269、天使的智慧难以言表，只能通过一些大概的东西来说明。世人千言万语表达不完的，天使能用只言片语表达出来；还有，天使的一个词话中包含着无数不能用人类的言词来表达的事物，因为在天使所说的每一个字里，都蕴含持续连接的智慧的奥秘，人类的知识永远无法企及；另外，天使无法用言词表达的，就用语气来补充，语气中表达了他们对事物有序安排的情感，如前所述（236，241节）。他们通过语气表达情感，通过言语表达出于情感的思想意念。因而，在天堂里所听见的，被称为“不可言说”的；再者，天使能用三言两语就不遗巨细地表达整卷书的内容，并赋予每个字有能将心智提升到内层智慧的意义。因为他们的言语就其本质而言与他们的情感一致，每一个字与他们的想法一致，他们的话语根据思想中的一系列复杂的事物而变化无穷。
[2]内层天使从一个人的语气和只言片语就能了解这人的整个生命，因为语气随着言词中的意思不同而变化，天使能从中感知说话者的主导爱，可以说，这个人生命的每个细节都被铭刻在这主导爱上。｛注1｝这一切都清楚地表明了天使的智慧的特性。将天使的智慧与人类的智慧相比，犹如拿无数与一相比；或拿全身无数的运动力量与在人类感官看来就像单一事物的动作相比；或拿精密显微镜下所观察到的一个物体的上千细节与肉眼所看到的一个模糊的物体相比。我将会举例说明这个主题。｛注2｝
[3]一位天使凭他的｛注3｝智慧描述了重生的过程，｛注4｝并依次提出有关的奥秘，甚至达到数百个，每一个都充满了内层奥秘的观念，并且自始至终是这样。因为他解释了灵性人如何重新孕育，似乎是被带入子宫，出生，长大，并不断地得以完善。他说，奥秘的数量甚至可以增加到数千，而且所谈论的这些仅仅涉及外在人的重生，关于内在人的重生，还有更多不计其数的奥秘。这些事和我从天使那里听来的其它类似的事，清楚地向我表明他们的智慧是何等的大，相比之下世人是何等的愚昧无知，几乎不明白重生，在他重生的过程中，对其中的每一小步也浑然无知。
｛注1｝：在人里面普遍主导或居于支配地位的爱在他生命的每个细节中，因而在他的思想和情感的整体和每一个细节中（4459，5949，6159，6571，7648，8067，8853-8858）。人就是他的主导爱之所是（917，1040，8858），举例说明（8854，8857）。主导爱始终构成人之灵的生命（7648）。这就是他的真正意愿，真正的爱和生命的目的，因为凡人所意愿的，就是他所爱的；凡人所爱的，他以此为目的（1317，1568，1571，1909，3796，5949，6936）。因此，人就是他的意愿之所是，或他的主导爱之所是，或生命的目的之所是（1568，1571，3570，4054，6571，6935，6938，8856，10076，10109，10110，10284）。
｛注2｝：【英167】在 1709年从乌普萨拉（Uppsala）毕业后的第一次出国旅行时，史威登堡在莱顿（Leiden）为自己制造了（或者已经造好了）一台42倍显微镜，这对他来说似乎是一件特别的宝物。
｛注3｝：【英168】这里的拉丁原文实际上不包含特定性别的代词，但如果对话者是一位女性天使，史威登堡很可能会注意到这一事实——就像他在《婚姻之爱》（293）中所做的那样。
