212、至于天堂形态的细节、它怎样变动和流动，就连天使也无法理解。当一个敏锐而睿智的观察者审视和调查时，通过人体中一切事物的形态，可以对它有某些观念。因为在前面相关章节已说明，整个天堂类似一个人（参看59-72节），人里面的一切事物都对应天堂（87-102节）。仅仅从神经纤维（它将人体的每一个部分全都连接在一起）就能在大体上看出这个形态是何等的错综复杂和难以理解。这些纤维是什么，它们是如何在大脑中运作和流动的，甚至连肉眼也不能感知，因为无数纤维在那里紧密地交织在一起，它们合在一起，就像软绵绵的一团。然而，也正是藉着这些，所有意志和理智的点点滴滴都极其清晰地流向行为。又如，从各种神经丛，诸如心脏的、肠系膜的等等，可以清楚地看出这些纤维是如何在体内连接在一起的；还可以从被称为神经节的结节看出众多纤维从身体各部位进入结节，在那里混合，然后以另一种方式连接在一起，达成它们的功能。这一模式一而再、再而三地不断重复。此外，在一切脏腑、肢体、器官和肌肉里，也有类似的模式。无论是谁以智慧之眼审视这些纤维和它们的诸多奇事，都会完全地不知所措。然而，肉眼所能见的事物极少，看不见的事物还要奇妙得多，因为它们属于自然的内在领域。
意志和理智的一切在它里面并依照它运作，由此显而易见，该形态对应天堂的形态。因为凡是人所意愿的，都自动地变成一致的行为；凡是人所思想的，都通过纤维从起始传到末端，产生感觉。由于这就是思想和意志的形态，故也是聪明和智慧的形态。正是该形态对应天堂的形态。由此可知，正是照着这形态，天使的一切情感和思想延伸出去，天使在何等程度上处在这种形态中，他们便是在何等程度上处在聪明和智慧中。从前文（78-86节）可以看出，天堂的这种形态来自主的神性之人。之所以讲述这些，是为了让人也知道，天堂的形态如此这般，即使在大体上也永远不可能尽述，因此，正如上文所说，即使是天使也无法理解。
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212. 至于天堂形式的细节, 以及它如何发出并流动, 就连天使也无法参透. 根据有经验的智者所作的探索和研究, 通过对比人体的一切元素的形式, 可获得对它的某种概念. 因为在前面相关章节已说明, 整个天堂类似一个人(参看59-72节), 并且人里面的一切事物都对应于天堂(天国的奥秘 87-102节). 仅通过观察将人体的每个和一切部分交织在一起的神经纤维, 可大体明白这个形式是何等难以理解和错综复杂. 肉眼根本无法分辨这些纤维的性质, 以及它们如何发出并流入大脑; 因为无数纤维在那里被如此交织在一起, 以致它们合起来看似一个软绵绵的不明肿块. 而事实上, 意愿与理解力的每一个和一切功能都以完美的清晰度通过它们流入行为. 通过观察各种纤维丛, 如心脏的, 肠系膜的等等, 可以看出这些纤维如何在体内再次交织; 也可从被称为神经节的结节看出来, 众多纤维从身体各部位进入结节, 在那里交并, 然后以不同的排列组合出来, 达成各种功能, 并且这一模式一而再, 再而三地不断重复. 此外, 一切脏腑, 肢体, 器官和肌肉里面也有类似的排列组合. 凡以智慧之眼探究这些纤维和其它奇事的人都会目瞪口呆, 完全不知所措. 然而, 肉眼所见的事物极少, 看不见的事物还要奇妙得多, 因为它们在性质上更为内在. 显而易见, 该形式对应于天堂的形式, 因为理解力和意愿在它里面并照着它进行运作. 事实上, 正是照着这个形式, 凡人所意愿的, 都自动流入行为, 凡人所思想的, 都通过纤维从其初始传到末端, 产生感觉. 另外, 这就是思维和意愿的形式, 故也是聪明和智慧的形式. 正是该形式对应于天堂的形式. 由此可知, 这种形式决定了天使的一切情感和思维如何延伸出去; 只要天使处于这种形式, 他们便享有聪明和智慧. 从前文(天国的奥秘 78-86节)可以看出, 天堂的这种形式来自主的神性人身. 之所以讲述这些问题, 是为了叫人们也知道, 天堂的形式具有这样的性质: 甚至就其总体而言, 它也永远不可能完全为人所知, 因而连天使都无法理解, 如前所述.
