590、天堂与地狱之间存在着持续不断的平衡。从地狱那里不断地呼出并扬升作恶的努力，而从天堂那里不断地呼出并下降行善的努力。灵人界便处在这种平衡之中，因为它在天堂与地狱的中间（参看第421-431）。灵人界之所以处在这种平衡中，是因为每个人死后首先进入灵人界，在那里保持着与他在世时类似的状态，如果那里没有一个完美的平衡，这是不可能的。正是通过这种方式，各人的性格被仔细查看，因为在那里人仍保持着与他在世时一样的自由。对世人和灵人而言，属灵的平衡是一种自由的状态，如上文所述（第589节）。
天使通过情感及其思想的交流，能识别每个人拥有什么样的自由；这种自由还通过灵人所走的道路而呈现在天使灵眼前。善灵走在通往天堂的路上，而恶灵则走在通往地狱的路上。在灵人界，这些道路真实可见，这就为什么在圣经中“道路”表示通向良善的真理，或者，在反面意义上表示通向邪恶的伪谬。出于同样的原因，在圣经中，“走”“行走”“旅行”表示生命的进程。｛注1｝我经常被允许看见这些道路，灵人在上面自由地行走，与他们情感及其思想一致。
｛注1｝：在圣经中，“旅行”和“行走”表示生命的进程（3335，4375，4554，4585，4882，5493，5605，5996，8181，8345，8397，8417，8420，8557）。“与主同行”表示接受属灵的生命，并与祂同活（10567）。“行走”表示生活（519，1794，8417，8420）。
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590. 天堂与地狱之间存在一种持续的平衡. 作恶的努力不断从地狱发出并上升, 而行善的努力则不断从天堂发出并降下. 灵人界便处于这种平衡, 因为它在天堂与地狱的中间(参看421-431节). 灵人界之所以处于这种平衡, 是因为每个人死后首先进入灵人界, 在此处于在世时的那种状态; 如果那里没有一个完美的平衡, 这是不可能的. 正是凭借这种平衡, 各人的品性才能受到检查, 因为那时他仍保持在世时的那种自由. 对世人和灵人而言, 属灵的平衡就是一种自由状态, 如刚才所述(天国的奥秘 589节).
天堂天使通过情感和随之思维的交流, 能分辨人们拥有哪种自由; 这种自由还通过灵人所走的道路而在天使灵眼前变得可见. 善灵顺着通向天堂的路走, 而恶灵顺着通向地狱的路走. 在灵人界, 这些道路真实可见; 正因如此, 在圣言中, 道路表示通向良善的真理, 在反面意义上则表示通向邪恶的虚假. 由于同样的原因, 在圣言中, 走, 行走, 旅行表示生命的过程. 我经常被允许看到这些道路, 还看到灵人照自己的情感和思维自由地在上面行走.
注: 在圣言中, “旅行”, 以及“行走”表示生命的过程(天国的奥秘 3335, 4375, 4554, 4585, 4882, 5493, 5605, 5996, 8181, 8345, 8397, 8417, 8420, 8557节). “与主同行”表示接受属灵的生命, 并与祂同活, 或与祂同住(天国的奥秘 10567节). “行走”表示生活(天国的奥秘 519, 1794, 8417, 8420节).
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590. 天國和地獄之間始終存在某種平衡。從地獄始終發出一股惡力, 從天國則始終發出一股善力。靈界處於兩者的平衡之中, 因為它居於天國與地獄之間。
靈界處在這種平衡之中, 因為人死後首先進入靈界, 在此延續他在人間的狀態。靈界若缺乏完美的平衡, 這一切就不可能發生。因為有此平衡, 各人才能在此受到檢視, 因為他仍然保持著和在人間一樣的自由狀態。正如前面所說, 心靈的平衡對於世人和靈而言, 是一種自由的狀態。
天國的天人, 通過情感和思想的交流, 能判斷一個人是處於怎樣的自由。從他所選之路, 也能一目了然。因為善靈選擇通向天國的道路, 惡靈則選擇通向地獄的道路。在靈界, 這些道路真實可見。正因如此,"道路"在聖言中系指通向善良的真理, 在相反的意義上, 則指通向邪惡的偽謬。在聖言中,"行走"和"旅行"也因此而代表生命的進程。我常被允許觀看這些道路, 靈按各自的情感和思想自由地行走其上。
590. There is a constant balance between heaven and hell. An effort to do evil is constantly emanating upward from hell, and an effort to do good is constantly emanating down from heaven. The world of spirits is in this equilibrium (on its location halfway between heaven and hell, 421-431 above).
The reason the world of spirits is in this equilibrium is that after death we first enter the world of spirits and are kept in the same state we were in in the world. This could not happen unless there were a perfect balance there. This allows everyone to be examined there as to quality, since we keep the same kind of freedom we had in the world. Spiritual equilibrium is a state of freedom for us and for spirits, as just noted (589).
