8249.我被天使告知，在每个星球上，所有人最初的语言都是一种面部语言；它通过脸上的两个部位来表达，即嘴唇和眼睛。这种语言之所以最先到来，是因为脸是为了描绘人所思所愿的事而形成的；这也是为何脸被称为心灵的描绘者和标志；还因为在上古时代，或最初的时代，人们是敞开而又真诚的（参看8118节）；没有人想过或愿意去思考任何事，除了他愿意从脸上闪耀出来的事之外。因此，人的低层心智中的情感和思维观念也能得到生动而充分的传达。它们也以这种方式如同以一个可见的形式，并且许多一起将自己呈现在眼前。所以这种语言要优于话语所构成的语言，正如视觉优于听觉，也就是说，去看风景优于去听对它的描述。天使补充说，这种语言与天使的语言是一致的；再者，在那些时代，人们与天使是有接触的。他们还说，当脸说话，也就是心智透过脸说话时，这是与一个人同在的天使语言，是天使语言最后和最低的属世形式；它是一个人存在于别人的内视或思维中的内视或思维。但当嘴口通过话语说话时，这种语言是不存在的。我们地球上的上古之人也以同样的方式说话（参看607，608，1118，1120，7361节）。人人都能看出，话语所构成的语言不可能存在于上古之人中间，因为语言的话语并非直接注入舌头，而是须被发明出来，并应用于实际的事物中，这种事只能随着时间推移而实现。
Potts(1905-1910) 8249
8249. I have been informed by the angels that the first speech of all in every earth was a speech by means of the face, and this from two origins in the face-from the lips, and from the eyes. The reason why such speech was the first, is that the face was formed just to effigy the things which a man thinks and which he wills; from this the face has also been called the effigy and index of the mind; and also because in the most ancient or first times there was sincerity (see n. 8118), and man thought nothing, and wished to think nothing, but what he was willing should shine forth from his face; so that the affections of the lower mind and the ideas of the thought could be presented to the life, and fully. In this way they appeared to the eye also, as in a form, and very many together. This speech therefore surpassed the speech of words as much as the sense of sight surpasses that of hearing; that is, as the sight of a country surpasses hearing a description of it. They added that such speech was in agreement with the speech of the angels, with whom, furthermore, men in those times had communication. Moreover when the face speaks, or the mind through the face, it is the angelic speech with man in an ultimate natural form; and there is a presence of the internal sight or thought of one in that of another, but not when the mouth speaks by means of words. (That the most ancient people on this earth spoke in a similar way, see n. 607, 608, 1118, 1120, 7361.) Everyone also can know that the speech of words was not possible to the most ancient people, because the words of language were not imparted immediately, but had to be invented and applied to the things, which could not be done except in course of time.
Elliott(1983-1999) 8249
8249. Angels have told me that the kind of speech used first of all on any planet was facial, and that it was expressed by two parts of the face, the lips and the eyes. This kind of speech came first because the face has been altogether made to portray the things a person thinks or wills, which also is why the face has been called a portrayer and indicator of the mind, and in addition because in most ancient or earliest times people were open and sincere, 8118; no one thought or wished to think anything other than what he wished to shine from his face. That being so, the affections in a person's mind and the ideas in his thinking could also be conveyed vividly and completely; thus they also presented themselves to the eye as if in a visible form, very many simultaneously. This kind of speech therefore was as superior to speech consisting of spoken words as sight is to hearing, that is, as seeing a landscape, for example, to hearing a description of it. The angels added that this kind of speech matched the speech used by angels, with whom people in those earliest times were also in contact. They also said that it is angelic speech present with a person - the last and lowest natural form of it - when the face speaks - that is, when the mind speaks by means of the face; it is one person's inward sight or thought present in another's. But such speech is not present when the mouth utters spoken words. Regarding the use of speech like that by the most ancient people on our planet, see 607, 608, 1118, 1120, 7361. Anyone may also see that speech consisting of spoken words could not have existed with the most ancient people; for the words of spoken language were not infused directly into the tongue but had to be invented and applied to actual things, and this could be done only with the passage of time.
Latin(1748-1756) 8249
8249. Informatus sum ab angelis quod omnium prima loquela in unaquavis tellure fuerit loquela per faciem, et hoc ex binis ibi originibus, a labris et ab oculis; causa quod talis loquela fuerit prima, est quia facies formata est prorsus ad effigiandum illa quae homo cogitat et quae vult; inde etiam facies vocata est effigies et index animi; tum quia in antiquissimis seu primis temporibus sincerum fuit, n. 8118, et non aliud cogitavit homo nec cogitare voluit quam quod vellet ut eluceret ex facie; {1}ita (t)etiam potuerunt affectiones animi et ideae cogitationis sisti ad vivum et {2}plene; sic etiam apparebant ad oculum sicut in forma, et perplura simul; quae loquela tantum ideo excellebat prae loquela vocum, quantum visus prae auditu, hoc est, sicut est videre campum aut audire illum descriptum; addebant quod talis loquela conveniret cum loquela angelorum, cum quibus homines illis temporibus etiam communicabant; (m)etiam cum facies loquitur, seu mens per faciem, est loquela angelica apud hominem in forma ultima naturali,(n) ac est praesentis visus interni seu cogitationis unius in alterius, non autem cum os loquitur per voces. Quod antiquissimi in hac tellure similiter locuti fuerint, videatur n. 607, 608, 1118, 1120, 7361. Quisque etiam potest scire quod loquela vocum non potuerit esse antiquissimis, quia voces linguae non erant immediate infusae, sed inveniendae et applicandae rebus, quod non fieri nisi (x)successu temporis potuit. @1 After sisti$ @2 plenae; nam sic$