220、⑾男人所拥有的性充裕取决于他们对生殖其智慧之真理的爱，还取决于他们对履行有用服务的爱。这一事实是古人所知，但如今已经遗失的秘密之一。古人都知道，发生在身体中的每个细节都有一个属灵的源头。如，行为是从意愿流出的，而意愿本质上是属灵的；言语是从思维流出的，思维也是属灵的；属世的视觉是从属灵的视觉流出的，属灵的视觉就是理解；属世的听觉是从属灵的听觉流出的，属灵的听觉是理解的关注，同时也是意愿的顺从；属世的嗅觉是从属灵的嗅觉流出的，属灵的嗅觉是感知，诸如此类。古人发现，男性精液的产生同样来自一个属灵的源头；他们从理性和经验所提供的众多证据得出结论：其源头是构成理解的真理。他们还说，男性从流入宇宙每一个细节的属灵婚姻，就是良善与真理的婚姻那里所接受的，无非是真理和涉及真理之物；这真理在降至身体时形成种子或精子。正因如此，从属灵的角度来理解，种子或精子就是真理。
至于它的形成，他们说，男性的灵魂因是理智的，故是真理；理智并非别的，所以，当灵魂降下来时，真理也就降下来了。他们说，这一切通过灵魂发生，因为灵魂是人和一切动物的至内层，本质上是属灵的，具有与生俱来的自我繁殖的努力；因而在下降的过程中，灵魂寻求并努力自我复制。当这一切发生时，整个灵魂形成并包裹自己，变成种子或精子；这种事可发生成千上万次，因为灵魂是属灵的实质，属灵的实质没有维度或延展，只有完满。没有任何部分从这实质被取走，相反，其整体毫无缺失地复制。正因如此，灵魂完整地存在于它的最小容器，就是种子或精子中，犹如它存在于它的最大容器，就是身体中。
既然灵魂的真理是种子或精子的起源，那么可知，男人的性充裕取决于他们对生殖其智慧之真理的爱。它还取决于他们对履行有用服务的爱，这是因为服务或功用是真理所产生的良善。此外，有些世人甚至知道，勤奋的人具有充裕的性能力，而懒惰的人则不然。当我询问女性如何从男性的灵魂生殖时，得到的答复是：它来自理智的良善，这理智的良善本质上是真理。因为理智能思考“某个事物是良善”，因而思考“这个事物是良善”就是一个真理。而意愿不是如此，它不会思想良善与真理，而是热爱并行出它们。所以，在圣言中，儿子表示真理，女儿表示良善（参看120节）；种子表示真理（参看《揭秘启示录》565节）。
220、（11）男人的性能力与其对真理的传播及对有益的工作的爱有关。
这点古时的人都知道，而如今的人却不再知道。古时的人认为躯体的每种活动都有其精神来源，比如，行为来自于意愿，而意愿是精神性的。语言来自地思想，而思想也是精神性的，视觉来自于精神上的视觉，它是属于一种才智，听觉来自于精神上的听觉，它是才智的表现，同时也是意愿的表现，嗅觉来自于精神上的嗅觉，它是一种理解力等等许多。
同样，古时的人认为男人繁衍后代的力量有其精神来源，从亲身经历和其它证据，他们知道这来自于构成才智的真理。另外，古人还知道善和真理的结合流入到宇宙万物中，男性所接受的是真理及与真理相关的事物，这传到身体中，形成精子（也就是种子，从精神上的解释意味着真理）
关于这个过程，他们说男性的灵魂本质上是智慧性的，也就是真理，因为本质上是智慧的不会是别的东西。进而在灵魂下降时，真理也随之下降，他们说这是因为灵魂是人和动物最内在的成份。在本质上，灵魂是精神性的，在其下降过程中，灵魂会去繁衍自己，结果是产生了精子，这一进程可以无限进行下去，因为灵魂不会因此而被肢解，因此最小的载体，精子体现着灵魂。
因此，因为灵魂中的真理是精子的来源，因此男人的性能力与他对传播真理的爱有关。同时也与其对有益工作的爱有关，因为有益的工作是真理所产生的好的结果，世间的一些人也知道勤劳的人更有生气，而懒惰的人则不然。
我曾问起过，为什么男人的灵魂会产生女性的后代呢？答案是女性后代来自于才智中的善，因为这在本质上是真理，因为才智能够知道什么是善的，意愿的情况则不同。在《圣经》，儿子象征着真理，女儿象征着善，当《圣经》中提到种子时，其意思是指真理。
220. (xi) Men's potency is proportional to their love of propagating the truths of their wisdom, and to their love of performing services.
