5937.“法老对约瑟说”表属世层从内在属天层所获得的觉知。这从“说”的含义，以及“法老”和“约瑟”的代表清楚可知：在圣言的历史中，“说”是指觉知或觉察，如前面频繁所述；“法老”是指总的属世层（参看5160，5799节）；“约瑟”是指内在属天层（5869，5877节）。由于约瑟所代表的属天层是内在的，而法老所代表的属世层是外在的，所以觉知是属世层从内在属天层得来的。因为一切觉知皆从内而来；没有任何觉知是从外而来从内存在的；因为流注来自哪里，觉知就来自哪里，它们来自同一源头。
有必要简单阐述何为觉知，或觉察，这个词在前面经常提到。每个人都拥有觉知或觉察某事是真的这种能力。在自己里面，或在自己的心智里面得出结论的能力使得他能觉知或觉察这事。然而，若没有从灵界而来的流注，这种能力绝无可能存在于他里面。一个人能比别人在更大程度上拥有这种恩赐。在较小程度上拥有它的，是那些在自己里面，或在自己的心智里面极少得出结论，因而拥有极少觉知的人；他们若说某事是真的，是因为他们所信靠的别人是这么说的。然而，在更大程度上拥有这种恩赐的，是那些不仰赖他人，而是亲自看见事情是真的之人。不过，每个人所拥有的这种觉知或觉察涉及世俗事物；如今没有人拥有在属灵事物上的任何觉知或觉察。原因在于，从属灵源头流入，以产生这种觉知或觉察的属灵之物被爱世界爱自己的快乐掩盖，几乎被它们毁灭了。因此，人们若非职责所在，或习俗要求，就不关心属灵事物。若拿走职责所施加的恐惧和习俗所带来的快乐，人们就会唾弃、厌恶，甚至否认属灵事物的存在。
人若要拥有属灵事物上的觉知或觉察，就必须拥有由良善所激发的对真理的情感，必须不断渴望认识真理。其心智的理解力部分就会由此得到启示；一旦它得到启示，他就能在自己里面从内在觉知或觉察某事。但是，人若未处于对真理的情感，就会知道他从与他的信仰相联的教会的教导那里所知道的是真的，因为牧师、长老或修道士就是这么说的。由此可见何为觉知或觉察，它存在于世俗事物中，但不存在于属灵事物中。这一点从以下事实进一步清楚看出来：每个人都持守他所生于其中的宗教信仰体系，包括那些生为犹太人的人和那些在教会之外的人，哪怕他们就住在教会所在之地。任何异端邪说的信徒也是如此。若有人告诉他们十足的真理，也证明给他们，他们仍然完全不能发觉它们是真理；在他们看来，它们就是虚假。
Potts(1905-1910) 5937
5937. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph. That this signifies the perception of the natural from the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (of which often above); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (see n. 5160, 5799); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877). As the celestial which Joseph represents is internal, and the natural which Pharaoh represents is external, therefore the perception is of the natural from the internal celestial, for all perception is from within, and in no case is there any perception of what is interior from without; for whence the influx, thence the perception. [2] What the perception is that is so often mentioned shall here be briefly stated. There is with every man a capacity of perceiving whether a thing is so or is not so. The capacity of drawing a conclusion within himself, or in his own mind, causes a thing to be perceived. This capacity is utterly impossible unless there is influx from the spiritual world. In this gift one man excels another. They who excel less are they who within themselves or in their own mind conclude and thus perceive but little; but say that a thing is so because others in whom they have faith have said so. But they who excel more are they who see, not from others, but from themselves, that the thing is so; for in very deed the perception which exists with every man is one in worldly things, but not at the present day with anyone in spiritual things. The reason is that the spiritual which flows in and causes perception has been obscured and almost extinguished by the delights of the love of the world and of self; and therefore neither do they care for spiritual things, except insofar as is of duty and of custom; and if fear from duty, and delight from custom, were taken away, they would spurn, feel aversion for, and even deny them. [3] He who would have perception in spiritual things must be in the affection of truth from good, and must continually long to know truths. Thereby his intellectual is enlightened, and when the intellectual has been enlightened, then it is given him to perceive something inwardly within himself. But he who is not in the affection of truth, knows that which he knows to be so, from the teaching of the church to which he joins his faith, and because a priest, presbyter, or monk has said so. From all this it is evident what perception is, and that it exists in worldly things, but not in spiritual things; as is further evident from the fact that everyone remains in the doctrine in which he was born, even they who were born Jews, and also they who are outside the church, although they live within it. Moreover they who are in any heresy, if told the veriest truths, and if these were also confirmed, they would nevertheless perceive not one whit of their truth: they would appear to them as falsities.
Elliott(1983-1999) 5937
5937. 'And Pharaoh said to Joseph' means a perception received by the natural from the internal celestial. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' in the historical narratives of the Word as perception, dealt with often; from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as the natural in general, dealt with in 5160, 5799; and from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal celestial, dealt with in 5869, 5877. Since the celestial, which 'Joseph' represents, is internal while the natural, which 'Pharaoh' represents, is external, the perception is therefore received by the natural from the internal celestial. For all perception comes from within; no perception ever exists within that comes from without; for wherever an influx comes from, perception is from the same source.
