436、⑾这两种气场在两个世界彼此相遇，但不会联结起来。两个世界是指灵界和自然界。在灵界，这两种气场在灵人界彼此相遇，灵人界在天堂和地狱的中间。但在自然界，它们在人的理性层面相遇，因为理性也在天堂和地狱的中间；良善与真理的婚姻从上流入理性，邪恶与虚假的苟合则从下流入理性。后者经由尘世流入，而前者经由天堂流入。正因如此，人的理性能随意转向任意一边，并接受由此而来的流注。它若转向良善，就接受上面来的流注，然后人的理性越来越为接受天堂而形成；但若转向邪恶，则接受下面来的流注，然后人的理性越来越为接受地狱而形成。
这两种气场不会联结起来，因为它们是对立面；对立双方只会像敌人那样相互作用，其中一方充满深仇大恨，狂怒地攻击对方，而对方则不会感到仇恨，只热衷于自卫。由此明显可知，这两种气场只是相遇，但不会联结。它们所留出的中间空隙，一方面来自没有虚假的邪恶和没有邪恶的虚假；另一方面来自没有真理的良善和没有良善的真理。这二者的确能彼此接触，但不会联结。
436、（11）在两个世界中，两种氛围会相遇，但不会相混。两个世界是指精神世界和自然世界。在精神世界中这两种氛围会在精灵的世界中相遇，这是天堂和地狱的中间阶段。在自然人中，这两种氛围在人的理性中相遇，这也象是天堂和地狱的中间阶段，因为善与真理的结合从上方流入，而恶与谬误的结合从底下流入——第一种通过天国的流入，第二种通过尘世而流入。所以是人自身去选择走向哪一方。若人转向善，则会收到上方而来的影响，使得理性为接受天堂做好准备。若人转向恶，则会接受来自于下方的影响，会为地狱做好准备。
这两种氛围不会彼此相混合，因为它们是相反的。相反的事物彼此象是敌人一样，相互攻击。一方充满仇恨攻击另一方，而另一方却毫无仇恨可言，只是在努力保护自己。
436. (xi) These two spheres come up against each other in either world, but do not join.
Either world means the spiritual and natural worlds. In the spiritual world these spheres meet in the world of spirits, because this is midway between heaven and hell. But in the natural world they meet at the level of a person's reason, since this too is midway between heaven and hell. For the marriage of good and truth exerts an influence on it from above, and the marriage of evil and falsity does the same from below. This influence comes through the world, the other through heaven, so that the human faculty of reason can turn in either direction and receive the influence. If it turns towards good, it receives the influence from above, which makes it more and more attuned to the reception of heaven. But if it turns towards evil, it receives the influence from below, which makes it more and more attuned to the reception of hell.
[2] The two spheres cannot join because they are opposites, and one opposite can only act on another as an enemy, one of whom blazing with murderous hatred furiously attacks the other, though the other feels no hatred, but is only zealous to protect himself. These facts make it plain that these two spheres merely meet, but without joining. The intervening gap they leave is on one side from evil, which is not that of falsity and from falsity which is not that of evil, and on the other side from good which is not that of truth and from truth which is not that of good. These pairs can come into contact, but cannot join.
436. 11. In both worlds these two atmospheres meet, but do not combine together. By both worlds we mean the spiritual world and the natural world. In the spiritual world these atmospheres meet in the world of spirits, because this is intermediate between heaven and hell. In the natural world, however, they meet on the rational plane in a person, which likewise is intermediate between heaven and hell; for the marriage of good and truth flows into it from above, and the connubial alliance of evil and falsity from below. So it is that human rationality can turn itself in either direction and receive an influx. If it turns in the direction of good, it receives an influx from above, and then the person's rationality is formed more and more for the reception of heaven. But if it turns in the direction of evil, it receives an influx from below, and then his rationality is formed more and more for the reception of hell.
[2] These two atmospheres do not combine because they are opposed, and things that are opposed do not act upon each other except as enemies, one of which is blazing with deadly hatred and attacks the other in rage, while the other is without any hatred but only possesses a zeal to protect itself.
It is apparent from this that these two atmospheres merely meet but do not combine together.
The middle ground which they create between them consists on the one hand of evil without falsity and of falsity without evil, and on the other hand of good without truth and of truth without good. These two can indeed border each other, but they cannot combine together.
436. 11. These two auras meet each other in both worlds but do not mingle. "Both worlds" means the spiritual world and the natural world. In the spiritual world the two auras meet each other in the world of spirits, because this is halfway between heaven and hell.
But in the natural world they meet each other on the rational level in people, which is also halfway between heaven and hell. For the marriage of good and truth flows into this level from above, and a marriage of evil and falsity flows into it from below. The latter flows in through the world, but the former from heaven. On account of this the human rational faculty can turn to either side and receive the influence. If it turns to good, it receives the one from above, and then the person's rational faculty is formed more and more to receive heaven, but if it turns to evil, it receives the influence from below, and then the person's rational faculty is formed more and more to receive hell.
The two auras do not join together, because they are opposites, and toward opposites, opposites only act as enemies. The one attacks the other out of rage, burning with murderous hatred, although the other has no hatred but only a zeal to protect itself.
