12、他们被带到宫殿后，先从外面观看它。宫殿非常宏大，由斑岩建成，地基是碧玉的。门前耸立着六个高大的青金石柱，殿顶是金瓦做的，高大的窗户则由最透明的水晶制成，窗框也是黄金的。看完外面，他们又被带到宫殿里面，参观一个个房间。他们看见美到无法描述的装潢，天花板下面装饰着无与伦比的雕刻。靠墙摆放着熔金的银桌子，桌子上有各种宝石制成的器具，有些器具由切割成天堂形状的坚硬宝石制成。还有更多物件是地上未曾见过的，以致没人能相信天堂竟有这样的奇迹。
他们被所看到的富丽堂皇惊呆了，天使说：“不要惊讶。你们看到的这些事物并非出自天使之手，它们是宇宙工匠的作品，作为礼物被赠给我们的君主。所以，这是建筑艺术的巅峰，世上所有的建筑规则皆源于此。”天使继续说：“你们或许以为，这类东西会迷住我们的双眼，冲昏我们的头脑，以致我们会认为这些就是天上喜乐。其实，我们的心并不在它们上面，它们只不过是我们心之喜乐的附加物。我们越视它们为附加物，是神的手艺，就越在它们里面看见神的全能和仁慈。”
12、（1）在他们被带到王宫后，他们先看到了王宫的外部 。它很大，用斑岩在碧玉的基础上建成。前面有六根高柱。房顶由金片铺成。它的窗户是用最透明的水晶制成，窗花由黄金制成。
此后，他们被召进宫殿，见到了美丽的装饰品。房顶是极美的雕刻。沿着墙壁是金银混制而成的桌子，上面摆着宝石和碧玉制成的样式极美的器具。他们还要到许多世间无法见到的东西，没人会相信这些东西存在于天堂中。
（2）在他们为这种壮美而惊叹时，天使说：“不要赞叹了，这些东西不是天使的双手制成的，而是造世主创造的，作为礼物送给我们的王子，所以这里的建筑艺术是最精粹的，世间的艺术由此而来
天使们又说：“你们也许认为，这引人注目的景观就是天国的快乐。但由于我们的注意力并不在那上面，所以我们只把它们看作附属物，看作是神的工作，由此我们看到了神的伟大和荣耀。
12. When they were brought to the palace, they first of all viewed it from outside. It was spacious, built of porphyry with foundations of jasper. In front of the gate were six lofty columns of lapis lazuli, the roof was made of gold plates, there were high windows of the most transparent crystal, and the window-frames too were of gold. After seeing the outside, they were allowed inside the palace, and taken on a tour of the rooms; there they saw ornaments of indescribable beauty, and under the ceilings decorations of unrivalled carving. Near the walls tables were placed made of silver alloyed with gold, on which was a variety of equipment made of precious stones, and some items made out of solid gems cut into heavenly shapes. There was more, things no eye on earth has ever seen, so that no one could possibly believe that heaven contained such wonders.
[2] While they were stunned by the magnificence of what they had seen, the angel said: 'Do not be surprised. These things you see were not made or crafted by the hand of any angel. They are the work of the Craftsman of the universe, given as a present to our prince. This therefore is architecture at its highest, and it is from this that all the rules of architecture in the world derive. You may judge,' the angel went on, 'that such things fascinate our eyes and so dazzle them that we think those are the joys of our heaven. But because our hearts are not set on them, they are only extras added to the joys of our hearts. Thus in so far as we look on them as extras, and as God's handiwork, so far do we see in them the omnipotence and mercy of God.'
12. As they were being taken to the palace, they first viewed it from the outside. It was large, built out of porphyry, with a foundation of jasper, and in front of the entrance there were six tall columns of lapis lazuli. Its roof was covered with sheets of gold. Its high windows were made of the clearest crystal, and their frames were also of gold.
After this they were ushered into the palace and taken around from room to room, and they saw ornaments of indescribable beauty, with carvings beyond imitation decorating the ceilings. Positioned along the walls they saw tables of silver mixed with gold, and on them various utensils made of precious stones and of whole gems in heavenly forms. They also saw many other things which no eye on earth had ever seen, and consequently no one could ever have persuaded himself to believe that such things exist in heaven.
[2] As they stood in amazement at these magnificent sights, the angel said, "Do not marvel. The wonders you see were not made or crafted by the hand of any angel, but were fashioned by the Maker of the Universe and given as a gift to our prince. Therefore architectural art exists here in its quintessential form, and from it come all the rules of the same art in the world."
The angel said further, "You may suppose that wonders like these enchant our eyes and captivate them to the point that we believe them to be the joys of our heaven. But since our hearts do not lie in them, they are only subsidiary adjuncts to the joys of our hearts. As a result, to the extent that we view them as subsidiary adjuncts, and as works of God, to that extent we view in them the Divine omnipotence and benevolence."
12. As he led them to the palace they saw the outside first. It was large, constructed of porphyry, with jasper foundations, and six tall columns of lapis lazuli outside the door. The roof had golden shingles, the tall windows were of the clearest crystal, and their frames were also gold.
Then they were led into the palace and all around from room to room, and they saw ornaments of indescribable beauty, under ceilings decorated with carvings that defied imitation. By the walls were silver tables inwrought with gold, and on them various utensils of precious stones and whole gems in heavenly forms and many things that no eye in the world has seen, so no one could make himself believe that they exist in heaven.