This fact is one of the secrets which were known to the ancients, but have now been lost. The ancients knew that every single thing which takes place in the body has a spiritual source. Actions, for instance, arise from the will, which is in essence spiritual; speech arises from thought, which is also spiritual; natural sight arises from spiritual sight, which is understanding. Natural hearing arises from spiritual hearing, which is the application of the intellect and at the same time the adjustment of the will; and natural smelling from spiritual smelling, which is perception; and so forth. The ancients saw that the male production of semen was from a spiritual source, and they concluded from many proofs afforded by both reason and experience that its source was the truths of which the intellect is composed. They also said that what males received from the spiritual marriage, that between good and truth, which influences every detail of the universe, is nothing but truth and what refers to truth; and this as it progresses into the body is formed into semen. This is why seed understood spiritually means truth.
[2] As regards its formation, they said that the male soul is truth because it is intellectual; for what is intellectual is nothing else, so when the soul comes down, so does truth. This takes place by the soul, which is the inmost part of a person and of every living thing and is in its essence spiritual, having an inborn striving to propagate itself, so as it comes down the soul follows and wishes to recreate itself. When this happens, a whole soul forms and clothes itself, becoming a sperm. This can happen thousands and thousands of times, because the soul is a spiritual substance, having no extension, but fullness. No part is taken away from it, but the whole is reproduced without loss. This is why it is fully present in the tiniest receptacles, the sperm, just as it is in its major receptacle, the body.
[3] Since then the truth of the soul is the source of the seed, it follows that men's potency depends upon their love of propagating the truths of their wisdom. It is also dependent upon their love of performing services; and this is because services are examples of goodness, which truths bring forth. Even in the world some people are aware that potency is found with the active, and not the idle. I asked how the female is propagated from a male soul. The reply I received was that this is from intellectual good, because this is in its essence truth. For the intellect is able to think that something is good, and so that it is true that it is good. It is different for the will, which does not think about good and truth, but loves and does them. Therefore sons in the Word mean truths, and daughters instances of goodness (120 above); and seed in the Word means truth (see Apocalypse Revealed 565).
220. 11. The sexual abundance men have is according to their love of propagating the truths of their wisdom and according to their love of performing useful services. That this is the case is one of the secrets known to people of ancient times and which today have been lost. In ancient times people knew that each and every activity that takes place in the body does so from a spiritual origin. They knew, for example, that actions flow from the will, which in itself is spiritual; that speech flows from thought, which likewise is spiritual; also that natural sight results from spiritual sight, which is one of the intellect; that natural hearing results from spiritual hearing, which is an attention of the intellect and at the same time a conformity of the will; and that the natural sense of smell results from a spiritual one, which is perception; and so on.
In similar manner the ancients saw that a man's power of insemination stems from a spiritual origin; and from many evidences of both reason and experience they concluded that it results from the truths of which the intellect consists. Moreover, they said that from the spiritual marriage that exists between goodness and truth, which flows into each and every thing in the universe, nothing else is received by members of the male sex but truth and what relates to truth; and that this, in its descent into the body, is formed into seed or sperm (which is why seeds, spiritually interpreted, mean truths).
[2] Regarding the process, they said that the male soul, being intellectual in nature, is therefore truth; for anything intellectual in nature is nothing else. Consequently as the soul descends, truth also descends. This is so, they said, because the soul is the inmost element in man and in every animal, and in its essence is spiritual; and from an inherent effort towards its propagation, in its descent it seeks and endeavors to reproduce itself. Then, when this happens, the whole soul forms itself and clothes itself and becomes seed or sperm. Moreover, this can take place thousands and thousands of times, they said, because the soul is a spiritual essence, which does not have dimension but repleteness, and from which there is no taking away a part, but instead a reproducing of the whole without any loss to it. As a result, the soul is as fully present in its tiniest vessels, which are the seeds or sperm, as it is in its largest one, which is the body.