｛注4｝：【英169】史威登堡的“重生”一般是指人类灵性重生的过程，具体而言，是指个体获得新心或意志以及新思想或智力的过程的最后阶段。这个过程反映了妊娠、出生、婴儿期和童年。尽管史威登堡在《属天的奥秘》中对此有很多论述，但有关该过程的简洁介绍，请参阅《真实的基督教》中关于改造和重生的章节（571-620）。
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269. 天使的智慧无法用言语来描述; 只能通过某些总体事物来说明. 天使能以一句话表达人以上千句话所表达的. 再者, 天使的一句话包含无数不能以人类语言的话语来表达的事物. 事实上, 天使言语的每个细节里都有智慧的宝藏, 它们都处在连续的关联中, 是人类知识完全不能企及的. 另外, 天使无法以其语言的话语来表达的, 就以语气来充满, 这语气就体现了他们对事物有序排列的情感; 因为如前所述(天国的奥秘 236, 241节), 语气表达情感, 正如话语表达源于情感的思维观念. 这就是为何人们在天堂所听见的, 被称为“不可说”. 所以, 天使还能用几句话完整表述整卷书里所写的细节, 并赋予每句话某种能将心智提升向内在智慧的意义; 因为他们的言语就其本质而言, 与他们的情感一致, 每句话则与他们的观念一致; 他们的话语照着同时存在于思维的事物系列以无限方式发生变化. 内层天使从语气和几句话就能觉察说话者的整个生命; 因为从随着话语里的观念而变化的语气, 他们就能觉察他的主导爱, 而他生命的每个细节可以说都被铭刻在这主导爱上. 这一切清楚表明天使智慧的性质. 拿天使智慧与人类智慧相比较, 犹如拿无数与一相比较, 或拿全身无数动力与由它们产生, 在人类感官看来就像一个事物的某个动作相比较, 或拿精密显微镜下所观察到的一个物体的无数细节与肉眼所看到的一个模糊事物相比较. 举例说明这个主题. 一位天使凭自己的智慧正在描述重生的过程, 并依次提出有关它的奥秘, 总计达数百之多. 他以包含更深奥秘的观念充满每一个奥秘, 并且自始至终都是这样做的; 因为他解释了属灵人如何重新孕育, 可以说被带入子宫, 出生, 长大, 并逐渐得以完善. 他说, 奥秘的数量甚至可达数千, 他所谈论的这些奥秘仅仅涉及外在人的重生; 关于内在人的重生还有更多不计其数的奥秘. 我从天使那里所听来的这些和其它类似的事清楚向我表明他们的智慧何等之大, 相比之下人的无知何等之大. 人几乎不知道何为重生, 并且在重生的过程中, 对其中的每一步都浑然无知. 注: 在人里面普遍掌控或居于主导地位的爱就在他生命的每个细节中, 因而在他的思维和情感的每一个细节中(天国的奥秘 4459, 5949, 6159, 6571, 7648, 8067, 8853-8858节). 人的性质取决于他的主导爱(天国的奥秘 917, 1040, 8858节), 举例说明(天国的奥秘 8854, 8857节). 凡普遍掌控之物都构成人之灵的生命(天国的奥秘 7648节). 这就是他的本质意愿, 本质的爱和生命的目的, 因为凡人所意愿的, 就是他所爱的; 凡人所爱的, 就是他以之为目的的(天国的奥秘 1317, 1568, 1571, 1909, 3796, 5949, 6936节). 因此, 人的意愿, 或他的主导爱, 或生命的目的, 就决定了他是哪种人(天国的奥秘 1568, 1571, 3570, 4054, 6571, 6935, 6938, 8856, 10076, 10109, 10110, 10284节).