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212. 對於天國的形態及其運行流動的方式, 就連天人也是無法參透的。根據有經驗的智者所作的探索和研究, 通過與人體的形態對比, 我們能獲得些微的觀念。因為正如前面所說, 天國在總體上呈現一個人的形態(59-72), 人體與天國存在對應(87-102)。通過觀察人體的神經纖維, 注意它是如何將整個身體交織成一體的, 我們能大致明白人體的形態是何等複雜難測。對於神經纖維的性質, 其運行流入大腦的方式, 人的肉眼無法分辨。因為無數的神經纖維極為複雜地交織在一起, 以致從整體看來, 它只是軟綿綿的一團, 結構莫辨。而事實上, 人意志與認知的每個功能都是通過它們準確無誤地流入行動的。通過觀察各種纖維束, 如心臟的, 腸系膜的, 我們能看出這些纖維是如何在體內整合的, 也可以觀察稱為神經節的節點, 眾多纖維從身體各部位進入節點, 交織在一起, 然後以不同的組合形式發出, 達成各種功能。這一模式一而再再而三的不斷重複。再者, 人的五臟六腑, 各肢體, 器官, 肌肉, 也存在同樣的模式。以慧眼探索這些奧妙的人一定會驚歎不已, 然而這些不過是肉眼可見的少許奧妙, 肉眼不可見的還要奇妙得多, 因為它更為深入。
我們若思考意志與認知照人體的形態而運作的方式, 它與天國的形態對應的事實就顯而易見了。因為人的意志自然而然地流入行動, 人的思維沿神經傳導, 從起點直到末端, 產生各種知覺。再者, 既然這是我們認知和意志的形態, 自然也是我們聰明和智慧的形態。
這形態與天國的形態對應。由此可見, 該形態決定了天人的情感和思維的延伸方式, 若合乎該形態, 就享有聰明智慧。從上文可知(78-86), 天國的這種形態源於主神聖之人。
我說這些, 是要大家明白, 天國的形態在總體上都無法參透, 連天人也不能參透。
212. As to heaven's form and how it works and flows, this is incomprehensible even to angels. It can be brought to some measure of conceptualization by comparison with the form of all the elements of the human body as explored and examined by someone who is both wise and experienced; for as explained above in the relevant chapters, heaven as a whole resembles a single person (59-72) and everything in the human [body] corresponds to the heavens (87-102). We can see in a general way how incomprehensible and intricate this form is simply by looking at our nerve fibers, which serve to weave absolutely everything [in us] together. There is no way their nature and how they work and flow in the brain can be presented to our eyes, for the countless things involved are so intricate that viewed en masse they look like a soft, undefined lump. Yet actually each and every function of our volition and understanding flows into act through them with perfect definition. We can see how these fibers rejoin in the body by looking at the various plexuses - cardiac, mesenteric, and others - and the nodes called ganglia where many fibers from all over the body come together, combining within these nodes and then exiting in different arrangements to various functions, a pattern that is repeated over and over again. Further, there are similar arrangements in all our viscera, in each member and organ and muscle. Anyone who probes these and other wonders with the eye of wisdom will be utterly stunned; and yet these are the few things that the eye can see, and what it cannot see is more amazing still because it is more inward in nature.
It is abundantly clear that this form corresponds to heaven's form if we consider the way our volition and discernment work in it and according to it, because whatever we intend flows spontaneously into act and whatever we think travels along the fibers from their beginnings to their ends, giving rise to our senses. Further, since this is the form of our thought and intentions, it is the form of our intelligence and wisdom.
It is this form that corresponds to heaven's form. We can learn from this that it is this kind of form that determines the way all the affection and thought of angels reaches out, and that they enjoy intelligence and wisdom to the extent that they are in this form. It may be seen above (78-86) that this form of heaven comes from the Lord's divine human.
These matters have been included so that it may also be known that heaven's form by its very nature can never be fathomed even in a general way and is thus incomprehensible even to angels, as already stated.
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212. As regards the form of heaven specifically and how it moves and flows, this not even the angels of heaven can comprehend. Some idea of it can be presented by the form of all things in the human body when examined and investigated by an acute and wise observer. For it has been shown above in their relevant sections that the entire heaven resembles one man (see 59-72), and that all things in man correspond to the heavens (87-102). How incomprehensible and inexplicable that form is, may appear in a general way only from the nerve fibres by which each part and all parts of the body are joined together. What these fibres are and how they proceed and flow in the brain, not even the eye can perceive, for innumerable fibres are there so interwoven, that, taken together, they appear as a soft continuous mass; and yet, it is in accordance with these that each thing and all things of the will and the understanding flow most distinctly into acts. Again, how these fibres join together in the body is clear from the various plexuses, such as those of the heart, the mesentery and others, and also from the knots called ganglions, into which many fibres from every region enter and there intermingle, and when joined together in another way, go forth to their functions and this again and again; besides similar things in every viscus, member, organ and muscle. Whoever examines with the eye of wisdom these fibres and their many wonders will be utterly bewildered. Yet the things seen with the eye are few. Those not seen are still more wonderful because they belong to an inner realm of nature. That this form corresponds to the form of heaven is clearly evident from the working of everything of the understanding and of the will within it and in accordance with it. For whatever a man wills passes spontaneously into an accordant act, and whatever he thinks spreads through the fibres from their beginnings even to their terminations from which the senses are derived; and because it is the form of thought and will, it is the form of intelligence and wisdom. This is the form that corresponds to the form of heaven. From this it can be known that such is the form in accordance with which every affection and thought of the angels extends forth, and that so far as the angels are in that form, they are in intelligence and wisdom. That this form of heaven is from the Divine Human of the Lord may be seen above (78-86). These things have been stated to make it known also that the heavenly form is such that, even as to generals, it can never be completely expressed, so that it is incomprehensible even to the angels, as has been said above.