[3] So then, since truth in the soul is the origin of the seed or sperm, it follows that the sexual abundance men have is according to their love of propagating the truths of their wisdom. It is also according to their love of performing useful services, because useful services are the good effects which truths produce. Some people know in the world as well that the diligent have an abundance, and not the lazy.
I once asked how something female can be generated from the soul of a man. The answer I received was that it originates from good in the intellect, because this in its essence is truth; for the intellect can think that something is good, thus thinking as true that this something is good. It is different with the will. This does not think about goodness and truth but loves them and does them. Therefore, in the Word, sons symbolize truths, and daughters, qualities of goodness (as may be seen above in no. 120); and when seed is mentioned in the Word, it symbolizes truth (as may be seen in The Apocalypse Revealed, no. 565).
220. 11. Men have sexual potency in proportion to their love of putting forth truths of their wisdom and doing useful things in keeping with their love. This is one of the mysteries known to ancient people and lost today. The ancient people knew that each and every thing that goes on in the body comes from a spiritual source - for example, that actions flow from intent, which is intrinsically spiritual.
Speech flows from thought, which is also spiritual, and physical sight, too, from spiritual sight, which is intelligence.
Physical hearing is from spiritual hearing, which is intellectual concentration together with the will's acceptance. The physical sense of smell, too, is from the spiritual one, which is perception.
And soon.
The ancient people could see that men's production of semen is similarly from a spiritual source. They concluded from many proofs, both of reason and experience, that it comes from truths, which make up intellect. They also said that from the spiritual marriage that is a marriage of good and truth that flows into each and every thing in the universe, males receive only the truth and whatever is related to truth and that this is formed into seed on its way through the body. This is why seeds, taken spiritually, are truths.
As to how seed is formed, they said that since the male soul is intellectual, it is truth, for the intellect is nothing else. So as the soul moves down, so does truth. They said this happens because a soul, which is deep within a person and every animal and is essentially spiritual, follows a descending course from an inherent drive to reproduce itself and an intent to reproduce itself. They said when this is going on, the soul, undiminished, takes form, clothes itself, and makes semen. They also said that this can happen thousands and thousands of times because a soul is spiritual substance, which does not have size but completeness, and the process is not selection of one part of the soul, but emergence of the whole thing, nothing of it being lost. This is why a soul is complete in the tiniest vessels, which are seeds, just as it is in its largest vessel, which is a body.
Since the soul's truth is the source of the seeds, it follows that men's potency depends on their love of bringing forth the truths of their wisdom. Since useful actions are the good things that truths produce, potency also depends on men's love of doing useful things. Some people in this world know that active people, not idle ones, have sexual ability.
I have also asked how a man's soul can generate a female soul. The answer I received was that it is due to intellectual good, because in essence this is truth. For the intellect can grasp that this is good - or that it is true that it is good. Will is different. It does not think good and truth but loves and does them. (No. 120 above shows that for this reason sons in the Word stand for things that are true and daughters for things that are good. Apocalypse Revealed 565, shows that seed in the Word stands for truth.)
220. XI. THAT MEN HAVE ABUNDANCE ACCORDING TO THEIR LOVE OF PROPAGATING THE TRUTHS OF [THEIR] WISDOM, AND ACCORDING TO THEIR LOVE OF PERFORMING USES. That such is the case is one among the arcana which were known to the ancients and which are now lost. The ancients knew that every least thing done in the body is done from a spiritual origin; as for instance, that actions flow from the will which in itself is spiritual; that speech flows from thought which is likewise spiritual; also that natural sight is from spiritual sight which is understanding, natural hearing from spiritual hearing which is the attention of the understanding and at the same time the compliance of the will, and natural smell from spiritual smell which is perception, and so on. The ancients saw that virile semination is likewise from a spiritual origin; and from many testimonials of both reason and experience, they concluded that it is from the truths of which the understanding consists. They said further that from the spiritual marriage which inflows into every single thing of the universe, being the marriage of good and truth, nothing else is received by males but truth and that which relates to truth; that in its progress into the body, this is formed into seed, and that thence it is that seeds, spiritually understood, are truths.
