272、天使能接受如此大的智慧，还有另一个原因，这在天堂是主要原因，那就是他们没有了自我之爱。｛注1｝因为人在何等程度上脱离自我之爱，就在何等程度上在神性事物上变得智慧。正是这种爱对主和天堂关闭了内层，并打开外层，并将它们转向自己。因此，凡被这爱统管的人在属天事物上都陷入浓厚的黑暗，却在世俗的事物上有许多光亮。另一方面，天使之所以处在智慧之光中，是因为他们脱离了自我之爱。因为他们所在的天堂之爱，也就是对主的爱和对邻舍的爱，打开内层，因为这些爱来自主，主自己就在它们里面。这些爱既在总体上造就天堂，也在每个具体的个体里造就天堂，可参阅前文（13-19节）。由于天堂之爱向主打开内层，故所有天使都面朝主（142节）。因为在灵界，爱使各人的内层朝向它自己，它将内层朝哪个方向，也将脸朝那个方向，因为在那里，脸与内层合而为一，脸就是内层的外在形式。由于爱将内层和脸朝向它自己，｛注2｝故也与它们结合，因为爱是属灵的结合，并将自己的东西与它们分享。天使便从这种面向，以及随之而来的结合和分享获得自己的智慧。在灵界，所有结合和朝向都是一致的（参看255节）。
｛注1｝：【英171】“自我之爱”的原文是amore sui，字面意思是“爱自己”，但明确的意思是“认为自己最为重要”。事实上，amor sui 在史威登堡1758年的另一部作品《新耶路撒冷及其属天的教义》（65）中被定义为“惟愿自己好；除非是为了自己，否则不愿他人好”。在随后的第99节中，史威登堡明确指出，为了有能力为他人服务，我们有义务首先为自己提供福利。另请参阅下文第283节的注释。【中】新世纪（NCE）英译本此处译为“自私自利”（selfishness）。
｛注2｝：【中】“朝向它自己”可以理解为“朝向自己的同类”。
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272. 天使之所以能接受如此大的智慧, 还有另外一个原因, 这个原因在天堂是首要原因, 即: 他们摆脱了自我之爱; 因为人在何等程度上摆脱自我之爱, 就在何等程度上在神性事物上变得智慧. 正是这爱向主和天堂关闭内层, 并打开外层, 使外层转向它自己. 因此, 凡被这爱主导的人在属天事物上都陷入黑暗, 无论他们在世俗事物上拥有何等光明. 另一方面, 天使之所以处于智慧之光, 是因为他们摆脱了自我之爱; 事实上, 他们所处的天堂之爱, 也就是对主之爱和对邻之爱, 打开内层, 因为这些爱来自主, 主自己就在它们里面. 这些爱构成总体的天堂, 并在具体的个体里面形成天堂(天国的奥秘 13-19节). 由于天堂之爱向主打开内层, 故所有天使都面朝主(142节); 因为在灵界, 爱使各人的内层转向它自己, 它将内层转到哪个方向, 也将脸转到哪个方向, 因为在那里, 脸与内层合而为一; 事实上, 脸就是内层的外在形式. 爱因将内层和脸转向它自己, 故也与它们结合, 因为爱是属灵的结合, 并将自己的东西与它们共享. 天使便从这种转向, 以及随之的结合和共享获得自己的智慧. 在灵界, 一切结合都取决于人们所面对的方向(参看255节).
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272. 天人能接受偌大的智慧, 除了上面給出的原因, 還有一個最重要的原因, 就是他們去除了"愛自己"(或我欲)。人在何等程度上去除我欲, 就在何等程度上享受智慧。因為使內在向著主與天國閉合, 使外在開放並使之朝向自我的, 正是我欲。沉迷於我欲的人, 不論他的人間之事上有多聰明, 在天國之事上總是陷入無明的。相對而言, 天人既去除了我欲, 自然就能享受智慧之光。他們專注于天國之仁愛——對主之仁和對鄰之義, 使心靈得到開放, 因為仁愛出於主, 主在其中。(對於對主之仁和對鄰之義創造天國, 構成每個人心裡的天國,13-19。)
由於天國之仁使心靈向主開放, 所以天人都是以面向主(142)。在心靈世界, 愛使心靈朝它轉動;轉動心的也轉動面, 因為在靈界, 面與心聯動, 事實上, 面就是心所顯的相。再者, 愛既使心與面朝它轉動, 也就使兩者與它結合, 並與兩者分享其所有。天人正是由此轉動, 結合, 分享而獲得智慧(對於在心靈世界, 結合取決於人所面對的方向, 可參看255節)。
272. There is still another reason, beyond the ones already given, why angels can accept so much wisdom, a reason that in heaven is actually the primary one. It is that they are free of any selfishness; for to the extent that people are free of selfishness they can be wise in divine matters. Selfishness is what closes off our deeper natures from the Lord and heaven and opens our outer natures and turns them toward ourselves. So all people in whom that selfish love predominates are in the depths of darkness as far as heavenly realities are concerned, no matter how much light they may enjoy in regard to worldly matters. In contrast, since angels are free of that love, they enjoy the light of wisdom. The heavenly loves in which they are centered - love for the Lord and love for their neighbor - open the deeper levels because these loves come from the Lord and the Lord himself is within them. (These loves constitute heaven in general and form heaven in individuals in particular: 13-19.)