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212. When it comes to the particulars of the form of heaven and how it proceeds and flows, this not even the angels can comprehend. Some conception of it can be gained from the form of all things in the human body, when this is scanned and investigated by an acute and wise man; for it has been shown above, in their respective chapters, that the entire heaven reflects a single man (see 59-72) and that all things in man correspond to the heavens (87-102). How incomprehensible and inexplicable that form is is evident only in a general way from the nervous fibers, by which each part and all parts of the body are woven together. What these fibers are, and how they proceed and flow in the brain, the eye cannot at all perceive; for innumerable fibers are there so interwoven that taken together they appear like a soft continuous mass; and yet it is in accord with these that each thing and all things of the will and understanding flow with the utmost distinctness into acts. How again they interweave themselves in the body is clear from the various plexuses, such as those of the heart, the mesentery, and others; and also from the knots called ganglions, into which many fibers enter from every region and there intermingle, and when variously joined together go forth to their functions, and this again and again; besides like things in every viscus, member, organ, and muscle. Whoever examines these fibers and their many wonders with the eye of wisdom will be utterly bewildered. And yet the things seen with the eye are few, and those not seen are still more wonderful because they belong to an inner realm of nature. It is clearly evident that this form corresponds to the form of heaven, because all the workings of the understanding and the will are within it and are in accordance with it; for it is in accordance with this form that whatever a man wills passes spontaneously into act, and whatever he thinks spreads through the fibers from their beginnings even to their terminations, which is the source of sensations; and inasmuch as it is the form of thought and will, it is the form of intelligence and wisdom. Such is the form that corresponds to the form of heaven. And from this it can be known that such is the form in accordance with which every affection and thought of angels extends itself, and that so far as the angels are in that form they are in intelligence and wisdom. That this form of heaven is from the Divine Human of the Lord can be seen above (78-86). All this has been said to make clear also that the heavenly form is such that even as to its generals it can never be completely known, thus that it is incomprehensible even to the angels, as has been said above.
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212. Quod formam caeli in specie concernit, et quomodo vadit et fluit, hoc incomprehensibile est etiam angelis. Aliquid ejus ad ideam sisti potest per formam omnium in corpore humano a sagaci et sapiente lustratam et rimatam, nam supra in suis articulis ostensum est, Quod totum Caelum referat unum Hominem (videatur 59-72), et Quod omnia quae in Homine correspondeant Caelis (87-102). Quam incomprehensibilis et inextricabilis illa forma sit, patet solum in communi a fibris nerveis. per quas omnia et singula compaginantur. Quales illae sunt, et quomodo vadunt et fluunt in cerebro, ne quidem ad oculum pervenit, nam innumerabiles ibi sunt ita complicatae, ut simul sumptae appareant sicut massa mollis continua, cum tamen omnia et singula, quae voluntatis et intellectus sunt, secundum illas fluunt distinctissime in actus. Quomodo illae iterum se consertant in corpore, patet a plexibus variis, ut a cardiacis, mesentericis et aliis; et quoque a nodis qui gangliones vocantur, in quos fibrae plures ex omni provincia intrant, ac inibi se commiscent, et aliter conjunctae exeunt ad functiones, et hoc iterum et iterum praeter similia in unoquovis viscere, membro, organo, et musculo. Qui oculo sapiente lustrat illas, et plura mirabilia ibi, omnino obstupescet et usque pauca sunt, quae oculis videt quae non videt adhuc mirabiliora sunt, quia in natura interiore. Quod illa forma correspondeat formae caeli, patet manifeste ex operatione omnium intellectus et voluntatis in illa et secundum illam; quicquid enim homo vult, labitur secundum illam sponte in actum, et quicquid cogitat, pervadit fibras a principiis earum usque ad fines, unde sensus et quia est forma cogitationis et voluntatis, est forma intelligentiae et sapientiae. Haec forma est, quae correspondet formae caeli inde sciri potest, quod talis sit secundum quam se extendit omnis affectio et cogitatio angelorum, et quod tantum in intelligentia et sapientia sint, quantum in illa forma sunt. Quod illa forma caeli sit ex Divino Humano Domini, videatur supra (78-86). Haec allata sunt, ut quoque sciatur, quod forma caelestis talis sit, ut non possit quoad communia sua usquam exhauriri, et sic quod incomprehensibilis sit etiam angelis, ut supra dictum est.