and moral life; and in fact so that nothing was exactly the same as it was written in the letter, but under this something else was meant; they even presented affections of every kind as gods and goddesses, to whom the heathen afterwards instituted Divine worship, as may be known to every man of letters, for such ancient books are still extant. They derived this mode of writing from the most ancient people who existed before the flood, who represented heavenly and Divine things to themselves by such as were visible on the earth and in the world, and so filled their minds and souls with joys and delights while beholding the objects of the universe, especially such as were beautiful in their form and order; and therefore all the books of the church of those times were written in this way. Such is the book of Job; and, in imitation of those books, such is Solomon's Song of Songs. Such were the two books mentioned by Moses in Num. 21:14, 27; besides many that have perished. [3] At a later period this style of writing was venerated on account of its antiquity, both among the Gentiles and the posterity of Jacob, to such a degree that whatever was not written in this style they did not venerate as Divine, and therefore when they were moved by the prophetic Spirit, they spoke in a similar manner; and this for many hidden reasons. This was the case with Jacob (Gen. 49:3-17); with Moses (Exod. 15:1-21; Deut. 33:2-29); with Balaam, who was of the sons of the East, from Syria where the Ancient Church still existed (Num. 23:7-10, 19-24; 24:5-9, 17-24); with Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:2-31); with Hannah (1 Sam. 2:2-10); and with many others. And though very few understood or knew that their words signified the heavenly things of the Lord's kingdom and church, still, being touched and penetrated with the awe of admiration, they felt that what was Divine and holy was in them. [4] But that the historicals of the Word are similar-that is, that in respect to every name and every word they are representative and significative of the celestial and the spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom-has not yet become known to the learned world, except in that the Word is inspired as to the smallest iota, and that there are heavenly arcana in all things of it in both general and particular.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1756
1756. All these matters presented above are those which in general are embodied in the internal sense of this chapter; but the whole train of thought, and its beauty, cannot be seen when every single thing is explained according to the meaning of the words, as they would be if they were comprehended in a single idea. When all are comprehended in a single idea those things which hitherto have lain scattered now appear beautifully joined and linked together. The situation is as with someone who listens to another speaking but pays attention solely to the words he uses. In this case he does not grasp the speaker's idea nearly so well as he would if he paid no attention to the words and their particular shades of meaning; for the internal sense of the Word in relation to the external or literal sense is very similar to speech in relation to the actual words used when these are scarcely listened to, still less paid attention to, as when the mind is intent on the sense alone of the things meant by the words used by the speaker.
[2] The most ancient manner of writing represented real things by the use of persons and of expressions which they employed to mean things entirely different from those persons or expressions. Secular authors of those times compiled their historical narratives in this way, including those things which had to do with public life and private life. Indeed they compiled them in such a way that nothing at all was to be taken literally as written, but something other was to be understood beneath the literal narrative. They even went so far as to present affections of every kind as gods and goddesses, to whom the heathen subsequently offered up divine worship, as every well-educated person may know, for ancient books of that kind are still extant. This manner of writing they derived from the most ancient people who lived before the Flood, who used to represent heavenly and Divine things to themselves by means of visible objects on earth and in the world, and in so doing filled their minds and souls with joys and delights when they beheld the objects in the universe, especially those that were beautiful on account of their form and order. This is why all the books of the Church in those times were written in the same style. Job is one such book; and Solomon's Song of Songs is an imitation of them too. Both the books mentioned by Moses in Num 21:14, 27, were of this nature, in addition to many that have perished.
