642、由此明显可知，对方舟的初次描述表明，这方舟是由“哥斐木”建造的，有“房间”，“内外都被涂上柏油”，即：这第二部分，也就是意愿的部分被保存起来，以免遭遇大洪水；只有属于理解力的那一部分敞开，在16节被描述为窗、门和上中下三层。这些事很难让人相信，因为它们尚未进入任何人的脑海，还因为人们对主的圣言没有这种概念。尽管如此，它们却是最真实的。然而，这些是人所不知道的最小、最一般的奥秘。他们若被告知细节，恐怕一个也不理解。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]642. Such observations clarify what this initial description of the ark involves, in requiring that the ark be built out of gopher wood, be divided into compartments,{*1} and be tarred outside and in with tar. The meaning is that this second side — the will side — would be protected from the Flood and only the intellectual side would lie open, as depicted in verse 16 by the window, the door, and the lowest, second, and third levels.
Maybe these ideas seem unbelievable because they have never occurred to anyone before and people have not pictured the Lord's Word this way. Yet they are completely true. However, they represent the simplest and most general type of secret hidden from human knowledge. If I delved into the details, nobody would comprehend even a single one.
Footnotes:
{*1} The translation here is based on reading "that [there were to be] compartments" (quod mansiones) for the first Latin edition's "what the compartments [were]" (quid mansiones). The original Latin is plausible in itself, but does not accurately represent the verse it summarizes, Genesis 6:14. Elliott's translation (Swedenborg [1749-1756] 1983-1999) also assumes the emendation. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 642
642. From all this it is evident what this first description of the ark involves, with its construction of gopher wood, its mansions, and its coating within and without with pitch, namely, that one part, that of the will, was preserved from inundation; and only that part opened which is of the understanding, and is described, in verse 16, by the window, the door, and the lowest, second, and third stories. These things are not easily believed, because hitherto no one has had any idea of them. And yet they are most true. But these are the least and most general of the hidden meanings which man is ignorant of. If the individual particulars were told him, he could not apprehend even one of them.
Elliott(1983-1999) 642
642. These considerations make clear what is embodied in this first description of the ark which shows that it was constructed from 'planks of gopher', had 'rooms', and was 'bitumened with bitumen outside and in', namely that the second part, which is that of the will, was preserved from the deluge, and that the only part open was that of the understanding, which is described in verse 16 by the window, the door, and the lowest, second, and third storeys. These matters are perhaps hard to believe because they have not as yet entered anybody's thinking, and because people have no such conception of the Word of the Lord. Nevertheless they are absolutely true. Yet these are the least and most general of the arcana that mankind does not know. If the details were told them they would not grasp a single one.
Latin(1748-1756) 642
642. Ex his constare potest quid involvit prima haec arcae descriptio quod constructa sit ex 'lignis gopher,' quid 'mansiones,' tum quod 'bitumine foris et intus bituminaretur'; nempe quod altera illa pars quae voluntatis, conservaretur ab {x}inundatione; et solam aperiretur illa pars quae est intellectus, quae describitur, vers. 16, per 'fenestram, januam, infimas, secundanas et tertianas.' Haec forte incredibilia sunt quia in nullus ideam adhuc venerunt, et quia non talem conceptum habuerunt de Verbo Domini, usque tamen verissima sunt: sed haec minima et communissima arcana sunt, quae homo nescit; si ei singularia dicerentur ne quidem unum caperet.