269、那些基于世俗事物思想圣治的人由此断定，圣治仅仅是普遍的，具体细节则在个人那里。然而，他们没有意识到天堂的奥秘，因为他们的结论唯独来自对自己和世界的爱及其快乐。因此，当他们看见恶人优先于善人被提升到尊贵职位，获得更多财富时，而且当他们看见恶人越狡诈，就越发达时，心里会说，如果圣治在每个细节中，事情就不会是这个样。但他们没有想到，圣治并不关注那稍纵即逝，随着一个人在世上的生命终结而终结之物，而是关注那永远长存，因而没有终结之物。没有终结之物拥有存在，而有一个终结之物相对来说没有存在。凡愿意的，就请想一想，与永恒相比，十万年算什么呢？他会发现，它们算不了什么。那么，世上这区区数十年的生命又算得了什么呢？
269、从属世思维看待天命的人，以为神意只管整体，细节则交由人类掌管。他们不知道天堂的奥秘，因为他们的结论来自于爱自己、爱世界和属世的快乐。当他们看到恶人得以升迁，比好人得到更多财富，并且凭借奸猾狡诈成就恶事时，他们会在心里说，如果天命处处存在，何以至此。但是，他们没考虑到天命不注重暂存的、只在今生有效的事物，而是着重永恒的，无终点的事物。任何永恒的事物都是实在的，暂存的事物相比而言是虚无的。试想，把千年和永恒相比，任何人都会认识到千年可以忽略不计。那么，尘世的短暂生命又算什么呢？
269. People who think about divine providence in worldly terms come to the conclusion that it applies only on the largest scale, but that the details are left to us. But people who think this way do not know the mysteries of heaven. They draw their conclusions solely on the basis of self-love, love for the world, and the things that give pleasure to these loves. So when they see evil people raised to high rank, making more money than good people, and skillfully and successfully accomplishing evil things, they say in their hearts that none of this would be happening if divine providence were operative in all the details. They fail to take into account, though, that the goal of divine providence does not concern what is momentary and transient, what comes to an end when our lives in this world cease. Rather, its goal concerns what lasts to eternity, what therefore does not have an end. Whatever has no end is real, while what comes to an end is relatively unreal. Consider, if you will, whether a hundred thousand years are anything next to eternity, and you will see that they are not. What then are the few years of our lives in this world?
269. If we think materialistically about this divine provision, we will conclude that it only deals with the overall picture, while we take care of the details. This just shows how little we know about spiritual things. This conclusion comes only from our selfish and materialistic loves, and the pleasure we get from them.
So if we see harmful people enjoying higher status and more wealth than good people, and if we also see these harmful people gaining success through unethical practices, we say in our hearts that this must mean the divine provision does not apply to every single thing. However, we would be forgetting that the divine provision is not concerned with things that only last a short while, and come to an end when our life in the world is over. No, the Lord is concerned with things that last forever — things that have no end.
Things that never end really exist. Compared to them, things that come to an end do not really exist. Consider, if you can, whether even a hundred thousand years means anything compared to eternity. You have to admit, it does not. So how important are the few years we live on earth?
269. Those whose thinking about Divine Providence is based on worldly matters are led thereby to conclude that Providence is only a universal tendency, and the details are specific to the individual. But they are unaware of the secrets of heaven, for their conclusions are derived merely from self-love and love of the world, and the pleasures these give. When therefore they see wicked men promoted to honours, and gaining greater wealth than the good, when they see wicked men prosper more the craftier they are, they say in their hearts that this would not happen, if Divine Providence were concerned with every detail. But they fail to consider that Divine Providence pays no attention to what swiftly passes and comes to an end when a person's life in the world ceases, but rather to what lasts for ever, and so has no end. That which has no end is; that which has an end is comparatively non-existent. Anyone who can ought to think, are a hundred thousand years anything compared to eternity? He will see that they are not. What then are the few years of life in the world?
269. Those who think concerning the Divine Providence from worldly things, conclude thence that it is merely universal, and that the singulars are with the man. Yet they are unacquainted with the arcana of heaven; for they draw their inferences solely from the loves of self and the world, and their pleasures. When, therefore, they see the wicked exalted to posts of honour, and acquire riches, in preference to the good; and again, when they see the wicked successful in the pursuit of their plans, they say in their hearts, that this would not be the case, if the Divine Providence were in each and all things; not considering that the Divine Providence has no regard for that which passes away shortly, and terminates with a man's life in the world, but that it has respect to that which endures to eternity, and which, consequently has no end. That which has no end, has being; but that which has an end, comparatively has no being. Let him who is able consider whether a hundred thousand years, when compared to eternity, are anything, and he will perceive that they are not. What then are some years of life in the world?
269. They who think from worldly things concerning the Divine Providence, conclude from them that it is only universal, and that the particulars appertain to man. But they do not know the arcana of heaven, for they form their conclusions only from the loves of self and of the world, and their pleasures; wherefore, when they see the evil exalted to honors, and acquire wealth more than the good, and also succeed in evils according to their arts, they say in their heart, that it would not be so if the Divine Providence were in each and all things; but they do not consider that the Divine Providence does not regard that which soon passes away, and ends with the life of man in the world, but that it regards that which remains to eternity, thus which has no end. What has no end, that is; but what has an end, that respectively is not. Let him who can, think whether a hundred thousand years are anything compared to eternity, and he will perceive that they are not; what then are some years of life in the world?
269. Qui ex mundanis cogitant de providentia Divina, concludunt ex illis quod illa sit modo universalis, et quod singularia sint apud hominem; sed illi non sciunt arcana caeli, concludunt enim solum ex amoribus sui et mundi, et eorum voluptatibus: quare cum vident malos efferri ad honores et lucrari opes prae bonis, et quoque malis succedere secundum artes, corde suo dicunt quod non ita fieret si Divina providentia esset in omnibus et singulis; sed illi non considerant quod providentia Divina non spectet id quod brevi transit, et finem cum vita hominis in mundo habet, sed quod spectet id quod in aeternum manet, ita quod non finem habet. Quod non finem habet, id est; quod autem finem habet, id respective non est: cogitet qui potest, num centum millia annorum sint aliquid ad aeternum, et percipiet quod non sint; quid tunc aliqui anni vitae in mundo?