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269. 言語不足以描述天人的智慧, 只能籠統地作一些提示。天人的只言詞組, 能表達我們千言萬語都無法表達的內涵。再者, 天人的只言詞組裡包含著人的語言所不能表達的無數細節。事實上, 他們的語言處處連貫有序地蘊含著智慧, 遠遠超越人間的知識。另外, 天人不能用言辭表達的, 他們用語氣來補全, 以合宜有序地表達他們的情感。因為正如前面所說(236, 241), 天人用語氣表達情感, 用言辭表達情感所生的思想。正因如此, 人在天國所聽見的被稱為"不可說"的。
再者, 天人能用三言兩語完整地表述一卷書的細節, 字字蘊含深意, 加深它的智慧。他們的語言與情感一致, 他們的言辭與思想一致。事實上, 根據他們有序表達思想的方式, 其言辭可以有無窮的變化。
更內層的天人甚至能透過一個人的語氣和只言詞組而斷定他的生命全景。根據語氣被思維分化為言辭的方式, 天人能覺知他的主導欲, 該主導欲完整地記錄著他生命的所有資訊。
通過以上事實, 我們能看出天人的智慧如何。與我們的智慧相比, 乃如千萬比一。兩者之比也好比身體上無數的力完成一個動作, 或如顯微鏡下大量的元素構成我們肉眼下一個模糊的物體。
我還想用一個實例來作說明。一位天人以其智慧描述重生的過程, 並以適當的順序說明其中的奧秘。序列數以百計。他用包含更深奧秘的觀念從頭至尾地描述每一個奧秘, 解釋人的靈性是如何從新成孕, 入胎, 降生, 成長乃至逐步成熟的。他說他可以將其中的奧秘細分至成千上萬, 而且他所說的還只是人之外在的重生, 人之內在的重生就包含更多的奧秘了。
天人所傳達的這些事實已向我顯明他們擁有何等大的智慧, 相比之下, 我們是何其無知。對於重生, 我們可說一無所知, 在重生的過程中, 我們對其中的進度也是渾然無知。
269. Words are not adequate to describe the quality of angels' wisdom - it can be suggested only by some generalizations. Angels can express in a single word what we cannot express in a thousand words. Further, in a single angelic word there are countless things that are beyond the capacity of human words to convey. In the details of angelic speech there are actually treasures of wisdom in unbroken connection, utterly beyond the reach of human knowledge. Then too, what angels cannot evoke with the words of their language they fill in with the sound, which embodies their sensitivity to the proper arrangement of things; for as already noted (236, 241), they express their affections through the sounds and the concepts derived from their affections through the words. This is why the things that people have heard in heaven are called ineffable.
Angels can also state completely in a few words the details that are written in a whole volume, giving each word something that raises it toward a deeper wisdom. Their language by nature agrees with their affections, and every word agrees with their concepts. The words actually vary in infinite shadings depending on the way they express in sequence things that are simultaneous in their thought.
[2] The more inward angels can even tell a speaker's whole life from the tone of voice and a few words. From the way the sound is differentiated by concepts into words, they actually perceive the speaker's ruling love, in which, so to speak, the very details of life are engraved. 1
We can see from all this what angels' wisdom is like. Relative to our wisdom, it is on the order of ten thousands to one. It is like the ratio between the motor energies of the body, which are countless, to some act that results from them, which to our senses seems like a single event. Or it is like the thousands of things we see through a perfect microscope compared to the one fuzzy thing we see with the naked eye.
[3] I should also like to illustrate the matter with one example. An angel, out of his wisdom, described the process of regeneration and presented mysteries about it in their proper sequence, amounting to a hundred. He filled out each single mystery with concepts containing even deeper mysteries, and did this from beginning to end, explaining how the spiritual person is conceived anew; is carried in the womb, so to speak; is born; matures; and is gradually perfected. He said that he could multiply the number of mysteries into the thousands, and that the things he was talking about involved only the regeneration of the outer person. There were countless more about the regeneration of the inner person.
This and other things of the same sort that I have heard from angels have shown me how much wisdom they have and how much ignorance we have by comparison, with hardly any knowledge of what regeneration is and no awareness of a single step when we are being regenerated.
Footnotes:
1. The love that rules or governs throughout is present within us in the details of our life, so it is present in every detail of our thought and affection: 4459, 5949, 6159, 6571, 7648, 8067, 8853-8858. Our nature is determined by our ruling love: 918 [917?], 1040, 8858; illustrated by examples: 8854, 8857. Whatever rules throughout constitutes the life of our spirit: 7648. This is our essential intent, our essential love, and the goal of our life, because what we intend is what we love, and what we love is what we set as our goal: 1317, 1568, 1571, 1909, 3796, 5949, 6936. Therefore our intent, or our ruling love, or the goal of our life, determines the kind of person we Apocalypse Explained 1568, 1571, 3570, 4054, 6571, 6934 [6935?], 6938, 8856, 10076, 10109-10110, 10284.
