258、每个人生来都有理解真理的能力，这种能力甚至直达第三层天堂的天使所在的至内在层级。因为在两个更高层级周围通过连续性上升的人类理解力以上述(256节)方式接受它们的智慧之光。因此，人能照着他的提升而变得理性。他若被提升到第三层级，就从第三层级变得理性；若被提升到第二层级，就从第二层级变得理性；若没有被提升，则在第一层级是理性的。之所以说他从这些层级变得理性，是因为属世层级是它们的光的总体容器。人之所以没有变得理性，甚至达到最大可能的程度，是因为属于意愿的爱无法像属于理解力的智慧那样被提升。属于意愿的爱只能通过避恶如罪，然后通过仁之良善，也就是此人后来从主所发挥的功用而被提升。因此，如果属于意愿的爱没有同时被提升，那么属于理解力的智慧无论升得有多高，都会重新退回到自己的爱中。正因如此，如果人的爱没有同时被提升到属灵层级，那么他只在最低层级是理性的。由此可见，人的理性表面上似乎具有三个层级，即来自属天层的理性、来自属灵层的理性和来自属世层的理性。而且无论人是否被提升，理性，也就是人能被提升所凭借的能力，仍在人里面。
258. Each of us is born with the ability to understand truths even at the deepest level where angels of the third heaven live. As our human discernment climbs up on a continuum around the two higher levels, it receives the light of wisdom from those levels in the manner already described in 256. As a result, we can become rational in proportion to its ascent. If it comes up to the third level, it becomes rational from the third level; if it comes up to the second level, it becomes rational from the second level; and if it does not ascend at all, it is rational on the first level. We say that it becomes rational from those levels because the earthly level is the general recipient vessel of their light.
The reason we do not become rational to the highest degree we are capable of is that our love, which is a matter of our intent, cannot be raised up in the same way as our wisdom, which is a matter of our discernment. The love that is a matter of intent is raised only by abstaining from evils as sins and then by those good actions of thoughtfulness that are acts of service, acts that we are then performing from the Lord. So if the love that is a matter of intent is not raised up along with it, then no matter how high the wisdom that is a matter of our discernment has risen, it ultimately falls back to the level of its love. This is why we become rational only on the lowest level if our love is not raised to the spiritual level as well.
We can tell from all this that our rational ability seems to be made up of three levels, one ability from the heavenly level, one from the spiritual level, and one from the earthly level. We can also tell that our rationality, an ability that can be raised, is still with us whether it is raised up or not.
258. Every person is born into the faculty of understanding truths, and this even to the inmost degree in which angels of the third heaven dwell. For the human intellect, rising up by a continuous ascent around the two higher degrees, receives the light of the wisdom of those degrees in the manner described above in no. 256. Therefore a person can become rational in the measure of his elevation. If he is elevated to the third degree, he becomes rational from the third degree. If he is elevated to the second degree, he becomes rational from the second degree. And if he is not elevated, he is rational in the first degree. We say that he becomes rational from those degrees, because the natural degree is the common vessel receptive of their light.
[2] If a person does not become rational to the highest level of which he is capable, it is because the love which resides in his will cannot be elevated in the same way as the wisdom which resides in his intellect. The love which resides in his will can be elevated only by his refraining from evils as being sins, and afterward by his doing goods of charity, or useful services, which the person then does from the Lord. Consequently, if the love residing in his will is not elevated at the same time, then no matter how far the wisdom residing in his intellect may ascend, still it sinks back down again to his love. Therefore if a person's love is not elevated at the same time into the spiritual degree, he still is rational only in the lowest degree.
It can be seen from this that a person's rationality is in appearance as though of three degrees - a rationality from the celestial degree, a rationality from the spiritual degree, and a rationality from the natural degree. It can be seen, too, that whether a person's rationality is elevated or not, still it remains in the person as a faculty that can be elevated.
