35、一些水星灵被其他灵人派来拜访我，要听听发生在我周围的事。我们地球的一个灵人对他们说，他们可以告诉派他们来的那些人，除了真理什么也不要说，也别照他们的习惯通过讲述反面来回答问题。因为若有我们地球的灵人这样做，他必受击打。但从远处派出这些灵人的那群人立刻答复说，若值得被击打，他们必一起受击打，因为他们习惯这样做，以至于停不下来。他们说，他们与自己星球的人交谈时，也是这样做的，但不是有意欺骗他们，而是为了激发求知欲。因为当他们提出反面，以某种方式隐藏事物时，求知欲就被激发出来，记忆通过努力寻找它而得以完善。我曾在别的场合和他们谈论这个话题，我因知道他们与自己星球的人交谈，于是就问他们如何教导他们的居民。他们说，他们不会指教他们事情的来龙去脉，不过，仍会给出一点提示，以便培养并增强他们发现、知道事实的渴望。因为如果他们回答了所有问题，这种渴望就会消失。他们又补充说，他们讲述反面的另一个原因是，真理可以显得更清晰，因为一切真理在与其反面进行对照时显得最清晰。
35. Some spirits from the planet Mercury came to me who had been sent by others to listen in on the discussions that were going on around me. One of the spirits from our own planet told these envoys that when they were reporting back to those who had sent them they should not say anything but the truth. They should not, as they usually did, give misleading information to their questioners, because if any spirits from our planet did that they would be severely punished. However, the group that was at a distance, the group that had sent the spirits, said that if that was a reason for punishing someone, they should all be punished, because they were so used to doing this that they were incapable of doing anything else. They said that they also did this when they were communicating with the inhabitants of their own planet. They did not do it out of any intent to deceive, though, but only to stimulate the inhabitants’ desire for knowledge. When they give the inhabitants misleading information and hide in particular ways the true reality of what they are communicating about, the inhabitants develop an intense desire to know the truth, and the eagerness with which they further investigate the subject then perfects their memory.
I spoke with them about this on another occasion as well; and since I knew they were communicating with the inhabitants of their own planet, I asked how they were teaching them. They said they do not tell the inhabitants how matters actually stand but only give them some inkling of it, so that their desire to explore and find out for themselves might be fed and increased. If instead they simply answered all the inhabitants’ questions, that desire might die. They added that another reason they give misleading information is so that the truth can be seen more clearly, because every truth becomes more visible in relation to its opposite. 1
Footnotes:
1. Swedenborg here touches in passing on themes common in his theological works: that a critical feature of the universe is the clash of stark opposites (see, for example, Secrets of Heaven 4750:3-4, 4948, 5864, 9346; Heaven and Hell 536, 541; Divine Providence 16-18, 100, 233:2; Marriage Love 261:3, 425; True Christianity 62; Spiritual Experiences [= Swedenborg 1998-2013] 2443), and that a clear understanding of the nature of something requires contrast with an opposite (see, for example, Other Planets 77; Secrets of Heaven 1370, 4172, 5278, 7319; Divine Providence 24, 38; Marriage Love 138; Spiritual Experiences 1427). Swedenborg goes so far as to say that God’s knowledge of hell results from his knowledge of the opposing phenomena in heaven, and that similarly his knowledge of the evil and false aspects of every individual arises out of their contrast with his own goodness and truth; see True Christianity 62. [SS]
35. Some spirits from Mercury visited me who had been sent by other spirits to hear what was going on around me. One of the spirits from our world told them to tell their own people not to speak anything but the truth, and not to follow their custom of replying to questions by stating the opposite. If any of the spirits from our world, he said, were to do this, he would be beaten. The answer came back from the distant group which had sent the spirits that, if that deserved a beating, then they should all be beaten, since they were so much in the habit of doing this they could not stop. They said that this is also what they do when talking to people in their world, but they do not intend to deceive them, but rather to instil a desire for knowledge. For when they state the opposite and go some way towards hiding the matter, then the desire to know is aroused and the memory is sharpened by their anxiety to find it out.
I also had a conversation with them on the same subject on another occasion. Knowing that they talked with people in their world, I asked how they teach its inhabitants. They said that they do not teach them what is the fact of the matter, but they give them a hint of it, so as to nurture and increase their desire to find out and know the fact. For if they replied to every question, the desire would disappear. They went on to say that another reason why they state the opposite is to show up the truth better; for every truth shows up best when contrasted with its opposite.
35. Some of the spirits of the earth Mercury came to me, being sent by others, to hear what I was employed about. One of the spirits of our earth said to them, that they might tell those who sent them not to speak anything but what was true, and not, according to their usual practice, suggest things opposite to those who questioned them; for if any of the spirits of our earth were to do so, he would he punished. But immediately the company which was at a distance, from which those spirits were sent, made answer, that if they were to be punished on that account, they must all be punished, since by reason of acquired habit they could not do otherwise. They said that when they speak with the men of their own earth, they also do so, but this not with any intention of deceiving, but to inspire the desire of knowing; for when they suggest things opposite, and conceal things in a certain manner, then the desire of knowing is excited, and thereby from the endeavor to search out those things, the memory is perfected. I also spoke with them at another time on the same subject, and because I knew that they spoke with the men of their earth, I asked them in what manner they instruct their inhabitants. They said that they do not instruct them how the matter is, but still they insinuate some perception thereof, that thus a desire of examining and knowing may be cherished and grow; which desire would perish, in case they answered everything. They added, that they suggest things opposite also, for this reason, that the truth afterwards may better appear; for all truth is made manifest by relation to its opposites.
35. Aliqui ex spiritibus Telluris Mercurii ad me veniebant missi ab aliis, ut audirent quid apud me ageretur, quibus unus ex spiritibus nostrae Telluris dicebat, quod diceret suis, ut non aliud quam verum loquerentur, et non, ut solent, interrogantibus opposita objicerent; nam si aliquis ex nostrae telluris spiritibus ita faceret, plecteretur; sed tunc respondebat cohors, quae remota erat, e qua spiritus illi emissi erant, quod se ideo plecterentur, omnes plecterentur, quoniam aliter facere nequeunt ex continuo usu: dicebant, quod cum loquuntur cum hominibus suae Telluris, ita quoque faciant; at hoc non animo fallendi, sed ut inspirent desiderium sciendi; cum enim opposita objiciunt, et occultant res certo modo, tunc cupido sciendi excitatur, et sic ex studio explorandi illa, memoria perficitur. De eadem re cum illis alia vice quoque loquebar; et quia sciebam, quod loquerentur cum hominibus suae telluris, quaerebam quomodo incolas suos instruunt; dicebant quod non instruant illos quomodo se res habet, sed usque insinuent aliquam rei apperceptionem, ut inde cupido explorandi et sciendi alatur et crescat; nam si responderent ad omnia, periret cupido: addebant quod opposita objiciant etiam ob causam, ut veritas dein melius appareat; nam omnis veritas apparet ex relatione ad opposita.