37、至于“光体要作记号，定节令，日子，年岁”这句话，它所包含的奥秘比本书所能阐明的还要多，只是没有一个奥秘能从字义上看得出来。现在只能说明一点：属灵和属天事物既总体上，也具体地经历循环变化，好比一天和一年当中所经历的循环变化。一天的循环变化始于早晨，直到中午，然后到晚上，经过黑夜再到早晨。一年的循环变化始于春天，直到夏天，然后到秋天，经过冬天再到春天。这些变化带来气温和日光量的变化，从而带来大地产量的变化。属灵和属天事物上的变化好比这些变化。没有变化和多样性的生命将是单调乏味的，因而毫无生命可言，也不会有对良善和真理的认识或区分，更不用说对它们的任何感知了。这类循环变化在先知书被称为“定例”，如耶利米书：
那白日为光赐下太阳，黑夜为光赐下星月定例的耶和华如此说。这些定例在我面前不可背离。（耶利米书31:35-36）
同一先知书：
耶和华如此说，若是我立白日黑夜的约不能存住，若是我未曾安排天地的定例。（耶利米书33:25）
蒙主的神性怜悯，我将在后面（创世记8:22；933-936节）论述这些事。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]37. The words the lights will act as signals and will be used for seasons both for the days and for the years contain more hidden information than can be spelled out in the present work, even though none of it appears in the literal meaning. The only thing to be said at this time is that spiritual and heavenly things — as a group and individually — go through cycles, for which the daily and yearly cycles are metaphors. The daily cycle begins in the morning, extends to midday, then to evening, and through night to morning. The corresponding annual cycle begins with spring, extends to summer, then to fall, and through winter to spring.
These changes create changes in temperature and light and in the earth's fertility, which are used as metaphors for changes in spiritual and heavenly conditions. Without change and variation, life would be monotonous and consequently lifeless. There would be no recognition or differentiation of goodness and truth, let alone any awareness of them.
The celestial cycles are called "statutes" in the prophets, as in Jeremiah:
The word spoken by Jehovah, who gives the sun as light for the day, the statutes of moon and stars as light for the night: "These statutes will not depart from before me." (Jeremiah 31:35-36)
And in the same prophet:
This is what Jehovah has said: "If my compact with day and night should cease, if I should cease to set the statutes of heaven and earth ..." (Jeremiah 33:25)
But the subject will be explored further at Genesis 8:22 [933-936], the Lord's divine mercy permitting.
Potts(1905-1910) 37
37. It is said that the luminaries shall be "for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years." In these words are contained more arcana than can at present be unfolded, although in the literal sense nothing of the kind appears. Suffice it here to observe that there are alternations of things spiritual and celestial, both in general and in particular, which are compared to the changes of days and of years. The changes of days are from morning to midday, thence to evening, and through night to morning; and the changes of years are similar, being from spring to summer, thence to autumn, and through winter to spring. Hence come the alternations of heat and light, and also of the productions of the earth. To these changes are compared the alternations of things spiritual and celestial. Life without such alternations and varieties would be uniform, consequently no life at all; nor would good and truth be discerned or distinguished, much less perceived. These alternations are in the Prophets called "ordinances" [statuta], as in Jeremiah:
Said Jehovah, who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, . . . these statutes shall not recede from before me (Jer. 31:35-36). And in the same Prophet:
Said Jehovah, If My covenant of day and night stand not, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth (Jer. 33:25). But concerning these things, of the Lord's Divine mercy, at Genesis 8:22.
Elliott(1983-1999) 37
37. As for the statement that 'the lights will be for signs, and for set times, and for days, and for years', this contains more arcana than can be presented at this point, though no arcanum at all is visible in the sense of the letter. For now only this can be said: Change in spiritual and celestial things takes place both on general and on particular scales, and is comparable to changes that take place through the day and through the year. Changes through the day are from morning to midday, from then on to evening, and through the night to the morning. Changes in the year similar, from spring to summer, from then on to autumn, and through winter to spring. These bring changes in temperature and amount of daylight, and so in the fertility of the earth. Compared to such changes are the changes that take place in spiritual and celestial things. Life without changes and variations would lead to sameness, and so no life at all. Good and truth would not be recognized and identified, let alone perceived. In the Prophets such changes are called 'ordinances', as in Jeremiah, [Thus] said Jehovah who gives the sun for light by day and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for light by night, These ordinances will not depart from before Me. Jer 31:35, 36.
And in the same prophet, Thus said Jehovah, If I have not established My covenant of day and night, the ordinances of heaven and earth . . . Jer 33:25.But these things will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with at Gen 8:12.
Latin(1748-1756) 37
37. Dicitur quod 'luminaria erunt in signa, et in Stata tempora, et in dies, et in annos'; haec plura arcana continent quam ut in praesenti dici queant, tametsi in sensu litterae nihil arcani apparet; nunc solum, quod vices spiritualium et caelestium dentur in universali et singularibus, quae comparantur vicibus dierum et annorum; dierum sunt a mane ad meridiem, inde ad vesperam, et per noctem ad mane; annorum sunt similes, a vere ad aestatem, inde ad autumnum, et per hiemem ad ver; vices inde caloris et lucis, tum fructificationum terrae; his vicibus comparantur vices spiritualium et caelestium; vita absque vicibus et varietatibus foret una, ita nulla, nec cognosceretur, nec dignosceretur, minus perciperetur bonum et verum: haec vocantur apud Prophetas statuta, ut apud Jeremiam, Dixit Jehovah, dans solem in lucem diei, statuta lunae, et stellarum in lucem noctis,...non recedent statuta haec a coram Me, xxxi 35, 36:et apud eundem prophetam, Sic dixit Jehovah, Si non foedus Meum diei et noctis, statuta caeli et terrae non posuero, xxxiii 25. Sed de his, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, ad Gen. viii 22.