[3] Because it had come down from antiquity this style was later venerated both among the gentiles and among the descendants of Jacob, so much so that whatever was not written in this style was not venerated as Divine. This is why when they were moved by the prophetic spirit- as were Jacob, Gen 49:3-27; Moses, Exod 15:1-21; Deut. 33:2-end; Balaam, who was one of the sons of the east in Syria, where the Ancient Church continued to exist, Num 23:7-10, 19 24; 24:5-9, 17-24; Deborah and Barak, Judg 5:2-end; Hannah, 1 Sam 2:2-10; and many others - they spoke in that same manner, and for many hidden reasons. And although, with very few exceptions, they neither understood nor knew that their utterances meant the heavenly things of the Lord's kingdom and Church, they were nevertheless struck and filled with awe and wonder, and sensed that those utterances carried what was Divine and Holy within them.
[4] But that the historical narratives of the Word are of a similar nature, that is to say, that the particular names and particular expressions used represent and mean the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom, the learned world has not yet come to know, except that the Word is inspired right down to the tiniest jot, and that every single detail has heavenly arcana within it.
Latin(1748-1756) 1756
1756. Haec sunt quae in genere illa involvunt in sensu interno, sed ipsa series rerum et ejus pulchritudo, non potest apparere cum omnia et singula secundum significationem vocum explicantur, ac si una idea caperentur; cum omnia una idea capiuntur, tunc apparent illa quae sparsa sunt, pulchre cohaerentia et connexa: se habet hoc, sicut qui loquentem audit et attendit ad voces; tunc ideam loquentis non ita capit, ac si nihil attendit ad voces aut significationem earum; nam paene similiter se habet sensus internus Verbi ad externum seu litteralem, sicut loquela cujus voces vix audiuntur, minus attenduntur, cum mens in solo sensu rerum significatarum per voces loquentis tenetur. [2] Antiquissimus modus scribendi fuit repraesentativus rerum per personas et per voces, per quas prorsus alia intelligebant; profani scriptores tunc ita sua historica concinnabant, etiam res quae fuerunt vitae civilis et moralis, et quidem ita ut nihil prorsus tale esset, quod scriptum, quoad litteram, sed aliud sub illis intellectum, usque adeo ut affectiones quascumque sicut deos et deas sisterent, quibus ethnici postea cultum Divinum instituebant; quod cuivis literato potest notum esse, adhuc enim tales libri vetusti exstant: hunc modum scribendi traxerunt ab antiquissimis qui ante diluvium, qui caelestia et Divina sibi per illa quae conspicua fuerunt in terra et mundo, repraesentabant, et sic mentem et animam implebant jucundis et deliciosis cum spectabant universi objecta, imprimis quae pulchra ex forma et ordine; quare omnes libri Ecclesiae illorum temporum ita scripti sunt; talis est Liber Hiobi; ad imitationem illorum tale est Canticum canticorum Salomonis; tales fuerant bini Libri, quorum meminit Moses, Num. xxi 14 et 27, praeter plures qui perierunt. [3] Hic stilus dein ex antiquitate veneratus est, tam inter gentes, quam inter Jacobi posteros, usque adeo ut quicquid non ita scriptum esset, non ut Divinum venerarentur; quare quando acti spiritu prophetico, ut Jacobus Gen. xlix 3-(x)27; Moses Exod. xv 1-21; Deut. xxxiii 2 ad fin.; Bileamus, qui ex filiis orientis e Syria, ubi adhuc Ecclesia Antiqua, Num. xxiii 7-10, 19-24; xxiv 5-9, 17-24; Deborah et Barakus, Jud. v 2 ad fin.; Hannah, 1 Sam. ii 2-10; et alii plures, tunc similiter locuti sunt, et hoc ob plures arcanas causas; quae tametsi non intelligebant nec sciebant nisi paucissimi, quod significarent caelestia regni et Ecclesiae Domini, usque admirationis stupore tacti et perfusi, Divinum et Sanctum illis inesse sentiebant. [4] Sed quod historica Verbi similia sint, nempe repraesentativa et significativa caelestium et spiritualium regni Domini, quoad singula nomina et quoad singulas voces, nondum orbi erudito notum fuit, modo quod Verbum quoad minimam iotam inspiratum sit, et quod arcana caelestia omnibus et singulis insint.