[2] As regards the formation, they said that the masculine soul, being intellectual, is truth, the intellectual being nothing else; and, therefore, when the soul descends, truth also descends; that this comes to pass by reason of the fact that, from an implanted endeavor to propagate itself, the soul, which is the inmost of man and of every animal and in its essence is spiritual, follows in the descent and wills to procreate itself; that when this takes place, the whole soul forms and clothes itself and becomes seed; and that this can be done thousands and thousands of times because the soul is a spiritual substance which has not extension but impletion and from which there is no taking away of a part but a production of the whole without any loss thereof. Thence it is that it is fully present in its least receptacles which are seeds just as in its greatest receptacle which is the body.
[3] Since therefore the truth of the soul is the origin of seed, it follows that men have abundance according to their love of propagating the truths of their wisdom. That it is also according to their love of performing uses is because uses are the goods which truths produce. Moreover, it is known to some in the world that the industrious have abundance, and not the idle. When I asked how the feminine is propagated from a masculine soul, I received the answer that it is from intellectual good, this in its essence being truth; for the intellect can think that a thing is good, thus that it is a truth that the thing is good. Not so with the will; this does not think of good and truth but loves and does them. Therefore, in the Word, by sons are signified truths and by daughters goods, as can be seen above (no. 120); and that by seed in the Word is signified truth, may be seen in THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED, no. 565.
220. (xi) Men have ability according to the love of propagating truths of wisdom and according to the love of doing uses. This fact was one of the arcana known to the ancients, but is lost today. The ancients knew that everything which takes place in the body has a spiritual origin. Actions flow from the will, which in itself is spiritual; utterances flow from the thought, which also is spiritual; natural sight is from spiritual sight, which is of the understanding; natural hearing is from spiritual hearing, which is an alertness of the understanding and at the same time an attention of the will; natural smell is from spiritual smell, which is perception; and so on. The ancients saw that seminal activity likewise has a spiritual origin. From many proofs, of reason and experience both, they concluded that its origin is in the truths of which the understanding consists. They pointed out that nothing else than truth and what is referable to truth, is received by males from the spiritual marriage or marriage of good and truth, which inflows into each and all things of the universe. The truth received (they went on) is in its progress formed in the body into seed (hence it is that seeds, spiritually understood, are truths).
[2] Touching this formation, they said that the masculine soul, being intellectual, is therefore truth, for the intellectual is nothing else; when, therefore, the soul descends, truth descends, too. This takes place because the soul, which is the inmost in man and animal, and in its essence is spiritual, from an implanted effort after self-propagation follows in the descent and wants to procreate itself, and when this happens, the whole soul organizes, wraps itself up, and becomes seed. This can take place thousands and thousands of times, for the soul is spiritual substance, which has not extent but in-filling, and there is no subtraction of a part from it, but a forth-putting of the whole, with no diminution. Hence the soul is just as fully in the very least receptacles, which are seeds, as it is in its largest receptacle, the body.
[3] Since then the soul's truth is the origin of seed, it follows that men have ability according to the love of propagating the truths of their wisdom. Ability is also according to the love of doing uses, for the reason that uses are goods produced by truths. In the world, too, some know that the industrious have ability, but not the idle.
I have asked how what is feminine is propagated from the male soul. I received the answer that this takes place from intellectual good, for this in its essence is truth. For the understanding can think that a thing is good, or that it is true that a thing is good. The will is otherwise; it does not think good and truth, but loves and does them. Hence by "sons" in the Word are meant truths, and by "daughters" goods (see above120); and by "seed" in the Word is meant truth (Apocalypse Revealed 565).