Angels in heaven can tell the kind of freedom people have by a communication of affections and consequent thoughts. It also becomes visible to angelic spirits from the paths people follow, with good spirits following paths that lead to heaven and evil spirits following paths that lead to hell. These paths are actually visible in that world, which is why paths in the Word mean truths that lead to what is good, or in an opposite sense, falsities that lead to what is evil. This is also why going, walking, and traveling in the Word mean processes of life. 1I have often been allowed to see paths like these, with spirits walking along on them freely, in accord with their own affections and consequent thoughts.
Footnotes:
1. Traveling in the Word means a process of life, as does going: Arcana Coelestia 3335, 4375, 4554, 4585, 4882, 5493, 5606 [5605?], 5996, 5181 [8181?], 8345, 8397, 8417, 8420, 8557. Going and walking with the Lord is accepting spiritual life and living with him: 10567. Walking is living: 519, 1794, 8417, 8420.
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590. There is a perpetual equilibrium between heaven and hell. From hell there continually breathes forth and ascends an effort to do evil, and from heaven there continually breathes forth and descends an effort to do good. In this equilibrium is the world of spirits; which world is intermediate between heaven and hell (see above, 421-431). The world of spirits is in this equilibrium because every man after death enters first the world of spirits, and is there kept in a state like that in which he was while in the world, and this would be impossible if there were not a perfect equilibrium there; for by means of this the character of everyone is explored, since there they are left in the same. freedom as they had been in the world. Spiritual equilibrium is freedom with man and spirit (as has been said just above, 589). What each one's freedom is, the angels recognize by a communication of affections and thoughts therefrom; and it becomes visible to the sight of angelic spirits by the ways in which the spirits go. Those who are good spirits there travel in the ways that go towards heaven, but evil spirits in the ways that go towards hell. Ways actually appear in that world; and that is the reason why "ways" in the Word signify the truths that lead to good, or in the opposite sense the falsities that lead to evil; and for the same reason "going", "walking", and "journeying" in the Word signify progressions of life. 1Such ways I have often been permitted to see, also spirits going and walking in them freely, in accord with their affections and the thoughts therefrom.
Footnotes:
1. In the Word "to journey", as well as "to go", signifies progression of life (Arcana Coelestia 3335, 4375, 4554, 4585, 4882, 5493, 5605, 5996, 8181, 8345, 8397, 8417, 8420, 8557).
"To go (and to walk) with the Lord" means to receive spiritual life, and to live with Him (Arcana Coelestia 10567).
"To walk" means to live (Arcana Coelestia 519, 1794, 8417, 8420).
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590. There is a perpetual equilibrium between heaven and hell. From hell there continually breathes forth and ascends an endeavor to do evil, and from heaven there continually breathes forth and descends an endeavor to do good. In this equilibrium is the world of spirits; which world is intermediate between heaven and hell (see above, 421-431). The world of spirits is in this equilibrium because every man after death enters first the world of spirits, and is kept there in a state like that which he was in while in the world, and this would be impossible if there were not a perfect equilibrium there; for by means of this the character of everyone is explored, since they then remain in the same freedom as they had in the world. Spiritual equilibrium is freedom in man and spirit (as (Heaven and Hell 589) has been said just above, 589). What each one's freedom is the angels recognize by a communication of affections and thoughts therefrom; and it becomes visible to the sight of angelic spirits by the ways in which the spirits go. Good spirits there travel in the ways that go towards heaven, but evil spirits in the ways that go towards hell. Ways actually appear in that world; and that is the reason why ways in the Word signify the truths that lead to good, or in the opposite sense the falsities that lead to evil; and for the same reason going, walking, and journeying in the Word signify progressions of life. 1Such ways I have often been permitted to see, also spirits going and walking in them freely, in accord with their affections and thoughts.
Footnotes:
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590. Est perpetuum aequilibrium inter caelum et infernum. Ex inferno continue exspirat et ascendit conatus faciendi malum, et ex caelo continue exspirat et descendit conatus faciendi bonum. In illo aequilibrio est mundus spirituum, qui quod sit medius inter caelum et inter infernum, videatur supra (421-431). Quod mundus spirituum in eo aequilibrio sit, est quia omnis homo post mortem primum intrat mundum spirituum, et ibi tenetur in simili statu in quo fuit in mundo, quod fieri nequiret nisi ibi summum aequilibrium esset per id enim explorantur omnes quales sunt, relicti enim ibi sunt suo libero, in quali fuerunt in mundo. Aequilibrium spirituale est liberum apud hominem et spiritum (ut mox supra, 589, dictum est). Quale cujusvis liberum est, cognoscitur ibi ab angelis in caelo per communicationem affectionum et cogitationum inde; et id apparet ad visum coram spiritibus angelicis per vias quas vadunt. Qui boni spiritus sunt, illi eunt vias quae tendunt ad caelum at mali spiritus eunt vias quae tendunt ad infernum. Viae actualiter apparent in illo mundo quae etiam est causa, quod "viae" 1in Verbo significent vera quae ducunt ad bonum, et in opposito sensu falsa quae ducunt ad malum et inde quoque est, quod "ire," "ambulare," et "proficisci," in Verbo significent progressiones vitae. 2Tales vias mihi saepe videre datum est, et quoque itiones et ambulationes spirituum super illis libere secundum affectiones et inde cogitationes.
Footnotes: