533、听到这一切，天使大为喜乐，却察觉到我内心的悲哀，就不住地问：“是什么让你这么难过？”我说：“尽管主现在所揭示的这些奥秘在卓越、价值和重要性上远远超过迄今为止已公开的知识，却在世上被视为一文不值。”这令天使感到惊讶，就乞求主允许他们俯视尘世。他们向下望去，只见那里一片漆黑！然后，他们被吩咐将这些奥秘写在一张纸上；这纸会降到地上，那时，他们将见证凶兆。于是，他们照做了。只见写有奥秘的那张纸从天上飘落下去。尚在灵界期间，它在降落时闪耀如星辰。但当它落入自然界时，它的光逐渐消失，随着它的落下而变得越来越暗。当天使把它带到有学问、有教养的神职人员和平信徒所在的集会时，就听见从他们当中许多人那里传来一阵窃窃私语，其中有这些话：“这是什么？是重要的东西吗？这些事知道与不知道有什么分别？无疑，它们纯粹是大脑虚构出来的。”然后，只见有些人仿佛拾起这张纸，把它折起来，用手指卷起又展开，以抹去上面的字迹；有些人仿佛要将它撕成碎片，还有人似乎想把它踩到脚底下。但主为了防止他们的犯罪行为，吩咐天使收回这张纸，好好保存起来。天使伤心地思想：“这要到什么时候？”于是被告知：要一载二载半载 (启示录12:14)。
533、天使很高兴听到这些。但是他们看到我有悲伤的表情。于是我问为什么。我说尽管主揭示了这些非常重要的东西，世间的人却不知道它们的价值。
天使们对此感到吃惊。在得到主的允许后，他们向世间看去，只见下面一片黑暗。
他们被告诉去将这些秘密写到纸上，并将纸降到世间，他们将看到。于是他们这样做了。当纸还在精神世界中时，它象颗星星一样闪光。但当它飘到世间时，光线就消失了，越是往下，它就变得越黑。
之后当天使将纸带入到人群中时，他们中都是有学问的人及神职人质，人们小声说道：“这是什么？”哪来的？我们知道与不知道这些内容有什么关系？
另外，一些人将纸折上又打开，并用手指涂，以便能将抹去。还有些人去撕那些纸，一些人用脚踩。于是天使将纸又收了回来。
之后，因为天使们为此而悲伤并寻思为什么会这样。他们被告知：“一次，多次、半次？（《启示录》12:14）
533. The angels were very glad to hear this, but they were aware of a sadness in me, and they kept asking, 'What makes you sad?' I said that although the secrets revealed by the Lord at the present time surpass in excellence and importance the knowledge made public up to now, they are regarded on earth as of no value.
This surprised the angels, and they begged the Lord to allow them to look down into the world. On doing so, they saw nothing but darkness there. Then they were told to write those secrets on a piece of paper, and if the paper were then sent down to earth, they would witness a portent. So they did so, and we saw the paper on which the secrets were written sent down from heaven. As it travelled, while it was still in the spiritual world, it shone like a star. But when it fell into the natural world, its light disappeared, growing dimmer as it fell. When it was sent by the angels to the gatherings where there were learned and educated members of the clergy and laity, there was heard a murmur from many of them, in which we could distinguish these remarks: 'What is this? Is it anything important? What difference does it make whether we know those things or not? Surely they are mere fabrications of the brain.' Then it looked as if some people were picking up the paper, folding and rolling it up and twisting it between their fingers so as to blot out the writing. It looked as if some were tearing it up and as if some wanted to trample it underfoot. But they were prevented by the Lord from committing that crime, and the angels were ordered to withdraw it and keep it safe. Because then angels were saddened and thought to themselves, 'How much longer?' they were told:
Until a time and times and half a time. Revelation 12:14.
533. The angels rejoiced greatly at hearing these reports; but when they perceived in me a sadness and began to inquire what reason I had to be sad, I said that although these secrets revealed at the present time by the Lord surpass in excellence and importance any concepts hitherto imparted, still on earth they are regarded as worthless.