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269. The wisdom of angels is indescribable in words, but can only be illustrated by some general things. Angels can express in a single word what man cannot express in a thousand words. Again, a single angelic word contains innumerable things that cannot be expressed in the words of human language. For in every single word spoken by angels, there are arcana of wisdom in a continuous connection to which human knowledges never reach. Again, what the angels fail to express in the words of their speech they make up by the tone, in which there is an affection for the things in its order; for as has been said above (236, 241), they express affections by tones, and the ideas of thought from affections by words. Thus it is that the things heard in heaven are said to be ineffable. So, too, the angels are able to give utterance in a few words to every least thing written in an entire volume, and to put into every word, meanings that elevate the mind to interior wisdom. For their speech is such as to be in accord with their affections, and each word is in accord with their ideas, their words being varied in infinite ways in accord with the series of things which in complex are in the thought.
[2] The interior angels also can know from the tone together with a few of the words the entire life of one speaking. For from the tone, as varied by the ideas in the words, they perceive his ruling love upon which, as it were, every particular of his life is inscribed. 1All this makes clear the nature of angelic wisdom. Their wisdom in comparison with human wisdom is as a myriad to one, or as the moving forces of the whole body, which are numberless, to the activities from them which appear to human sense as a single thing, or as the thousand particulars of an object seen under a perfect microscope to the one obscure thing seen by the naked eye. I would illustrate the subject by an example.
[3] An angel from his wisdom described regeneration, and brought forward arcana respecting it in their order even to some hundreds, filling each of them with ideas in which there were interior arcana, and this from beginning to end. For he explained how the spiritual man is conceived anew, is carried, as it were, in the womb, is born, grows up and is successively perfected. He said that the number of arcana could be increased even to thousands, and that those spoken of were only about the regeneration of the external man, and that there were innumerably more about the regeneration of the internal man. From these and other similar things heard from angels, it has been made clear to me how great is their wisdom, and how great in comparison is the ignorance of man, who scarcely knows what regeneration is, and is ignorant of every least step of the process when he is being regenerated.
Footnotes:
1. That which universally rules or is dominant with man is in every particular of his life, thus in each thing and all things of his thought and affection (Arcana Coelestia 4459, 5949, 6159, 6571, 7648, 8067, 8853-8858).
A man is such as his ruling love is (Arcana Coelestia 917, 1040, 8858); illustrated by examples (Arcana Coelestia 8854, 8857).
That which rules universally makes the life of the spirit of man (Arcana Coelestia 7648). It is his very will, his very love, and the end of his life, since that which a man wills he loves, and that which he loves he has as an end (Arcana Coelestia 1317, 1568, 1571, 1909, 3796, 5949, 6936).
Therefore man is such as his will is, or such as his ruling love is, or such as the end of his life is (Arcana Coelestia 1568, 1571, 3570, 4054, 6571, 6935, 6938, 8856, 10076, 10109-10110, 10284).
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269. The wisdom of the angels is indescribable in words; it can only be illustrated by some general things. Angels can express in a single word what a man cannot express in a thousand words. Again, a single angelic word contains innumerable things that cannot be expressed in the words of human language; for in each of the things uttered by angels there are arcana of wisdom in continuous connection that human knowledges never reach. Again, what the angels fail to express in the words of their speech they make up by the tone, in which there is an affection for the things in their order; for (as has been said above, 236, 241) tones express affections, as words express ideas of thought from the affections; and for this reason the things heard in heaven are said to be ineffable. So, too, the angels are able to express in a few words every least thing written in an entire volume, and give to every word meanings that elevate the mind to interior wisdom; for their speech is such as to be in accord with their affections, and each word is in accord with their ideas; and their words are varied in infinite ways in accord with the series of things which in complex are in the thought.
