311、对人自己的谨慎和那些相信这种谨慎之人的描述清楚表明什么是非人自己的谨慎，以及那些相信这种谨慎的人是何性质，即：非人自己的谨慎就是那些没有确信聪明和智慧来自人之人的谨慎。因为他们说，人怎么可能是自己智慧的源头呢？人怎么可能凭自己行善呢？当他们说这话时，就在自己里面看见，这是真的，因为他们从内在思考。他们还以为别人也是这么想的，尤其是学者，因为他们不明白有谁只会作更肤浅的思考。
他们因没有通过将表象证实而受制于幻觉，所以既知道也发觉杀人、奸淫、偷盗和作假见证是罪，从而避开它们。他们还知道并发觉，精明不是智慧，狡猾不是聪明。当他们听见基于幻觉或谬论的巧妙推理时，就会摇摇头，内心发笑。这是因为对他们来说，内层与外层之间，或心智的属灵事物与属世事物之间没有面纱，不像感官人。因此，他们接受来自天堂的流注，这流注使他们能从内在看见这些事物。
这些人说起话比其他人更单纯、更诚实，并将智慧置于生活，而非谈论之中。他们比较像羔羊和绵羊，而那些专注于自己的谨慎之人则像豺狼和狐狸。再或者，他们就像住在房子里，透过窗户看见天堂的人，而那些专注于自己的谨慎之人则像住在房子的地下室，透过窗户只看见地下之物的人。又或者，他们就像站在大山上的人，而那些专注于自己的谨慎之人则像在山谷和森林里游荡的人。
由此可见，非人自己的谨慎是来自主的谨慎。表面上看，它就像人自己的谨慎，但内在完全不同。在灵界，非人自己的谨慎内在看上去就像一个人；而人自己的谨慎看上去就像一个雕像，这雕像似乎是活的，仅仅因为具有这种谨慎的人仍有理性和自由，或理解和意愿，因而说话和行动的能力。这些能力使他们能伪装成人。他们之所以是这样的雕像，是因为邪恶和虚假没有生命，唯有良善和真理才是活的；他们因出于其理性知道这一点（他们若不知道，就不会伪装良善和真理），故赋予他们的雕像以某种像生命一样的人性。
谁会不知道，一个人的真实品质就是他的内在品质？因此，一个人若想让人们从表面就看见他的内在品质，就是一个真实的人；若仅表面上是一个人，内在却不是，就是一个雕像。照你谈论的那样思想支持神和宗教，正义和诚实，你将是一个人。这时，圣治将是你的谨慎，你会在其他人身上看到，人自己的谨慎就是疯狂。
311. From the description of one's own prudence and of those caught up in it, it can be seen what prudence not one's own is like and the kind of people who are governed by it, namely that prudence not one's own is the prudence in people who do not affirm in themselves that intelligence and wisdom originate from man, but say, "How can anyone be wise of himself, and how can anyone do good of himself?" And when they say this, they see in themselves the reality, for they think more interiorly and also believe that others think likewise, especially the learned, because they do not know that anyone can think only externally.
[2] They are not, through any affirmations of appearances, caught up in misconceptions. As a result they know and perceive that murder, adultery, theft, and false witness are sins, and therefore refrain from them. Moreover they know and perceive that maliciousness is not wisdom, and that guile is not intelligence. When they hear clever arguments founded on misconceptions, they are surprised and laugh to themselves. The reason is that they do not have in them a veil between their inner and outer elements, or between the spiritual and natural components of the mind, as there is in sensual people. Consequently they receive an influx from heaven which enables them to see these things interiorly.
[3] They speak more straightforwardly and honestly than others, and place wisdom in life and not in speech. They are comparatively like lambs and sheep, while those caught up in their own prudence are like wolves and foxes. They are also like people living in a house who through the windows see the sky, whereas those caught up in their own prudence are like people living in the basement of the house, who through their windows see only objects under ground. Or they are like people standing on a mountain, who see those caught up in their own prudence as people wandering in the valleys in forests.
[4] It can be seen from this that prudence not one's own is prudence from the Lord, having the same appearance in outward respects as one's own prudence, but altogether different in inward respects. In inward respects prudence not one's own appears in the spiritual world as a living person, whereas one's own prudence appears as a mannequin, seemingly living only in the fact that people caught up in it still possess rationality and freedom, or the faculties of understanding and willing and so of speaking and acting. And by virtue of these faculties they can pretend to be living people, too.
They are these mannequins because evils and falsities have no life. Only goods and truths do, and because by virtue of their rationality these people know this - for if they did not they would not feign them - they possess some human vitality in their pretenses.
[5] Who cannot know that a person's character is the character he has inwardly, consequently that someone who is inwardly such as he wishes to appear outwardly is a real person, and that someone who is a living person only outwardly and not inwardly is a mannequin.
Think in the same way that you speak in favor of God, religion, righteousness and honesty, and you will be a real person, and Divine providence will then be your prudence, and you will see in others that one's own prudence is idiocy.