It is clear from these observations that the two auras just meet each other but do not join together. The middle ground that they find is, on the one part, evil not from falsity and falsity not from evil, and on the other part good not from truth and truth not from good. These two can touch, to be sure, but not join together.
436. XI. THAT THESE TWO SPHERES MEET EACH OTHER IN BOTH WORLDS BUT DO NOT JOIN. By both worlds are meant the spiritual world and the natural. In the spiritual world these two spheres meet each other in the world of spirits, this being in the middle between heaven and hell; but in the natural world with man, they meet on the rational plane, which also is mediate between heaven and hell, the marriage of good and truth flowing into it from above, and the marriage of evil and falsity from below. The latter flows in through the world, but the former through heaven. Hence it is that the human rational can turn to whichever side it pleases and receive influx therefrom; if to good, it receives it from above and then the man's rational is formed more and more for the reception of heaven; but if to evil, it receives the influx from below and then his rational is formed more and more for the reception of hell. That these two spheres do not join is because they are opposites, and when opposite acts upon opposite, they can act no otherwise than as enemies, of whom the one burns with deadly hatred and attacks the other with fury, while the other is in no hatred but only in the zeal of self-protection. From this it is evident that these two spheres merely meet but do not join. On the one side, the middle interstice which they make is from evil not of falsity and from falsity not of evil; and on the other side, it is from good not of truth and from truth not of good. These two can indeed touch each other but cannot join.
436. (xi) These two spheres meet in each world, but do not conjoin. By "each world" we mean the spiritual world and the natural. In the spiritual world these spheres meet in the world of spirits, for this is midway between heaven and hell, but in the natural world they meet in the rational plane with the human being, which also is midway between heaven and hell. For the marriage of good and truth flows into this plane from above, and the marriage of evil and falsity flows into it from below. The latter marriage inflows by the world, the former through heaven. Hence the human rational can turn in either direction and receive the influx. If to the good, it receives it from above, and then one's rational is formed more and more for the reception of heaven. But if it turns to the evil, it receives the influx from below, and then one's rational is formed more and more for the reception of hell. The two spheres do not join because they are opposite to each other; opposites act on each other only as enemies, one of which, burning with deadly hatred, attacks the other in fury, the other being, however, in no hatred, but only in a zeal to protect itself. Hence it is plain that these two spheres only meet, but do not conjoin. The interstice between, which they form, is on the one hand from evil not of falsity and from falsity not of evil, and on the other hand from good not of truth and from truth not of good, which two indeed may touch, but still cannot join.
436. (11) That in each world these two spheres meet each other but do not conjoin themselves. By each world is meant the spiritual world and the natural world. In the spiritual world these spheres meet each other in the world of spirits, because this is intermediate between heaven and hell; but in the natural world they meet each other on the rational plane with man, which also is intermediate between heaven and hell; for into this plane the marriage of good and truth inflows from above and the marriage of evil and the false inflows into it from beneath. This flows in through the world, but the former through heaven. Hence it is that the human rational can turn itself to either side it pleases, and receive the influx; if it turns to good it receives the influx from above, and then the rational of the man is formed more and more to the reception of heaven; but if it turns to evil it receives the influx from beneath, and his rational is then formed more and more to the reception of hell. That those two spheres do not conjoin themselves is because they are opposites; and an opposite acts upon an opposite no otherwise than as enemies, one of which, inflamed with internecine hatred furiously attacks the other, although that other is in no hatred but only in zeal for self-protection. From this it is clear why the two spheres only meet each other, but do not conjoin themselves. The middle interval that they form between them is on the one side from evil not of falsity and from falsity not of evil; and on the other side from good not of truth and from truth not of good, which two may indeed come in contact with each other but cannot conjoin themselves.
436. XI: Quod binae illae sphaerae sibi obvient in utroque Mundo, sed non se conjungant. Per utrumque Mundum intelligitur Mundus spiritualis et Mundus naturalis; in Mundo spirituali obviant sibi Sphaerae illae in Mundo spirituum, quia hic est medius inter Coelum et Infernum; at in Mundo naturali obviant sibi in Plano rationali apud hominem, quod etiam est medium inter Coelum et Infernum; influit enim in illud e superiori conjugium boni et veri; ac influit in illud ab inferiori conjugium mali et falsi; hoc influit per Mundum, illud autem per Coelum: inde est, quod Rationale humanum se vertere possit ad utramlibet partem, et recipere influxum; si ad bonum, recipit illum e superiori, et tunc formatur Rationale ejus plus et 1plus ad receptionem Coeli; at si se vertit ad malum, recipit influxum illum ab inferiori, et tunc formatur Rationale ejus 2plus et plus ad receptionem Inferni.
[2] Quod binae illae Sphaerae se non conjungant, est quia oppositae sunt, ac oppositum in oppositum non aliter agit, quam sicut hostes, quorum unus flagrans internecino odio aggreditur alterum ex furore, alter vero in nullo odio est, sed solum in zelo se tutandi: ex quibus patet, quod binae illae Sphaerae modo sibi obvient, sed non se conjungant. Interstitium medium, quod faciunt, est ab una parte ex malo non falsi et ex falso non mali, et ab altera parte ex bono non veri et ex vero non boni, quae duo se quidem possunt contingere, sed usque non conjungere.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: est
2. Prima editio: ejus,