186.我不能肯定地说，天使是否知道现在世界上正在发生的事；因为经由灵人来到天使那里的东西会发生如此改变，以致它根本不是原来的样子。无疑，这种情形定会发生，以免天使在其天堂的喜乐中受到搅扰。因为一切事物之间都存在一种对应关系，它们能通过各种对应关系转化为快乐；弥赛亚神就是这样指引每一个细节的。事实上，快乐最显著的表现可以说就出于具体的个人和许多人一起的极其混乱不安的想象。这一点也可通过经历来证实，因为当心灵总体上沉浸于快乐时，那么每一个物体都会变成这快乐的一个方面。
186. Whether the angels know what is now going on in the world, I cannot say for sure; for what comes through spirits to the angels is changed to such a degree that there is not even a resemblance - which is, of course, so that they will not be disturbed in their heavenly joys. For there is an interaction between all things, which can turn [what comes to them] into pleasures [see 29].
By means of various interactions, in fact, when God the Messiah so guides all and the least details, very clear, pleasing displays can be drawn forth, so to speak, out of extremely confused and disturbed mental imageries of a person individually, and of many at the same time. This can also be confirmed by experience, for when the mind is generally absorbed in pleasing things, then everything that comes up turns into an aspect of that pleasure.
186. Whether angels know what is now taking place in the world I am unable to affirm, for that which comes to the angels through spirits is so changed that it is not at all the same. This no doubt happens lest the angels should be disturbed in their heavenly joys; for there is a correspondence of all things, which can be turned into delights by means of various correspondences, God Messiah thus directing each and all things. Indeed, out of the exceedingly confused and disturbed imaginations of man in particular, and of very many together, the most distinct representations of delight can as it were be derived. This can also be confirmed by experience, for when the mind inheres in delights in general, then every object is turned into a species of that delight. 1747, Aug. 28, o.s.
186. Num angeli sciant quid in mundo nunc peragitur, non possum affirmare, nam quod 1
per spiritus ad angelos venit, hoc ita mutatur, ut ne quidem simile existat, ne scilicet in gaudiis suis coelestibus turbentur, nam omnium rerum correspondentia datur, quae flecti potest in jucunditates per correspondentias varias, Deo Messia ita omnia et singula dirigente; imo ex maxime confusis et perturbatis imaginationibus hominis 2
in parte et plurium simul distinctissimae repraesentationes jucundae possunt quasi extrahi; quod ab experientia quoque confirmari potest, dum enim mens jucundis inhaeret, in communi, tunc omne objectum, in jucunditatis istius speciem, vertitur. 1747, die 28 Aug. st. v.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has quae
2. In the Manuscript hominum in hominis emendatum