The angels were surprised at this, and they petitioned the Lord to permit them to look down into the world; and on looking down, behold, they saw only darkness there.
They were then told to write these secrets on a piece of paper, and to let the paper descend to the earth, at which time they would see a portent. So they did so. And lo, the piece of paper with these secrets written upon it was let go from heaven, and as it descended, while still in the spiritual world, it shone like a star. But as it floated down into the natural world, the light disappeared, and the further it fell, the darker it became.
Then, when the angels directed it into gatherings of people containing certain educated and learned representatives from the clergy and laity, a murmur arose from many of them, in which were heard the following words: "What is this? Is it of any consequence? What does it matter if we know these things or not? Are they not creations of the brain?"
Moreover, some of them appeared as though to take the piece of paper and to fold it, roll it up, and unroll it with their fingers, in order to obliterate the writing; while others appeared as though to tear it up, and some to try to trample it with their feet. But they were kept by the Lord from such a wickedness, and the angels were commanded to withdraw the paper and protect it.
After that, because the angels were saddened and thought to themselves how long this would be the case, they were told, "For a time and times and half a time." (Revelation 12:14)
533. Hearing these things made the angels very glad, but they noticed sadness in me and asked, "What's making you sad?"
I said, "Those unknown things the Lord has revealed at this day are considered on earth to be worthless, even though they are more important, and are worth more, than the things everyone knew before."
The angels were amazed at this and asked the Lord to let them look down into the world. They looked down and saw total darkness there! And they were told to write the unknown things on a paper and drop the paper onto Earth, and they would see an omen. It was done, and the paper with the unknown things written on it dropped from heaven, and on the way it shined like a star in the spiritual world, but when it fell into the natural world the light was diffused, and as it fell it was gradually lost in the darkness.
And when the angels dropped it into groups where there were scholars and learned people, some of them clerics and laymen, you could hear many of them muttering these words, "What's this? Is it anything? What does it matter if we know these things or not? They're someone's bright idea, aren't they?" And it seemed as if some of them took the paper, folded it, and rolled it in their fingers to rub out the writing. And it seemed as if some wanted to tear it up, and some seemed to want to stamp on it with their feet.
But the Lord kept them from that outrage, and the angels were told to bring it back and guard it. This experience made the angels sad, and they were thinking, "How long will this last?" So someone said, "Until a time and times and half a time" (Revelation 12:14).
533. On hearing all this, the angels greatly rejoiced; but then, perceiving a sadness in me, they asked, "Whence is your sadness?" I said, "The arcana now revealed by the Lord, though in excellence and worth they surpass the knowledges hitherto made public, are yet esteemed on earth as of no value." Wondering at this, the angels besought the Lord that it might be allowed them to look down into the world. And they looked down and there, lo, mere darkness! They were then told to write those arcana upon a paper, and the paper would be let down upon the earth and they would see a portent. This was done. The paper on which those arcana had been written was let down from heaven, and lo, in its progress, while still in the spiritual world, it shone like a star; but as it fell into the natural world, the light disappeared and by degrees, as it went down, it was darkened. When it was let down by the angels into companies where were doctors and learned men of the clergy and laity, from many of these a murmur was heard, in which were the words: "What is this? Is it anything? What matters whether we know these things or not? Are they not offspring of the brain?" and it seemed as though some of them took the paper and folded and rolled and unrolled it with their fingers in order to obliterate the writing. It also seemed as though others would tear it to pieces, and as though still others wished to trample it under their feet. But from that criminal deed they were restrained by the Lord, and command was given to the angels to withdraw the paper and guard it. And because the angels were made sad and thought, "How long will this be?" it was said, "Until a time and times and half a time" (Revelation 12:14).
533. The angels greatly rejoiced to hear all this, but perceived a sadness in me, and asked, "Why are you sad?"
I said, "Because although the arcana revealed today by the Lord surpass in excellence and worth the knowledges hitherto made known, they are nevertheless considered on earth as of no value."
