51、⑺夫妻彼此间会享有和在世时一样的亲密关系，只是更快乐、更幸福，但不会生育孩子，取而代之的是属灵的生育，也就是爱和智慧的生育。夫妻会享有和在世时一样的亲密关系，因为死后，男性还是男性，女性还是女性，而结合的倾向自创造时就被植入在两性当中。而且，在人里面，这种倾向是一种灵的倾向，并由此成为一种身体的倾向。所以，死后，当一个人成为一个灵时，这种相互倾向会保留下来。不过，只有他们享有同样的亲密关系，这才有可能。死后，人还是以前那个人，无论男性女性，都一无所缺。他们还是一样的形体，一样的情感和思维。由此只能得出这样的结论，他们还有一样的亲密关系。婚姻之爱既是贞洁、纯粹和神圣的，他们的亲密关系又怎会不丰满而完整呢？有关该主题的更多内容，可见于44节的记事。到那时，他们的亲密关系更快乐、更幸福，因为当人成为灵后，这爱会变得更内在，更纯粹，因而更能被感知到。每种快乐皆照着人对它的感知而增长，甚至增长到一定程度时，人能在爱的快乐中发觉爱的祝福。
51、（7）天堂中的夫妻会有同世间时一样的亲密关系，但是这种关系会比在世间时更美好。只是不会再有孩子，取而代之的是一种灵性上的创造。是一种爱和智慧的创造。夫妻俩还会有与世间一样的亲密关系，是因为在死后，男人还是男人，女人还是女人。互相结合的倾向是从创世时就有的。在人类身上这种结合的倾向是精神上的结合，是在精神相结合基础上肉体上的结合。
在死后，当人变成了一个精灵后，这种倾向还继续存在。婚姻关系因此才会可能继续存在。因为人还是与从前一样，男人还是男人，女人还是女人。在形象、情感和思想上都是一样的。
在这一点上，其它的结论请参见第44节。
夫妻间的亲密关系会更美好，是因为当人变成精灵后，夫妻间的爱变得更内层更纯净而更容易被体会，越能体会到就会越美好，以致于在这种美好的感觉中能体会到爱的美妙。
51. (vii) Married couples enjoy living together in the same way as in the world, but this is more pleasant and blessed. It does not, however, lead to the procreation of children, but their place is taken by spiritual offspring, love and wisdom.
Married couples enjoy living together in much the same way as they do in the world, because after death the male is male and the woman is female, each having from creation an innate tendency to union. This tendency in each person belongs to the spirit, from where it reaches the body. After death, therefore, when he becomes a spirit, the mutual tendency remains; and this is possible only when they live together in much the same way. For a person remains as much a person as before, and neither male nor female have anything less, having similar bodily form and equally similar affections and thoughts. How then can the result be anything but living together in the same way? And because conjugial love is chaste, pure and holy, how can their living together not be fully realised? More on this subject may be found in the experience recorded in 44. Living together then is more pleasant and blessed, because, when a person becomes a spirit, that love becomes more inward, purer and so more deeply felt; and every pleasure increases the more deeply it is felt, to the point where its blessedness is noticeable in its pleasure.
51. 7. Married couples enjoy the same intimate relations with each other as in the world, only more delightful and blessed, but without begetting children. Instead of or to take the place of begetting children, they experience a spiritual procreation, which is one of love and wisdom. Married couples enjoy the same intimate relations as in the world for the reason that after death a male is still a male and a female is still a female, and an inclination to conjunction has been implanted in each of the sexes from creation. In the human being, moreover, this inclination is an inclination of the person's spirit, and of the body as a result of his spirit.
After death, therefore, when a person becomes a spirit, the same mutual inclination continues, and this would not be possible without a continuation of the same relations. For people are people as they were before, and nothing is missing from the male, and nothing from the female. They are the same as they were before in form, likewise in their affections and thoughts.
What other conclusion follows from this, then, but that they have the same intimate relations? And because conjugial love is chaste, pure and sacred, that their intimate relations are also full and complete? (But for more on this subject, see the narrative account in no. 44.)
The reason these relations are then more delightful and blessed is that when a person becomes a spirit, this love then becomes more interior and pure and so more capable of being perceived, and every delight increases with a person's perception of it, increasing even to the point that the blessedness of the love is noticed in its delight.
51. 7. Partners enjoy intercourse with each other just like intercourse in the world, only happier and richer, though without having children.
Instead of that, or in place of it, they have spiritual offspring - loves and perceptions. Partners enjoy intercourse in the same way as they do in the world, because after death men are still male, and women are female, and from conception both have an implanted tendency to join together. This human tendency is in your body because of your spirit, so after death, when people are spirits, the same mutual inclination remains, which is not possible without the same intercourse.
For people are people as before, with nothing missing from a man nor a woman. They stay the same in bodily form as well as in feelings and thoughts. So what else can follow but that they have the same intercourse? And because love for marriage is chaste, pure, and holy, the intercourse is complete. But more about this appears in the story in no. 44.