220. (11) That men have ability according to their love of propagating the truths of wisdom, and according to their love of performing uses. That this is so is one among the secret things known to the ancients, which at this day are lost. The ancients knew that each and everything that is done in the body is done from a spiritual origin; as that from the will, which is spiritual, actions flow; that from thought, which is also in itself spiritual, speech flows; and that natural sight is from the spiritual sight, which is understanding; natural hearing, from spiritual hearing, which is the attention of the understanding and at the same time the compliance of the will; and natural smell, from spiritual smell, which is perception; and so on. The ancients saw that in like manner virile semination is from a spiritual origin. From many proofs, both of reason and of experience, they concluded that it is from the truths of which the understanding consists. And they said that from the spiritual marriage, which is of good and truth, which flows into all things and into everything of the universe, nothing is received by males but truth and what relates to truth; and that this in its progress in the body is formed into seed, and that thence it is that seeds, understood spiritually, are truths. As regards formation: That as the masculine soul is intellectual so it is truth, for the intellectual is nothing else; therefore, while the soul is descending, truth also descends. That this comes to pass through the fact that the soul, which is the inmost of man and of every animal, and in its essence is spiritual, from an inherent impulse to propagate itself, follows in the descent and wills to procreate itself, and that while this is being done, the whole soul forms itself and clothes itself and becomes seed; and that this can be done thousands and thousands of times, because the soul is a spiritual substance which has not extension but impletion, and from which there is no taking out of a part but production of the whole without any loss of it. Hence it is that it is just as fully in its least receptacles, which are seeds, as in its greatest receptacle which is the body. As truth of the soul is therefore, the origin of seed, it follows that men have ability according to their love of propagating the truths of their wisdom That it is also according to their love of performing uses, is because uses are the goods which truths produce. It is also known to some in the world that the industrious have ability and not the idle. I have asked how the feminine is propagated from a virile soul. I received the answer that it is from intellectual good, because in its essence this is truth. For the understanding can think that this is good, thus that it is a truth that it is good. It is otherwise with the will. This does not think of good and truth, but loves and does them. It may be seen above at n. 120, that for this reason truths are signified in the Word by 'sons' and goods by 'daughters;' and that truth is signified in the Word by 'seed' may be seen in Apocalypse Revealed 565.
220. XI: Quod Viris sit copia secundum amorem propagandi vera sapientiae [suae], 1et secundum amorem faciendi usus. Quod ita sit est unum inter arcana, quae Antiquis nota fuerunt, et hodie deperdita; Antiqui sciverunt, quod omnia et singula quae fiunt in corpore, ex origine spirituali fiant, ut quod ex voluntate, quae in se est spiritualis, fluant actiones; quod ex cogitatione, quae etiam est spiritualis, fluant loquelae; tum quod visus naturalis ex visu spirituali, qui est intellectus; auditus naturalis ex auditu spirituali, qui est attentio intellectus et simul accommodatio voluntatis; et olfactus naturalis ex olfactu spirituali, qui est perceptio; et sic porro; quod similiter seminatio virilis, ex origine spirituali sit, Antiqui viderunt; quod sit ex Veris, ex quibus consistit intellectus, ex pluribus et rationis et experientiae documentis concluserunt; et dixerunt, quod nihil aliud recipiatur a masculis, ex conjugio spirituali quod est boni et veri, quod influit in omnia et singula universi, quam verum, et id quod se refert ad verum; et quod hoc in progressu in corpus formetur in semen; et quod inde sit, quod semina spiritualiter intellecta sint vera:
[2] quoad formationem, 2quod anima masculina, quia est intellectualis, ita sit verum, intellectuale enim non aliud est, quare dum anima descendit, etiam verum descendit; quod hoc fiat per quod anima, quae est intimum hominis et cujusvis animalis, et in sua essentia est spiritualis, ex insito nisu propagationis sui, in descensu sequatur, et velit procreare se, et quod cum hoc fit, integra anima formet se, et amiciat se, et fiat semen; et quod hoc fieri possit millies et millies, quia anima est substantia spiritualis, cui non est extensio sed impletio, et e qua non est exsumptio partis, sed est productio totius, absque aliqua jactura ejus; inde est quod illa in receptaculis minimis, quae sunt semina, sit plene, quemadmodum est in receptaculo maximo suo, quod est corpus.
[3] Cum itaque Verum animae est origo seminis, sequitur, quod copia sit viris secundum amorem propagandi vera sapientiae suae: quod etiam sit secundum amorem faciendi usus, est quia usus sunt bona, quae vera producunt: in Mundo etiam aliquibus notum est, quod sedulis sit copia, et non otiosis. Quaesivi, quomodo ex anima virili propagatur foemininum; responsum tuli, quod ex bono intellectuali, quia hoc in sua essentia est verum; nam intellectus cogitare potest quod hoc bonum sit, ita quod verum sit quod id sit bonum; aliter voluntas; haec non cogitat bonum et verum, sed amat et facit illa: quod ideo 3per filios in Verbo significentur vera, et per filias bona, videatur supra,120. Et quod per semen in Verbo significetur verum, in Apocalypsis Revelata 565.
Footnotes:
1. Confer 209 art. XI, supra.
2. Prima editio: formationem;
3. Prima editio: deo