24、主通过对照提供良善与真理的结合。我们只有通过良善与次等良善的对照，以及它与邪恶的对立才能认识良善的品质。觉察和感受的能力就来自这种对照，因为这些能力的品质由此而来。事实上，每种快乐都是在与次等快乐相比较，并对照不快乐中被觉察和感受到的；每种美丽都是在与次等美丽相比较，并对照丑陋中被觉察和感受到的；同样，每种属于爱的良善也都是在与次等良善相比较，并对照邪恶中被觉察和感受到的；每种属于智慧的真理都是在与次等真理相比较，并对照虚假中被觉察和感受到的。多样性必须存在于每种事物中，从它的最大直到它的最小；当多样性也存在于它的对立面，从它的最小直到它的最大，并且它们之间有一种平衡时，那么两边就照着层级存在一种对照；对事物的觉察和感受会增强或减弱。然而，要知道，对立性要么削弱、要么增强觉察和感受：当对立双方混在一起时，对立性就会削弱它们；当对立双方没有混在一起时，对立性就会增强它们。这就是为何主最为谨慎、极其精细地把人里面的良善和邪恶分开，免得它们混在一起，就像祂把天堂和地狱分开一样。
24. The Lord provides for the union of goodness and truth in others through contrast. For goodness is not recognized in its true character except by contrast with the less good and by the opposition of evil to it. All discrimination and awareness spring from this, because from it comes their character. For every delight is thus perceived and sensed in comparison with what is less delightful, and in contrast to what is not delightful; everything beautiful in comparison with what is less beautiful, and in contrast to what is not beautiful; likewise every good having to do with love in comparison with what is less good, and in contrast to what is evil; and every truth having to do with wisdom in comparison with what is less true and in contrast to what is false.
Variety inevitably exists in everything from the greatest to the least of it; and when the variety exists also in its opposite from the least to the greatest of it, and there is between them an equilibrium, then a contrast exists between the two by degrees, in accordance with which the perception and sensation of a thing either increases or diminishes.
It must be known, however, that an opposite may either take away or heighten perceptions and sensations. It takes them away when it commingles itself, and it heightens them when it does not commingle itself. Therefore the Lord carefully separates the good and evil in a person to keep them from commingling, even as He separates heaven and hell.
24. The Lord provides for the union of what is good and what is true by comparison. We recognize the quality of what is good only by its relationship to something that is less good and by its opposition to what is evil. This is the source of everything in us that is perceptive and sensitive, because this is what gives perception and sensitivity their quality. That is, anything pleasing is perceived and sensed by contrast with something that is less pleasing and by what is unpleasant, anything beautiful by something less beautiful and by something ugly. By the same token, any good that love does is perceived and sensed by contrast with what is less good and by something evil, and anything true that wisdom offers is perceived and sensed by contrast with what is less true and by something false.
There need to be differences in everything, whether great or small; and when these differences create a balanced opposition between the great and the small, then there is a comparison between the levels in each direction. As a result, our perception and sensation are either enhanced or dulled.
We need to realize, that is, that the opposition may either deaden or intensify our perceptions and sensations. It deadens them when the opposites are mingled and intensifies them when they are not mingled. This is why the Lord separates goodness from evil very precisely so that they will not be mingled in us, just as he keeps heaven and hell separate.
24. The union of good and truth is provided for by the Lord by means of related sequence; for the quality of a good is known only by its relation to what is less good, and by the opposition it meets from evil. From this relation comes the power to perceive and to feel, since from this comes the quality of these powers; for thus everything that is pleasant is perceived and felt from what is less pleasant and by means of what is unpleasant; everything beautiful from what is less beautiful, and by means of the ugly; and likewise every good, which is of love, from what is less good and by means of evil; and every truth, which is of wisdom, from what is less true and by means of falsity.
There must be variation in everything, from its greatest to its least; and as there is also variation in its opposite from its least to its greatest, with equilibrium between them, then there is relation in sequence on both sides according to degrees; and the perception and sensation of the thing increase or diminish. It should be known, however, that an opposite destroys as well as exalts perceptions and sensations: it destroys when it mingles them with itself and exalts when it does not. For this reason the Lord most carefully separates good and evil in man lest they should be mingled, just as He separates heaven and hell.
24. The conjunction of good and truth is provided by the Lord by means of relation; since the quality of a good is known only by its relation to what is less good, and by its contrariety to evil. From this comes all power to perceive and to feel, since from this comes the quality of these powers; for thereby every thing enjoyable is perceived and felt from the less enjoyable and by means of what is not enjoyable, every thing beautiful from the less beautiful and by means of the unbeautiful; and likewise every good, which is of love, from the less good and by means of evil; and every truth, which is of wisdom, from the less true and by means of falsity. In every matter, from the greatest to the least of it, there must be variety; and when there is variety also in its opposite from its least to its greatest, and there is equilibrium between them, then there is relation according to degrees on both sides; and the perception and sensation of the thing either increase or diminish. But an opposite, as we should know, may take away perceptions and sensations or may exalt them; when it mingles itself it takes away; but when it does not mingle itself it exalts; and for this reason the Lord exactly separates good and evil in man, that they may not be mingled, just as He separates heaven and hell.
24. A Domino providetur conjunctio boni et veri [apud alios] per RELATIONEM: bonum enim non cognoscitur quale est, nisi per relationem ad minus bonum, et per oppositionem a malo; omne perceptivum et sensitivum inde est, quia quale eorum inde est: ita namque omne jucundum percipitur et sentitur ex minus jucundo, et per injucundum; omne pulchrum ex minus pulchro, et per impulchrum, similiter omne bonum quod est amoris ex minus bono, et per malum, et omne verum quod est sapientiae ex minus vero et per falsum: erit varium in omni 1re a maximo ad minimum ejus, et cum varium etiam est in opposito ejus a minimo ad maximum, ac intercedit aequilibrium, tunc secundum gradus utrinque fit relativum, ac rei perceptio et sensatio vel crescit vel diminuitur. At sciendum est, quod oppositum tollat, et quoque exaltet, perceptiones et sensationes; tollit cum se commiscet, et exaltat cum se non commiscet, ob quam rem Dominus exquisite separat bonum et malum, ne commisceantur, apud hominem, sicut separat Coelum et Infernum.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: omni