Intercourse is happier and richer then because when that love becomes spiritual it becomes deeper and purer and therefore more fully appreciated. All joy grows with awareness, and it grows to the point where you can feel the blessedness in the joy of it.
51. VII. THAT MARRIED PARTNERS ENJOY SIMILAR INTERCOURSE WITH EACH OTHER AS IN THE WORLD, BUT MORE DELIGHTFUL AND BLESSED, YET WITHOUT PROLIFICATION; FOR WHICH, OR IN PLACE OF IT, THEY HAVE SPIRITUAL PROLIFICATION, WHICH IS THAT OF LOVE AND WISDOM. That married partners enjoy similar intercourse as in the world, is because, after death, the male is a male and the female a female, and in both, an inclination to conjunction is implanted from creation. This inclination is an inclination of the spirit and thence of the body. Therefore, after death, when man becomes a spirit, the same mutual inclination continues, and this cannot exist without similar intercourse. For man is man as before, nor is there anything lacking either in the male or in the female. They are like themselves as to form, and equally so as to affections and thoughts. What else can follow then, but that they have similar intercourse? and since conjugial love is chaste, pure, and holy, that the intercourse is also complete? But see further on this subject in the Memorable Relation, no. 44. That the intercourse is then more delightful and blessed, is because, when that love becomes a love of the spirit, it becomes more interior and purer and therefore more perceptible; for every delight increases according to perception, and it so increases that its blessedness is observed in its delight.
51. (vii) Partners enjoy an intercourse like that in the world, but pleasanter and more blessed; but without prolification, in place of which there is spiritual prolification, which is one of love and wisdom. Partners enjoy an intercourse like that in the world for the reason that male is male after death, and female female, and an inclination to union is implanted in each from creation. This inclination in the human being is of the spirit and thence of the body, wherefore after death, when man becomes a spirit, the same mutual inclination persists. This is not possible without like intercourse. For the human being is a human being as before, nor is anything lacking in either male or female; they are like themselves in form as well as in affections and thoughts. What else can follow except that there is similar intercourse? And because marital love is chaste, pure and holy, that the intercourse is full? Of this see more in some Memorabilia (44). The intercourse becomes pleasanter and more blessed because that love, on becoming of the spirit, becomes interior and purer, and so more perceptible. All pleasure increases according to perception, and grows until the blessedness is felt in the pleasure.
51. (7) That married partners enjoy similar intercourse with each other as in the world, only more delightful and blessed, but without prolification; for which, or in place of it, they have spiritual prolification, which is of love and wisdom. The reason why married partners enjoy similar intercourse as in the world is that the male is a male and the female is a female after death, and in both an inclination to conjunction is inherent by creation; and this inclination in man (Latin: homo) is of his spirit and thence of the body; and therefore, after death when man becomes a spirit the same mutual inclination continues, and this cannot be without similar intercourse. For man (Latin: homo) is man just as before. Nothing whatever is wanting in the male and nothing whatever in the female. They are like themselves in respect to form, and equally so as to affections and thoughts. What else can follow then but that they have similar intercourse? And because conjugial love is chaste, pure, and holy, the intercourse is also full. But see further on this subject the Relation in n. 44. The intercourse is then more delightful and blessed, because when the love becomes of the spirit it becomes more interior and pure, and therefore, more perceptible, and every delight increases according as it is perceived, and increases until its blessedness is discernible in its delight.
51. VII: Quod Conjuges inter se fruantur consortiis similibus, quibus in Mundo, sed jucundioribus et beatioribus; verum absque prolificatione, pro qua seu loco ejus est illis prolificatio spiritualis, quae est Amoris et Sapientiae. Quod Conjuges fruantur consortiis similibus, quibus in Mundo, est quia post mortem masculus est masculus, ac foemina est foemina, et utrique inclinatio ad conjunctionem a creatione est insita; et haec inclinatio apud hominem est ejus spiritus et inde corporis, quare post mortem, cum homo fit spiritus, manet eadem inclinatio mutua; et haec non dabilis est absque similibus consortiis; homo enim est homo, ut prius, nec abest quicquam a masculo, nec quicquam a foemina, quoad formam sunt sibi similes, pariter quoad 1affectiones et cogitationes; quid tunc aliud inde sequitur, nisi quam quod similia consortia sint; et quia Amor conjugialis est castus, purus et sanctus, quod etiam consortia plena sint; sed videantur de his plura in Memorabili 44. Quod Consortia tunc jucundiora et beatiora sint, est quia Amor ille, dum fit spiritus, fit interior et purior, et inde perceptibilior, et omnis jucunditas crescit secundum perceptionem, et crescit usque ut beatitudo 2ejus in jucunditate ejus animadvertatur.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: quad
2. Prima editio: bealitudo