[2] Still again, the interior angels are able to perceive from the tone and from a few words the entire life of one speaking; for from the tone as varied by the ideas in the words they perceive his ruling love upon which, as it were, every particular of his life is inscribed. 1All this makes clear the nature of angelic wisdom. In comparison with human wisdom it is as a myriad to one, or as the moving forces of the whole body, which are numberless, to the activities from them which appear to human sense as a single thing, or as the thousand particulars of an object seen under a perfect microscope to the one obscure thing seen by the naked eye.
[3] Let me illustrate the subject by an example. An angel from his wisdom was describing regeneration, and brought forward arcana respecting it in their order even to some hundreds, filling each of them with ideas in which there were interior arcana, and this from beginning to end; for he explained how the spiritual man is conceived anew, is carried as it were in the womb, is born, grows up and is gradually perfected. He said that the number of arcana could be increased even to thousands, and that those told were only about the regeneration of the external man, while there were numberless more about the regeneration of the internal man. From these and other like things heard from the angels it has been made clear to me how great is their wisdom, and how great in comparison is the ignorance of man, who scarcely knows what regeneration is, and is ignorant of every least step of the process when he is being regenerated.
Footnotes:
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269. Qualis sapientia angelorum est, non describi vocibus potest, sed modo illustrari per aliqua communia. Angeli possunt una voce exprimere. quae homo non potest mille vocibus: et praeterea uni voci angelicae insunt innumera, quae vocibus linguae humanae exprimi nequeunt in singulis enim quae angeli loquuntur sunt arcana sapientiae in continuo nexu, ad quae scientiae humanae nusquam pertingunt. Angeli etiam quae non vocibus loquelae suae exhauriunt, supplent sono. cui inest affectio rerum in suo ordine, nam, ut supra (236, 241) dictum est, per sonos exprimunt affectiones, et per voces ideas cogitationis ex affectionibus inde est, quod quae audiuntur in caelo, dicantur ineffabilia. Angeli similiter possunt singula quae in volumine alicujus libri scripta sunt, paucis vocibus edicere, et cuivis voci indere talia quae elevant ad sapientiam interiorem loquela enim eorum talis est, ut consonet cum affectionibus, et unaquaevis vox cum ideis voces etiam variantur infinitis modis secundum series rerum quae in complexu sunt in cogitatione. Angeli interiores etiam possunt ex sono et simul aliquibus vocibus loquentis scire integram ejus vitam percipiunt enim ex sonoro variegato per ideas in vocibus amorem ejus regnantem, cui insunt quasi inscripta singularia vitae ejus. 1Ex his patet, qualis est sapientia angelorum. Sapientia illorum se habet ad sapientiam humanam sicut myrias ad unum: comparative sicut vires motrices totius corporis, quae innumerabiles sunt, ad actionem ex illis, quae coram sensu humano apparent ut unum aut sicut millia objecti visa perfecto microscopio ad unum obscurum coram nudo oculo. Velim etiam rem illustrare exemplo: angelus ex sapientia sua descripsit regenerationem, et protulit arcana de illa in suo ordine usque ad centena, et unumquodvis arcanum implevit ideis in quibus arcana interiora erant, et hoc a principio ad finem exposuit enim quomodo spiritualis homo e novo concipitur, in utero quasi gestatur, nascitur, adolescit, et successive perficitur; dixit quod potuisset numerum arcanorum usque ad aliquot millia augere; et quod illa quae dicta sunt solum essent de regeneratione externi hominis, et quod innumerabilia plura forent de regeneratione interni. Ex his et similibus aliis quae ab angelis audita sunt, patuit mihi quanta illis sapientia, et respective quanta ignorantia homini qui 2vix scit quid regeneratio, et non scit aliquod momentum progressionis cum regeneratur.
Footnotes: