175、妻子不能参与适合丈夫的职责，另一方面，男人也不能参与适合妻子的职责。这是因为它们之间的区别如同智慧与对它的爱之间的区别，或如同思维与对它的情感，或理解与激活它的意愿之间的区别。在适合男人的职责中，理解、思维和智慧起主导作用；而在适合妻子的职责中，意愿、情感和爱起主导作用。妻子出于意愿、情感和爱履行职责，而丈夫出于理解、思维和智慧履行职责。因此，其职责的差异是男人与妻子性质不同的结果；但随着时间推移，它们仍逐渐趋向结合。
许多人认为女人能履行男人的职责，只要她们像男孩子那样早早涉足其中。诚然，女人能被引入这些职责的操练，却无法被引入判断，而正确履行这些职责从内在依赖于判断。因此，涉足男人职责的女人在判断的问题上不得不请教男人；然后，她们若享有自主权，就会根据男人的建议选择与她们的爱相一致的东西。
有些人还以为，女人同样能将其理解的视觉提升到男人所享有的光之气场中，从而站在同等高度看待事物。他们因着一些有学问的女作家所写的著作而信服这种观点。但在灵界，当这些著作当着这些女作家的面被检查时，却发现它们并非判断和智慧的著作，而是运用语言上的聪明和天赋的著作；出于后者的著作由于文笔优美而看似崇高、博学；不过，也只是在那些将一切聪明的展示都视为智慧的人看来是这样。
另一方面，男人不能参与并正确履行适合女人的职责。这是因为，他们无法进入女人的情感，这些情感完全不同于男人的情感。男性的情感和觉知自创世时，因而生性就如此独特，故在赋予以色列人的律例中也有这样一条:
女人不可穿戴男人的衣物，男人也不可穿戴女人的衣物；因为这是令人憎恶的事。（申命记22:5）
这是因为，在灵界，所有人皆照着他们的情感穿衣服；这两种情感，就是女人的情感和男人的情感，若非在两性之间，就无法成为一体；而这在一个人里面是永远不可能的。
175、（1）我们说妻子不能履行丈夫的职责，丈夫同时也不能履行妻子的职责，这是因为这些职责是不同的，就象智慧及其相伴的意愿。在丈夫的职责中，理解力，思想及智慧起主导作用。妻子通过意愿，情感和爱而履行自己的职责。因此，他们各自的职责本质上是不同的，但是它们是彼此相联系的。
（2）许多人认为女人若能在年轻的时候接触属于男人的工作，那么她们就能够履行男人职责。然而，女人虽然能够做男人做的工作，在内在上她们缺乏做好这些事情的判断力，因此，那些做男人工作的女们需要男人帮助来做出正确判断。
（3）一些人还认为女人能有与男人一样的对事物的理解力。这些人是受到了一些女性文人的影响，女性文人的作品在精神世界中会显示出来她们并非出于判断力及智慧，而是出于头脑的聪明及对语言的运用。这种作品因为它的雅致及对词语的运用而显得高雅并充满智慧。但是聪明和智慧是不同的。
（4）我们说男人也不能很好地履行女人的职责，因为男人的爱与女人的爱是不同的。因为男人的爱及理解力在创世时起在本质上如此不同，因此以色列的律法中有以下规定：
妇女不可穿戴男子所穿戴的，男子也不可以穿妇女的衣服，因为这样都是耶和华神所憎恶的。（《申命记》22:5）
这是因为在精神世界中人的穿戴是由他的爱所决定的，即男人的爱和女人的爱，这两种爱不能同时存在于一个人中。
175. A wife cannot be involved in the duties proper to a husband, nor conversely can a man be involved in the duties proper to a wife. This is because the difference between them is like that between wisdom and the love of it, or between thought and the affection for it, or between the intellect and the will which activates it. In the duties proper to a man the leading role is played by the intellect, thought and wisdom. But in the duties proper to a wife the leading role is played by the will, affection and love. These impel a wife to perform her duties, the other group impel a man to perform his. The diversity of their duties is the consequence of the natures of men and wives; but they still lead by stages to a progressive linking.
[2] Many people believe that women can perform the duties of men, provided they are introduced to them at a sufficiently early age, just as boys are. But they can be taught to perform them, not to judge them; and it is on this that the inner correctness of their duties depends. As a result, women who have been introduced to men's duties are obliged in matters of judgment to consult their menfolk, and then, if they are given freedom, they choose from the advice they receive what suits their love.
[3] Some are of the opinion that women can equally lift the gaze of their intellect into the sphere of light which men enjoy, so perceiving things equally deeply. This opinion has been supported by the writings of certain learned authoresses. But when these writings of theirs were investigated in their presence in the spiritual world, they turned out to be the products, not of judgment and wisdom, but of cleverness and facility. What results from the latter two qualities is made by the elegance and neatness of composition to seem sublime and learned; but only to those who call every display of cleverness wisdom.
[4] The reason why men cannot be involved either in the duties proper to women, and perform them correctly, is that they cannot assume women's affections, which are quite distinct from those of men. It was because the affections and perceptions of the male sex were thus distinguished from creation, and so became their nature, that one of the statutes of the Children of Israel was:
A woman is not to wear man's clothing, nor a man woman's clothing; for this is an abomination. Deuteronomy 22:5.
The reason is that in the spiritual world everyone is dressed according to his affections, and the two separate sets of affections of a woman and a man cannot be united except in the persons of two people; it can never happen in one person.
175. We say that a wife cannot enter into duties appropriate to her husband or conversely a husband into duties appropriate to his wife, because they differ, like wisdom and its accompanying love, or like thought and its accompanying affection, or like the intellect and its accompanying will. In duties appropriate to husbands, understanding, thought and wisdom play the primary role, whereas in duties appropriate to wives, will, affection and love play the primary role. A wife also performs her duties out of will, affection and love, while her husband performs his out of understanding, thought and wisdom. Consequently, their duties are by nature different; but still they are progressively conjunctive as time goes on.
[2] Many people believe that women can perform the duties of men if only they are introduced into them from early age in the way that boys are. However, women can be introduced into the exercise of these duties, but not into the judgment on which the proper performance of these duties inwardly depends. Therefore, those women who are introduced into the duties of men, in matters of judgment are bound to go to men for advice; and then, from the men's recommendations, if they are their own mistresses, they choose what accords with their love.
[3] Some people also suppose that women can raise the sight of their understanding into the same realm of light that men can and see things on the same high level. They have been persuaded of this opinion by what some educated female poets have written. But when the works of these female poets were examined in their presence in the spiritual world, they were found to be works, not of judgment and wisdom, but of cleverness and a facility in the use of language. And works which result from these two gifts, because of the elegance and skill in the way the words are put together, appear as though they were lofty and intelligent - but only to people who take any kind of cleverness and call it wisdom.
[4] We also say that men cannot enter into duties appropriate to women and perform them properly, because they cannot enter into the affections of women, which are completely different from the affections of men. Since the affections and perceptions of the male sex, from creation and thus by nature, have been made so different, therefore the laws among the children of Israel also included the following decree:
A woman shall not have on the garment of a man, nor a man the garment of a woman, for it is an abomination.... (Deuteronomy 22:5)
The reason for this was that all in the spiritual world are clothed according to their affections, and the two affections - the affection of a woman and the affection of a man - cannot become one except between the two sexes, and never is this possible in one person.
175. A wife cannot take on the activities proper to a man, nor on the other hand a man the activities proper to a wife, because they differ like wisdom and the love of it, or like thought and an affection for it, or like intellect and an inclination toward it. The activities that belong to men particularly have to do with intellect, thought, and wisdom, while the functions that belong to women particularly have to do with will, feeling, and love. A wife performs her duties with these as a starting point, and a man starts from those other abilities. So their activities are different by nature. Still they are interlinked.
Many people think that women can do men's jobs if only they are started in them at an early age, like boys. They can be introduced to the practice of the jobs but not the judgment that the correctness of the work depends on inwardly. On this account, women who have been introduced to men's functions are obliged to consult men in matters of judgment, and then if the decision is up to them they choose from the men's advice what favors their own love.