311. Given this description of our own prudence and of people who believe in it, we can see the nature of the prudence that is not our own and of the people who believe in it. That is, the prudence that is not our own is the prudence people have who do not convince themselves that they are the source of their intelligence and wisdom. They say, "How can people be the source of their own wisdom? How can they do what is good with their own strength?" and when they say it they see within themselves that it is true. Inwardly, they think and believe that other people share this belief, especially educated people, because they do not see how anyone can only think more superficially.
[2] Since they are not subject to illusions because of any rationalizations of appearances, they both know and feel that murder, adultery, theft, and perjury are sins, and they therefore abstain from them. They know and feel that malice is not wisdom and that shrewdness is not intelligence. When they hear clever arguments based on illusions, they shake their heads and laugh to themselves. This is because there is no veil between their inner and outer processes, or between the spiritual and the earthly levels of their minds the way there is in sense-centered people. As a result, they are open to an inflow from heaven that enables them to see things like this more deeply.
[3] They talk more simply and candidly than others and see wisdom as a matter of life rather than of conversation. They are relatively like lambs and doves, while people devoted to their own prudence are like wolves and foxes. Or again, they are like people who live in a house and see the sky through their windows, while people devoted to their own prudence are like people who live in a basement and see nothing through their windows but what is underground. Or again, they are like people standing on a mountain watching people devoted to their own prudence wandering around in the valleys and in the forests.
[4] This shows that a prudence that is not our own is a prudence that comes from the Lord. Outwardly, it looks like our own prudence, but it is totally different inwardly. Inwardly, the prudence that is not our own looks human in the spiritual world, while our own prudence looks like a statue that seems to be alive, solely because people with this prudence still have rationality and freedom, or the ability to discern and to intend and therefore to talk and act. These abilities enable them to pretend to be human. The reason they are statues like this is that what is evil and false is not alive. Only what is good and true is alive; and since they know this rationally--otherwise they would not put on the pretense--they have some lifelike humanity in their statues.
[5] Can anyone fail to realize that our real quality is our inner quality, and that therefore a real person is one whose inner quality is what he or she wants people to see outwardly, and that a statue is someone who is human only outwardly and not inwardly? Think the way you talk--in favor of God, in favor of religion, in favor of justice and honesty--and you will be human. Then divine providence will be your prudence, and you will see in others that their own prudence is insanity.
311. From this description of one's own prudence, and of those who are in it, may be seen what is the nature of prudence that is not one's own, and what is the nature of those who are in it; namely, that prudence not one's own is the prudence with those who do not confirm in themselves the idea that intelligence and wisdom are from man, but who say, How can one be wise from himself, and how can one do good from himself? When they say this they see in themselves that it is so, for they think interiorly; and they also believe that others think in the same way, especially the learned, because they do not know that it is possible for anyone to think only exteriorly.
[2] They are not in fallacies resulting from any confirmation of appearances, and therefore they know and perceive that murder, adultery, theft and false witness are sins, and they shun them accordingly. They also know that wickedness is not wisdom, and that craftiness is not intelligence; and when they hear ingenious reasoning from fallacies they wonder and smile to themselves. This is because with them there is no veil between interiors and exteriors, or between the spiritual and the natural things of the mind, as there is with the sensual; and therefore they receive influx from heaven by which they see these things.
[3] They speak with more simplicity and sincerity than others, and place wisdom in the life and not in mere talk. They are, to use the language of comparison, like lambs and sheep, while those who are in their own prudence are like wolves and foxes; and they are like those who live in a house and view the sky through the windows, while those who are in their own prudence are like those who live in the basement of a house and through their windows see nothing but what is below the ground level; and they are like those who stand upon a mountain and see those who are in their own prudence like persons wandering in the valleys and forests.
[4] Hence it may be evident that prudence which is not one's own is prudence from the Lord, having in externals an appearance similar to one's own prudence but in internals an appearance totally different. In internals prudence which is not one's own appears in the spiritual world as a man, while prudence which is one's own appears as an effigy, appearing to be alive from this circumstance only, that those who are in it still have rationality and liberty, or the faculty of understanding and willing, and consequently of speaking and acting, and that by means of these faculties they can assume the appearance of being men. They are such effigies because evils and falsities have no life, goods and truths only having life; and because they know this from their rationality, for if they did not know it they would not counterfeit them; therefore in their semblances they still possess the human life principle.
[5] Everyone may know that the character of a man is determined by what he is interiorly; and consequently that he is a man who is interiorly what he wishes to appear to be exteriorly, while he is an effigy who is a man only exteriorly and not interiorly. If you think, as you speak, in favour of God and of religion, of righteousness and of sincerity, you will be a man, and the Divine Providence will then be your prudence, and you will see in others that one's own prudence is insanity.
311. This description of one's own prudence and of those who are in it makes clear what prudence that is not one's own is, and the character of those who are in it, namely, that prudence not one's own is the prudence of those who do not persuade themselves that intelligence and wisdom are from man; for they say, How can one be wise from himself, or how can one do good from himself? And when they say this they see in themselves that it is so, for they think interiorly; and they also believe that others think in the same way, especially the learned, not knowing that any one can think in a purely exterior way.
