----中文待译----
472. These that are clothed in white robes, who are they and whence came they? - That this signifies concerning those who are now in truths, and in the protection of the Lord, what their quality is and what it has been, as is evident from the signification of being clothed in white robes, which denotes those who are now in truths, and in the protection of the Lord, see above (n. 395:1-2, 457); and from the signification of "Who are they? and whence came they?" as denoting of what quality they are, and of what quality they have been. "Who are they and whence came they," signifies of what quality they are, and of what quality they have been, for the reason that in the spiritual world, when angels see and meet others, they never inquire who they are, and whence they come, but what their quality is; wherefore this is the spiritual meaning of these words. The reason why the angels inquire only concerning the quality of those whom they see is, that in the spiritual world all have habitations according to the quality of their affections. Again, to inquire who they are implies personality, and to inquire whence they come involves place; and in the thought, and thence in the spiritual speech of the angels, there is no idea of person and place, but in their stead they have an idea of things and states in reference to quality, therefore also a name is given to every one there from his quality. That the angels think apart from person and place, and that consequently they possess wisdom, may be seen above (n. 99, 100, 270, 325). From these considerations it is evident, that the words, "Who are they? and whence came they?" signify in the spiritual sense, what their quality is, and what it has been. Their quality is also described in what now follows.
472. These clothed with the white robes, who are they, and whence came they? signifies respecting those who are now in truths and in the protection of the Lord, of what quality they are and of what they have been. This is evident from the signification of "clothed with the white robes," as being those who are now in truths and in the protection of the Lord, of which above, n. 395, 457); also from the signification of "who are these, and whence came they?" as being of what quality they are and of what they have been. "Who are they and whence came they?" signifies of what quality they are and what they have been, because angels in the spiritual world, when they see and meet others, never inquire who they are and whence they come, but of what quality they are; so this is the spiritual idea signified by these words. Angels inquire only respecting the quality of those they see, because the dwelling places of all in the spiritual world are in accordance with the quality of the affections with them, also because asking "who they are" involves person, and "whence they came" involves place; and in the spiritual thought and consequent spiritual speech of the angels there is no idea of person and of place, but in their stead an idea of the thing and of the state in respect to quality; so, too, everyone there is given a name from his quality. (That angels think abstractedly from person and from place, and that their wisdom is from that, see above, n. 99-100, 270, 325.) From this it can be seen that "Who are they and whence came they?" signifies in the spiritual sense, of what quality they are and of what they have been; their quality is also described in what follows.
472. "Hi induti stolis albis quinam sunt, et unde venerunt?" - Quod significet de illis qui nunc in veris sunt et in tutela Domini, quales sunt et quales fuerunt, constat ex significatione "indutorum stolis albis", quod sint qui nunc in veris sunt et in tutela Domini (de qua supra, n. 395 [a] , 457); et ex significatione "Quinam sunt et unde venerunt?" quod sit quales sunt et quales fuerunt: quod "Quinam sunt et unde venerunt?" significet quales sunt et quales fuerunt, est quia in mundo spirituali ab angelis, dum alios vident et conveniunt, nusquam inquiritur quinam sunt et unde veniunt, sed quales sunt; quare hoc spirituale est quod per illa verba significatur. Quod ab angelis non aliud quam quale eorum, quos vident, inquiratur, est quia habitationes omnium ibi sunt secundum quale affectionum quae apud illos; tum quia inquirere "quinam sunt" involvit personam, et "unde veniunt" involvit locum, et in cogitatione et inde in loquela spirituali, quae est angelis, non est idea personae et loci, sed pro illis idea rei et status quoad quale; quare etiam cuivis datur nomen ibi ex quali ejus. (Quod angeli cogitent abstracte a persona et a loco, et quod inde illis sapientia, videatur supra, n. 99, 100, 270, 325 [a] .) Ex his constare potest quod per "Quinam sunt et unde 1
venerunt?" in sensu spirituali significetur quales sunt et quales fuerunt: quale etiam eorum est quod in nunc sequentibus describitur.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.