Some people also say that women are as able as men to raise the sight of their intellect into the areas of light that men participate in and see into things on that same level - an opinion induced on them through writings of certain learned authoresses. But these writings, examined in the spiritual world, with the authoresses present, turn out not to involve judgment and discernment but ingenuity and eloquence. And the products of these two skills seem as if they are lofty and erudite from elegance and polish in the composition of sentences - but only to people who call all cleverness wisdom.
Men cannot undertake the activities that belong to women and do them right, either, because they do not have women's dispositions, which are totally different from men's dispositions.
It is because the masculine sex's inclinations and perceptions are so different, from creation and therefore by nature, that this was among the statutes given to the Children of Israel: that a man's clothing must not be on a woman nor a woman's clothing on a man, because this is an abomination. (Deuteronomy 22:5) The reason was that everyone in the spiritual world dresses according to his disposition, and the two different dispositions of woman and man can only be united between two people, and never in one person.
175. That the wife cannot enter into the offices proper to the man, nor, on the other hand, the man into the offices proper to the wife, is because they differ as do wisdom and the love thereof, or thought and its affection, or the intellect and its will. In the offices proper to men, understanding, thought, and wisdom play the leading part, but in the offices proper to wives, the leading part is played by will, affection, and love; and the wife performs her offices from the latter, and the man performs his from the former. Therefore, by their very nature their offices are divergent, yet in their successive series they are conjunctive.
[2] It is thought by many that women can perform the offices of men if only they are initiated into them from their earliest age, as are boys. They can indeed be initiated into the exercise of them, but not into the judgment on which the right performance of the offices inwardly depends. Therefore, in matters of judgment, women who have been initiated into the offices of men are constrained to consult men; and then, if they are in the enjoyment of their own right, they choose from their counsels what favors their own love.
[3] By some it is also supposed that women are equally able to elevate the sight of their understanding into the sphere of light in which men are, and to view things in the same altitude. This opinion has been induced upon them by the writings of some learned authoresses. But in the spiritual world, when these writings were explored in the presence of those authoresses, they were found to be works, not of judgment and wisdom, but of genius and eloquence; and works which proceed from these two, by reason of the elegance and fine style of the verbal composition, appear as though sublime and erudite but only before those who call all ingenuity wisdom.
[4] That men, on the other hand, cannot enter into the offices proper to women and rightly perform them, is because they cannot enter into the affections of women, these being entirely distinct from the affections of men. Because from creation and hence by nature, the affections and perceptions of the male sex are so distinctive, therefore, among the statutes given to the sons of Israel was also this,
The garment of a man shall not be upon a woman, neither the garment of a woman upon a man, for it is an abomination. Deuteronomy 22:5.
The reason was, because in the spiritual world all are clothed according to their affections, and the two affections, that of woman and that of man, can be united only as between two, and never in a single person.
175. The wife cannot enter into the activities proper to the man, nor the man into those proper to the wife, for the reason that man and woman differ like wisdom and the love of it, or like thought and its affection, or like understanding and its will. Understanding, thought and wisdom take the lead in activities proper to men; while in activities proper to wives, will, affection and love take the lead. From the latter the wife carries on her activities, from the former the husband carries on his. Their activities are therefore in their nature diverse, but still conjoining in a continuous series.
[2] Many believe that women can perform men's activities if only they are introduced into them from early days as boys are; but while they can be inducted into the doing of them, they cannot be into the judgment on which the right performance of them inwardly depends. Women who are introduced into men's activities are therefore driven in matters of judgment to consult men, and if there is room for choice, they choose from the advice what favors their love.
[3] Some also suppose that women can raise the sight of the understanding equally with men into the sphere of light in which men are, and view things at that height. They have been led to think so by the writings of certain accomplished authoresses. But these writings have been examined in the spiritual world in the presence of the writers and were found to be works not of judgment and wisdom but of cleverness and eloquence. Writings which come of these two capacities seem sublime and erudite for their elegance and skillful verbal composition, but only to those who call ingenuity wisdom.
[4] Neither can men enter into activities proper to women and perform them rightly, for the reason that they have not their affections, which are utterly distinct from their own. Since the affections and perceptions of the male sex are so different by creation and hence by nature, there stood among the laws of the children of Israel this statute:
A man's garment shall not be on a woman nor a woman's on a man; for this is an abomination (Deuteronomy 22:5).