258. Every man is born into a capacity of understanding truths even to the inmost degree in which the angels of the third heaven are. For the human understanding, rising up by continuity around the two higher degrees, receives the light of the wisdom of those degrees in the manner stated above (256). Hence it is that man can become rational according to the elevation. If he is raised to the third degree he becomes rational from that degree, if he is raised to the second degree he becomes rational from that degree, and if he is not raised he is rational in the first degree. It is said that he becomes rational from those degrees, because the natural degree is the general receptacle of their light. The reason man does not become rational, even to the maximum possible to him, is that love, which is of the will, cannot be raised in the same manner as wisdom, which is of the understanding. Love, which is of the will, is raised only by shunning evils as sins, and then, by goods of charity which are uses which the man afterwards performs from the Lord. Consequently, if love, which Is of the will, is not at the same time raised, wisdom, which is of the understanding, however it may have ascended, relapses even to its own love. And so it is that the man whose love is not at the same time with his wisdom raised into the spiritual degree, is still not rational except in the lowest degree. From these facts it can be established that man's rational is in appearance as if it were of three degrees, a rational from the celestial, a rational from the spiritual, and a rational from the natural. Also that rationality which is the capacity capable of being elevated, is still in man whether he be elevated or not.
258. Every man is born into a capacity to understand truths even to the inmost degree in which the angels of the third heaven are; for the human understanding, rising up by continuity around the two higher degrees, receives the light of their wisdom, in the manner stated above (n. 256). Therefore man has the ability to become rational according to his elevation; if raised to the third degree he becomes rational from that degree, if raised to the second degree he becomes rational from that degree, if not raised he is rational in the first degree. It is said that he becomes rational from those degrees, because the natural degree is the general receptacle of their light. The reason why man does not become rational to the height that he might is, that love, which is of the will, cannot be raised in the same manner as wisdom, which is of the understanding. Love, which is of the will, is raised only by fleeing from evils as sins, and then by goods of charity, which are uses, which the man thereafter performs from the Lord. Consequently, when love, which is of the will, is not at the same time raised, wisdom, which is of the understanding, however it may have ascended, falls back again down to its own love. Therefore, if man's love is not at the same time raised into the spiritual degree, he is rational only in the lowest degree. From all this it can be seen that man's rational is in appearance as if it were of three degrees, a rational from the celestial, a rational from the spiritual, and a rational from the natural; also that rationality, which is the capacity whereby man is elevated, is still in man whether he be elevated or not.
258. Omnis homo nascitur in facultatem intelligendi vera usque ad intimum gradum, in quo sunt Angeli tertii Coeli; intellectus enim humanus assurgens per continuum circum binos superiores gradus recipit lucem Sapientiae illorum graduum, eo modo quo supra 256 dictum est; inde est, quod homo possit rationalis fieri secundum elevationem; si elevatur ad gradum tertium, fit ille rationalis ex tertio gradu; si elevatur ad gradum secundum, fit ille rationalis ex secundo gradu[;] et si non elevatur, est ille rationalis in primo gradu: 1 dicitur quod fiat rationalis ex illis gradibus, quia naturalis gradus est commune receptaculum lucis illorum.
[2] Quod homo non fiat rationalis usque ad summum, sicut potest fieri, est quia amor, qui est voluntatis, non similiter ut sapientia quae est intellectus, potest elevari; amor qui est voluntatis elevatur solum per fugere mala ut peccata, et tunc per bona charitatis, quae sunt usus, quae homo ex Domino dein praestat; quare si amor qui est voluntatis non simul elevatur, sapientia quae est intellectus, utcunque ascenderit, usque ad amorem suum relabitur: inde est, quod homo, si non amor ejus in gradum spiritualem simul elevatur, usque non sit rationalis nisi in ultimo gradu. Ex his constare potest, quod rationale hominis sit in apparentia sicut trium graduum, rationale ex coelesti, rationale ex spirituali, et rationale ex naturali; tum quod rationalitas, quae est facultas quae 2 possit elevari, sive elevetur sive non, usque apud hominem 3 sit.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: gredu:
2. Prima editio: quod
3. Prima editio: homitem