[2] Let a brief statement appear here about what perception, referred to so many times, is. Everyone possesses the ability to perceive whether something is true or not. The ability he has within himself, within his mind, to draw conclusions is what enables him to perceive it; yet this ability cannot possibly exist in him without influx from the spiritual world. It is a gift that one person possesses in greater measure than another. Those who possess it in smaller measure are people who draw few conclusions within themselves or their minds and so have little perception; and if they say a thing is true they do so because others in whom they put their trust have said it is. Those however who possess the gift in greater measure are people who do not rely on others but see for themselves that it is true. But this kind of perception that everyone has involves worldly matters; nobody at the present day has any perception in spiritual ones. The reason for this is that what flows in from the spiritual source to produce that perception is blotted out and virtually annihilated by the delights of worldly and selfish love. As a consequence people have no interest in spiritual things except where duty or custom require it. Take away the fear that duty engenders, and the delight that custom affords, and people would scorn, turn away from, and indeed deny the existence of spiritual things.
[3] To have perception in spiritual things a person must have an affection for truth stirred by good and must have an unceasing desire to know truths. This leads to an enlightenment of the understanding part of his mind; and once it has been enlightened he is able within himself to see a thing with perception. But if a person is not stirred by an affection for truth, then he knows what he knows to be true from the teaching of the Church on which he pins his faith, something he also knows because priest, presbyter, or monk has declared it to be. From all this one may see what perception is and that it exists in worldly matters but not in spiritual ones. This is further evident from the consideration that everyone adheres to the system of religious belief into which he was born; this includes those who were born Jews and those outside the Church, even though they live in places where the Church is situated. The same goes for the adherents to any heresy. If utter truths were stated and also proved to them they would still be totally incapable of perceiving that they were truths; they would be seen by them as falsities.
Latin(1748-1756) 5937
5937. `Et dixit Pharaoh ad Josephum': quod significet perceptionem naturalis ex caelesti interno, constat ex significatione `dicere' in historicis Verbi quod sit perceptio, de qua saepius; ex repraesentatione `Pharaonis' quod sit naturale in communi, de qua n. 5160, 5799; et ex repraesentatione `Josephi' quod sit caeleste internum, de qua n. 5869, 5877; quia caeleste quod `Joseph' repraesentat, est internum, et naturale quod `Pharaoh', est externum, idcirco est perceptio naturalis ex caelesti interno, omnis enim perceptio est ex interiore, nusquam est aliqua perceptio {1}interioris ab exteriore, unde enim influxus, inde est perceptio. [2] Quid perceptio quae toties {2}nominatur, paucis hic dicendum: est apud unumquemvis hominem facultas percipiendi num ita sit, vel non ita; facultas concludendi intus in se seu in mente sua facit ut res percipiatur; haec facultas nusquam dabilis est nisi influxus sit ex spirituali mundo; hac dote excellent unus homo prae altero; qui minus excellent, sunt qui parum intus in se seu in mente sua concludunt et sic percipiunt, sed {3}dicunt ita esse, quia alii quibus fidem habent, ita dixerunt; at qui magis excellent, sunt qui {4}non ex aliis sed ex se vident quod ita sit; verum enim vero perceptio quae est apud unumquemvis hominem, est in rebus mundanis, non autem hodie apud aliquem in rebus spiritualibus; {5}(m)causa est quia spirituale quod influit et facit perceptionem, {6} obscuratum {7}est et paene exstinctum a jucundis amoris mundi et sui; quapropter nec illis curae sunt spiritualia nisi quatenus ex debito et more, si {8}auferretur timor ex debito, et jucundum ex more, {9}spernerent illa, {10}aversarentur, immo {11}negarent;(n) [3] qui perceptionem in spiritualibus habebit, is erit in affectione veri ex bono, et desiderabit continue (t)scire vera, inde intellectuale ejus illuminatur, et cum intellectuale illuminatum est, tunc {12}datur ei aliquid intus in se percipere; at qui non in affectione veri est, quod {13}scit ita esse, {14}hoc scit a doctrinali Ecclesiae cui fidem {15}adjungit, et quia {16}dixit ita esse sacerdos, presbyter, monachus. Ex his constare potest quid perceptio, et quod in mundanis {17} detur, non autem in spiritualibus; quod {18}adhuc patet ex eo quod quisque in dogmate in quo natus est, maneat, etiam qui nati sunt Judaei, tum qui extra Ecclesiam, tametsi intra eam vivunt; {19}et quoque qui in haeresi, si illis ipsissima vera dicerentur et quoque confirmarentur, usque tamen ne hilum perciperent quod vera sint, apparebunt illis ut falsa. @1 interni ab externo$ @2 dicitur$ @3 modo sciunt ex aliis, quibus fidem habent$ @4 intus in se$ @5 i in rebus mundanis homo dicere potest quod ita sit, quia percipit ex concluso a pluribus non autem in rebus spiritualibus;$ @6 i prorsus$ @7 after exstinctum$ @8 abstrahatur$ @9 spernunt$ @10 aversantur$ @11 negant$ @12 potest aliquod$ @13 sciat$ @14 habet$ @15 adjunget$ @16 dicit$ @17 i apud hominem$ @18 etiam$ @19 tum$