5800.“我主曾问仆人们说”表对他们思维的察觉。这从“问”的含义清楚可知，“问”是指察觉别人的思维（参看5597节）。“问”之所以具有这种含义，是因为在灵界，或天堂，人无需问别人他对于诸如属于其情感的那类事是怎么想的，因为在灵界，一个人能察觉从另一个人的情感流出的思维。此外，“约瑟”所代表的内在不会去问雅各的儿子们所代表的外在，因为外在从内在获得它的全部存在。由此也明显可知，“问”表示对他们思维的察觉。我们在圣言各处读到，耶和华问一个人；而事实上，祂知道此人的每一个思维。但经上之所以如此说，是因为人以为他的思维在自己里面，故不可能为任何人所知。问是由于这种表象和随之的信念。
Potts(1905-1910) 5800
5800. My lord asked his servants, saying. That this signifies perception of their thought, is evident from the signification of "asking," as being to perceive another's thought (see n. 5597). That "asking" signifies this, is because in the spiritual world or in heaven no one has need to ask another what he thinks about such things as are of his affection, because the one perceives the other's thought which is thence derived; and moreover the internal which Joseph represents does not ask the external which Jacob's sons represent, for the external has its all from the internal. Hence it is plain that by "asking" is signified the perception of the thought. We occasionally read in the Word that Jehovah asks man, when yet He knows all and everything that man thinks; but this is so said because man believes that his thought is concealed from everyone because it is within him. The asking is in consequence of this appearance and the derivative belief.
Elliott(1983-1999) 5800
5800. 'My lord questioned his servants, saying' means perception of their thought. This is clear from the meaning of 'questioning' as perceiving another's thought, dealt with in 5597. The reason 'questioning' has this meaning is that in the spiritual world or heaven no one needs to ask another what he thinks about the kinds of things for which he - that other person - has an affection, because in that world one person can perceive the thought that flows from another's affection. Furthermore the internal represented by 'Joseph' does not question the external, which 'Jacob's sons' represent, since the external receives its entire existence from the internal. From this too it is evident that 'questioning' means the perception of their thought. Also, the Word refers in various places to Jehovah questioning a person, when in fact He knows every single thought in that person. But such references are made to Him because people cannot help believing that their thoughts, being inside them, cannot be known to anyone. This appearance and consequent belief explain why questioning takes place.
Latin(1748-1756) 5800
5800. `Dominus meus interrogavit servos suos, dicendo': quod significet perceptionem cogitationis eorum, constat ex significatione `interrogare' quod sit percipere alterius cogitationem, de qua n. 5597; quod `interrogare' id significet, est quia in spirituali mundo seu in caelo non aliquis opus habeat interrogare alterum quid cogitat de talibus quae affectionis ejus sunt, quia {1} (t)unus percipit (t)alterius cogitationem quae inde; et praeterea internum quod `Josephus' repraesentat, non interrogat externum quod `filii Jacobi' repraesentant, {2}nam externum omne suum habet ab interno {3}; exinde etiam patet quod per `interrogare' significetur perceptio cogitationis. Etiam in Verbo passim occurrit quod Jehovah interroget hominem, cum tamen omnia et singula quae cogitat, novit; at id fit quia homo non aliter {4}credit quam quod cogitatio sua nemini pateat quia intus in se {5}, ex apparentia illa, et inde fide, fit interrogatio. @1 i ibi$ @2 quia$ @3 i et nihil quicquam a se$ @4 putat$ @5 i est$