They were stunned to see these magnificent things, so the angel said, "Don't be amazed, what you see was not made and fashioned by the hand of any angel. The Maker of the Universe made the things and gave them to our prince as gifts. So here you have the art of pure architecture, and all the rules of the art in the world come from this."
The angel went on, "You might think things like these would enchant our eyes and infatuate them until we thought they were the joys of our heaven. But since our hearts are not in them, they are only supplements to the joys of our hearts. So to the extent that we look on them as accessory and the workmanship of God, we see in them Divine omnipotence and mercy."
12. Being led to the palace, they first viewed it from without. It was large, built of porphyry, with a substructure of jasper; and in front of the entrance were six lofty columns of lapis lazuli. The roof was of plates of gold; the lofty windows were of transparent crystal, and their frames were also of gold. After this, they were introduced into the Palace and conducted from room to room. There they saw ornaments of ineffable beauty, and on the ceilings, decorations of inimitable carving. Along the walls were placed silver tables inwrought with gold, and on them various utensils of precious stones and of entire gems in heavenly forms, besides many other things which no earthly eye has seen, for which reason no one could bring himself to believe such things exist in heaven.
[2] While they were standing in amazement at the sight of this magnificence, the angel said: "Marvel not. The things which you see were not made and fashioned by any angelic hand but were formed by the Maker of the universe and presented to our prince as a gift. Here therefore is the art of architecture in its very art; and from it are all the rules of that art in the world." He then added: "You may suppose that such things enchant our eyes, and so infatuate them that we believe them to be the joys of our heaven; but because our hearts are not in them, they are only accessory to the joys of our hearts. So far, therefore, as we look upon them as accessory and as the work of God, so far we behold in them the Divine omnipotence and clemency."
12. Conducted to the palace, they viewed it first from outside. It was large, built of porphyry with a foundation of jasper, and had six lofty columns of lapis lazuli at the entrance. The roof was sheets of gold; the lofty windows were of clearest crystal with frames of gold. They were then conducted inside and led from room to room, where they saw ornamentation of ineffable beauty, and, decorating the ceilings, inimitable carved work. Along the walls stood silver tables inlaid with gold on which were various useful articles of precious stones and of whole gems in heavenly patterns. They saw many other things which no eye on earth has ever seen, so that you would never imagine there are such things in heaven.
As they stood in awe at the magnificence, the angel said, "Do not marvel. What you see was not made or fashioned by any angelic hand, but by the Maker of the universe, whose gift it all is to the prince. The art of architecture is therefore in its very art here; the world derives hence all its rules of the art." The angel went on, "You may suppose that things like these enchant our eyes and even infatuate them until we come to believe that they are the joys of our heaven, but, as we do not set our hearts on them, they are only accompaniments of our heart's joy. Viewing them so and as God's work, we behold in them the Divine omnipotence and mercy."
12. As they approached the palace they surveyed it first from without. It was large, built of porphyry, with a substructure of jasper, and before the entrance were six lofty columns of lapis lazuli. The roof was of plates of gold, the tall windows were of clearest crystal, and their frames also of gold. Then they were led into the palace and were conducted about from room to room, and saw ornaments of ineffable beauty, and on the ceilings decorations of inimitable carving. By the walls were silver tables inwrought with gold, and on them various utensils of precious stones and of entire gems in heavenly forms, many things which no eye on earth had seen, and such therefore, as no one could bring himself to believe that there are in heaven. While they were in amazement at the sight of these magnificent things the angel said:
'Marvel not. The things that you see were made and fashioned by no angelic hand, but were formed by the Maker of the Universe, and bestowed as presents upon our prince. Here then is the art of architecture in its very art; and from the art here are all the rules of the art in the world.'
The angel said further, 'You may suppose that such things enchant our eyes and infatuate them even that we believe them to be the joys of our heaven; but as our hearts are not in them they are only accessory to the joys of our hearts. In so far therefore, as we look upon them as accessory, and as the workmanship of God, we contemplate the Divine omnipotence and benignity in them.'
12. Cum adducti sunt ad Palatium, primum viderunt illud ab extra; erat amplum, structum ex porphyrite, et substructum ex jaspide, 1et ante portam sex columnae altae ex lapide lazuli, tectum ex laminis auri, fenestrae altae ex pellucidissimo chrystallo, harum postes etiam ex auro. Post hoc, introducti sunt intus in Palatium, et circumducti a conclavi in conclave, et viderunt ornamenta ineffabilis decoris, sub tectis decoramenta coelaturae inimitabilis; juxta parietes positas mensas ex argento conflato cum auro, super quibus erant varia utensilia ex lapidibus pretiosis, et ex integris gemmis in formis coelestibus; et plura, quae non aliquis oculus in terris viderat, et inde nec aliquis sibi fidem inducere potuerat, quod talia in Coelo sint.
[2] Cum in stupore ex visis magnificis illis erant, dixit Angelus, "ne miremini, haec quae videtis, non sunt aliqua manu angelica facta et fabricata, sed sunt condita ab Opifice Universi, et muneri data Principi nostro; quare hic est Ars architectonica in ipsa sua arte, et ex hac sunt omnes hujus artis regulae in Mundo." Porro dixit Angelus, "vos potestis autumare, quod talia fascinent oculos nostros, ac infatuent illos, usque ut credamus illa nostri Coeli gaudia esse; sed quia corda nostra non in illis sunt, sunt modo accessoria gaudiis cordium nostrorum; ideo quantum contemplamur illa ut accessoria, ac ut opificia Dei, tantum contemplamur Divinam Omnipotentiam et Clementiam in illis."
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: juspide,