The angels were astounded at this and entreated the Lord for permission to look down into the world. They looked down, and lo! only darkness there! They were told to write those arcana on paper, and to let the paper down to the earth, and they would see a marvel. They did so. The paper on which the arcana were written was then let down from heaven, and behold, in its descent while still in the spiritual world it shone like a star; but as it dropped down into the natural world the light disappeared, and by degrees, as it descended, was veiled in darkness. And when it was let down by the angels into companies where there were learned and accomplished men - from among clergy and laity - a murmur was heard from many of them, in which were these words:
"What is this? Is it anything? What does it matter whether we know these things or do not know them? Are they not offspring of the brain?"
It seemed as if some of them took the paper and folded, and rolled, and unrolled it with their fingers, to obliterate the writing. And it seemed as if some tore it to pieces, and as if some wanted to trample it under foot. They were withheld by the Lord from that outrage, however, and the angels were commanded to withdraw the paper and guard it. And as the angels grew sad and were thinking, "How long will this be?" there was a proclamation:
For a time, and times, and half a time (Revelation 12:14).
533. The angels were greatly rejoiced on hearing these things, but they perceived a sadness in me, and inquired, 'Whence is your sadness?' I said, 'Because the secrets at this day revealed by the Lord, although in excellence and worth they surpass the knowledges hitherto made known, are yet on earth esteemed as of no value.'
The angels were astounded at this, and besought the Lord that they might be permitted to look down into the world. And they looked down, and lo! mere darkness there! And they were told to write these secrets upon paper, and to let the paper down upon the earth, and they would see a marvel. And it was done. And behold, the paper on which the secrets were written was let down from heaven, and in its descent while still in the spiritual world it shone like a star; but as it passed down into the natural world the light disappeared, and by degrees as it descended it was veiled in darkness. And when it was let down by the angels into companies where there were doctors and learned men-from some of the clergy and of the laity - a murmur was heard from many, in which were these words:
'What is this? Is it anything? What matters it whether we know these things or do not know them? Are they not offspring of the brain?'
And there was an appearance as if some took the paper and folded and rolled and unrolled it with their fingers, in order to obliterate the writing. And it appeared as if some tore it in pieces, and as if some wished to trample it under their feet. But they were withheld by the Lord from such an outrage, and the angels were commanded to withdraw it and guard it. And as the angels were made sad, and were thinking, 'How long will this be?' it was declared:
For a time, and times, and half a time (Revelation 12:14).
533. Angeli ex his auditis valde gavisi sunt, sed percipiebant tristitiam in me, et sciscitabant unde tibi tristitia, dixi, 1quod Arcana illa hodie a Domino revelata, tametsi excellentia et dignitate excedunt cognitiones hactenus evulgatas, usque in terris reputentur sicut non alicujus pretii: hoc mirati sunt Angeli, et petierunt a Domino, ut liceret illis despicere in Mundum, et despexerunt, et ecce merae tenebrae ibi; et dictum illis est, ut scriberentur Arcana illa super Charta, et Charta demitteretur in terras, et viderent portentum; et factum est ita, et ecce Charta, cui Arcana illa inscripta erant, demissa est e Coelo, et in progressu dum adhuc erat in Mundo spirituali, lucebat sicut stella, at dum illapsa est in Mundum naturalem, lux disparata, et ad gradum sicut decidit, obtenebrata est: et dum ab Angelis immissa est in Caetus ubi docti et eruditi ex quibusdam Clericis et Laicis, auditum est murmur a multis, in quo erant hae voces, "quid hoc; num aliquid; quid refert si illa scimus vel non scimus; nonne sunt foetus cerebri;" et apparebat sicut aliqui sumerent chartam, ac plicarent, volverent et revolverent illam digitis, ut obliterarent Scripturam; ac apparebat sicut aliqui illam discerperent, et aliqui sicut vellent proculcare illam pedibus; sed a Domino arcebantur ab illo facinore, et mandatum est Angelis ut retraherent illam et custodirent; et quia Angeli tristes facti sunt, et cogitaverunt quousque hoc, dictum est, Usque ad tempus et tempora et dimidium temporis, Apoc. 12:14.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: dixi;