Since heavenly loves open our deeper levels toward the Lord, all the angels turn their faces toward the Lord (142): in the spiritual world love is what turns the deeper levels of every individual toward itself, and what turns the deeper levels turns the face, since the face there acts in unison with the deeper levels and is actually their outward form. Further, because love does turn the deeper levels and the face toward itself, it also unites itself to them, since love is spiritual union. Therefore it also shares what it has with them. It is from this turning and the consequent union and sharing that angels get their wisdom (all union in the spiritual world takes place according to the way people are facing, 255).
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272. There is yet another reason, which in heaven is the primary reason, why angels are able to receive so great wisdom, namely, that they are without the love of self. For to the extent that anyone is without the love of self he can become wise in Divine things. It is that love which closes up the interiors against the Lord and heaven, and opens the exteriors and turns them to self. Consequently, all in whom that love has dominion are in thick darkness in respect of the things of heaven, however much light they may have in worldly matters. The angels, on the other hand, are in the light of wisdom because they are without the love of self. For the heavenly loves in which they are, which are love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, open the interiors, because those loves are from the Lord and the Lord Himself is in them. That these loves make heaven in general, and form heaven in each one in particular, may be seen above (13-19). As heavenly loves open the interiors to the Lord so all angels turn their faces towards the Lord (142). For, in the spiritual world, it is the love which turns the interiors of every one to itself, and whichever way it turns the interiors, it also turns the face, since the face there makes one with the interiors, of which it is their outward form. Because the love turns the interiors and the face to itself, it also conjoins itself to them, love being spiritual conjunction, and shares its own with them. From that turning and consequent conjunction and sharing, the angels have their wisdom. That all conjunction and all turning in the spiritual world are in accord may be seen above (255).
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272. There is a still further reason, and this is in heaven the primary reason, why the angels are able to receive so great wisdom, namely, that they are without the love of self; for to the extent that any one is without the love of self he can become wise in Divine things. It is that love that closes up the interiors against the Lord and heaven, and opens the exteriors and turns them toward itself; and in consequence all in whom that love rules are in thick darkness in respect to the things of heaven, however much light they may have in worldly matters. The angels, on the other hand, are in the light of wisdom because they are without the love of self, for the heavenly loves in which they are, which are love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, open the interiors, because these loves are from the Lord and the Lord Himself is in them. (That these loves constitute heaven in general, and form heaven in each one in particular, may be seen above, 13-19). As heavenly loves open the interiors to the Lord so all angels turn their faces towards the Lord (142); because in the spiritual world the love turns the interiors of everyone to itself, and whichever way it turns the interiors it also turns the face, since the face there makes one with the interiors, for it is their outward form. Because the love turns the interiors and the face to itself, it also conjoins itself to them (love being spiritual conjunction), and shares its own with them. From that turning and consequent conjunction and sharing the angels have their wisdom. That all conjunction and all turning in the spiritual world are in accord may be seen above (255).
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272. Quod angeli tantam sapientiam recipere possint, ad causas supra allatas accedit haec, quae etiam in caelo primaria est, quod absque amore sui sint nam quantum quis absque illo amore est, tantum in Divinis sapere potest: ille amor est qui claudit interiora ad Dominum et ad caelum, et aperit exteriora et ea vertit ad se quapropter omnes illi, apud quos ille amor dominatur, in caligine sunt quoad illa quae caeli sunt, utcunque in luce quoad illa quae mundi sunt. Angeli autem vicissim, quia absque amore illo sunt, in luce sapientiae sunt amores enim caelestes, in quibus sunt, qui sunt amor in Dominum, et amor erga proximum; aperiunt interiora, quia illi amores a Domino sunt, et in illis est Ipse Dominus. (Quod illi amores faciant caelum in communi, et forment caelum apud unumquemvis in particulari, videatur supra, 13-19) Quia amores caelestes aperiunt interiora ad Dominum, ideo etiam omnes angeli vertunt facies suas ad Dominum (142) in mundo enim spirituali est amor qui vertit interiora cujusvis ad se, et quo vertit interiora etiam vertit faciem nam facies ibi unum agit cum interioribus, est enim forma externa eorum. Quia amor vertit interiora et faciem ad se, ideo etiam conjungit se illis, nam amor est conjunctio spiritualis, ideo quoque communicat sua cum illis. Ex illa conversione, et inde conjunctione et communicatione est angelis sapientia. (Quod omnis conjunctio in mundo spirituali sit secundum conversionem, videatur supra, 255)