[2] Such are not in fallacies through any confirmations of appearances, and therefore they know and perceive that murder, adultery, theft, and false witness are sins, and consequently shun them. They know also that shrewdness is not wisdom, and that cunning is not intelligence. When they listen to ingenious reasonings from fallacies they wonder and inwardly smile. This is because with them there is no veil between interiors and exteriors, or between the spiritual and the natural things of the mind, as there is with the sensual; therefore they receive influx from heaven, by which they interiorly see these things.
[3] Such speak more simply and sincerely than others, and place wisdom in the life, and not in talking. They are comparatively like lambs and sheep, while those who are in their own prudence are like wolves and foxes. They are like those who live in a house and see heaven through the windows; while those who are in their own prudence are like those who live in the cellar of a house, and through their windows see only what is below the level of the ground. They are like those who stand on a mountain, and they see those who are in their own prudence like persons wandering in the valleys and forests.
[4] From all this it can be seen that the prudence that is not one's own is prudence from the Lord, having the same appearance in externals as one's own prudence but wholly unlike it in internals. In the spiritual world prudence not one's own appears in internals like a man, while one's own prudence appears like an effigy, seemingly alive merely from this, that those who are in that prudence have nevertheless rationality and liberty, or a capacity to understand and will, and consequently to speak and act, and by means of these capacities they can feign themselves men also. They are such effigies because evils and falsities have no life, but goods and truths only are living; and knowing this from their rationality (for if they did not know it they would not counterfeit goods and truths) they endow their effigies with human vitality.
[5] Who cannot know that a man is such as he is interiorly? Consequently, is not he a man who is interiorly what he wishes to seem to be outwardly? And is not he an effigy who is a man only outwardly, and not interiorly? Think as you talk, in favor of God and religion, and justice and sincerity, and you will be a man, and the Divine providence will then be your prudence, and you will see in others that one's own prudence is insanity.
311. Ex descriptione propriae prudentiae, et illorum qui in illa sunt, videri potest qualis est prudentia non propria, et quales illi qui in ea sunt, quod nempe prudentia non propria sit prudentia apud illos, qui non apud se confirmant, quod intelligentia et sapientia sint ex homine, dicentes, quomodo quis potest sapere ex se, et quomodo quis potest bonum facere ex se, et hoc cum dicunt, vident in se quod ita sit, cogitant enim interius, et quoque credunt, quod alii similiter cogitent, imprimis eruditi, quia non sciunt quod aliquis solum exterius possit cogitare.
[2] Non per aliquas confirmationes apparentiarum in fallaciis sunt, quare sciunt et percipiunt quod homicidia, adulteria, furta et falsa testimonia sint peccata, et fugiunt illa ideo; tum quod malitia non sit sapientia, et quod astutia non sit intelligentia; cum audiunt ratiocinationes ingeniosas ex fallaciis, mirantur et in se rident; causa est, quia apud illos non est velum inter interiora et exteriora, seu inter spiritualia et naturalia mentis, sicut est apud sensuales; quare ex coelo recipiunt influxum, ex quo interius vident talia.
[3] Loquuntur simplicius et sincerius quam alii, ac in vita ponunt sapientiam, et non in sermone; sunt respective sicut agni et oves, cum illi qui in prudentia propria sunt, sicut lupi et vulpes; et sunt sicut qui habitant in domo, et per fenestras vident coelum; illi autem qui in propria prudentia sunt, sunt sicut qui habitant in fundamento domus, et per suas fenestras non vident nisi quae sub terra sunt; et sunt sicut qui in monte stant, et vident illos qui in propria prudentia sunt sicut errantes in vallibus et in sylvis.
[4] Ex his constare potest, quod prudentia non propria sit prudentia ex Domino, in simili apparentia in externis cum prudentia propria, sed in prorsus dissimili in internis; in internis apparet prudentia non propria in Mundo spirituali sicut homo, at prudentia propria sicut simulachrum apparens vitale ex eo solo, quod illis qui in ea sunt, usque sit rationalitas et libertas seu facultas intelligendi et volendi, et inde loquendi et agendi; et quod per illas facultates possint simulare quod etiam homines sint: quod talia simulachra sint, est quia mala et falsa non vivunt, sed solum bona et vera, et quia hoc ex rationalitate sua sciunt, nam si non scirent non simularent illa, 1possident vitale humanum in simulachris suis.
[5] Quis non scire potest, quod homo talis sit, qualis est interius, consequenter quod ille homo sit, qui interius est qualis vult videri exterius, et quod ille simulachrum 2sit, qui solum exterius homo est, et non interius: cogita sicut loqueris pro Deo, pro religione, proque justitia et sinceritate, et eris homo; et tunc Divina Providentia erit prudentia tua, et videbis apud alios quod propria prudentia sit insania.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: illa,
2 Prima editio: simulacrum