The reason is that all in the spiritual world are clothed in accord with their affections, and the two different affections, of man and woman, can be united only between two and never in one person.
175. That a wife cannot enter into the duties proper to the man, nor on the other hand a man into the duties proper to the wife, is because they differ as do wisdom and its love, or as thought and its affection, or as understanding and its will. In the duties proper to men, understanding, thought, and wisdom act the leading part; but in the duties proper to wives, will, affection, and love act the leading part; and from these the wife does her duties, and from those the man does his. Their duties are therefore, of their own nature different, and yet are conjunctive, in a successive series. It is believed by many that women can perform the duties of men, if only they are initiated into them from their earliest age after the manner of boys; into the exercise of them they can indeed be initiated, but not into the judgment on which the right performance of the duties inwardly depends. Women, therefore, who are initiated into the duties of men are constrained in matters of judgment to consult with men; and then, if free to act, they choose out of their counsels what favors their own love. It is supposed also by some that women are equally able to lift up the sight of their understanding into the sphere of light in which men are, and to view things in the same altitude, which opinion has been induced upon them by the writings of some learned authoresses. But these writings, explored in their presence in the spiritual world, are found not to come of judgment and wisdom, but of genius and eloquence; and the products of these two, from elegance and beautiful fitness in the composition of words, appears as if sublime and erudite, but only to those who term all ingenuity wisdom. That on the other hand men cannot enter into the duties proper to women and rightly perform them, is because they cannot enter into their affections, which are entirely distinct from the affections of men. Because the affections and perceptions of the male sex are from creation and thence by nature thus distinct, therefore, among the statutes with the sons of Israel was this also
The garment of a man shall not be upon a woman, neither shall the garment of a woman be upon a man, for it is an abomination (Deuteronomy 22:5).
The reason was that in the spiritual world all are clothed according to their affections, and the two affections, of the woman and of the man, cannot be united except between two, and never in one.
175. Quod Uxor non possit intrare in Officia propria viri, et vicissim nec Vir in Officia propria uxoris, est quia differunt sicut sapientia et ejus amor, seu sicut cogitatio et ejus affectio, seu sicut intellectus et ejus voluntas; in Officiis propriis virorum primas agit intellectus, cogitatio et sapientia, in Officiis autem propriis uxorum primas agit voluntas, affectio et amor; et Uxor ex his facit sua officia, et Vir ex illis facit sua; quare Officia illorum ex sua natura sunt diversa; sed usque conjunctiva in serie successiva.
[2] Creditur a multis, quod Mulieres possint fungi officiis virorum, modo a prima aetate initientur in illa, quemadmodum pueri; sed possunt in exercitium illorum, non autem in judicium, a quo officiorum rectitudo interius dependet; quapropter illae Mulieres, quae in virorum officia initiatae sunt, tenentur in rebus judicii consulere viros, et tunc ex illorum consiliis, si sui arbitrii sunt, eligunt quod favet amori suo.
[3] Autumatur etiam a quibusdam, quod Mulieres aeque possint elevare aciem intellectus sui in sphaeram lucis, in quam Viri, ac perspicere res in eadem altitudine; quae opinio inducta est illis per Scripta a quibusdam eruditis Camoenis; sed haec in Mundo spirituali in praesentia illarum explorata, inventa sunt non judicii et sapientiae, sed ingenii et facundiae; et illa, quae ex his duobus procedunt, ex elegantia et concinnitate compositionis vocum apparent tanquam sublimia et erudita; sed modo coram illis, qui omnem ingeniositatem vocant sapientiam.
[4] Quod nec Viri possint intrare in officia propria mulierum, et illis rite fungi, est causa, quia non in affectiones illarum, quae prorsus distinctae sunt ab affectionibus virorum. Quoniam Masculini sexus affectiones et perceptiones a creatione et inde a natura ita discriminatae sunt, ideo inter statuta apud Filios Israelis etiam fuit hoc, "Non erit vestis viri super muliere, nec vestis mulieris super viro; quia hoc abominatio." Deutr. 22:5; causa erat, quia omnes in Spirituali Mundo vestiuntur secundum suas affectiones, et binae affectiones, mulieris et viri, non possunt uniri nisi inter duos, et nusquam in uno.