205.关于感官在一切事上的欺骗，若不驱散它们，真理永远不会显现。天使感到非常惊讶的是，当今时代的人，甚至那些被视为有学问的人都不理解这一事实：人由三种不同的官能构成（将要死去的身体除外），它们实际上与众多天使天堂有关。天使还感到非常惊讶的是，人们尚不知道人的生命从来就不是人的，一切生命都是由弥赛亚神注入的。换言之，人们在如此的幽暗和欺骗之下，以致除了眼睛凭自己所看到的，心智凭自己内在所感觉到的，人的理解力凭自己所明白的外，他们几乎什么也不信；而事实上，低级之物被比它高级之物主导，所有人被至高者，因而被弥赛亚神主导。人们从神所拥有的东西，仅仅是器官形式，他们由此而具有个性化，或说由此产生差异，人人都能明白这一点。所以，若不驱散这些谬论，永远不能说我们处于真理。为叫人拥有信仰，人有必要信真理；这为弥赛亚神，也就是真理本身开辟道路。天使还大为惊讶的是，由于人凭感官察觉不到自然物体背后最近似的原因，所以他不愿相信相距遥远、较为遥远和最为遥远的属灵、属天和神性实际物，除非他能亲眼感知到它们，可以说实际感觉到它们。
205. About the deceptions of the senses in all things: unless they are dispelled, truth can never appear
Angels were very amazed that people of the present time, even those reputed to be learned, do not grasp the fact that the human being is composed of three distinct faculties - in addition to the body, which will die - that actually relate to so many heavens of angels. And they were also surprised that people still do not know that a human being's life does not at all belong to the person, but that all life is poured in by God the Messiah.
In other words, people are under such great shadows and deceptions, that they can hardly believe otherwise than that the eye sees of itself, thus that the mind within feels of itself, and that the human intellect understands of itself - when yet a lower entity [is governed] by one higher than itself, and all [are governed] by the Highest, thus by God the Messiah. It is only instrumental functions that human beings have [from Him], by which they are individuated, as everyone can understand.
Therefore, if we do not dispel these fallacies, we can never be said to abide in truth. To have faith, it is necessary that one believe truth; this opens up the way to God the Messiah, Who is Truth Itself.
Therefore they are also greatly amazed - since human beings do not perceive by sense even the most nearby causes behind the objects of nature [and yet believe they are there] - that they should be unwilling to believe in the spiritual, heavenly and Divine realities that are remote, remoter and remotest, unless they perceive them with the eyes, and practically feel them. 1747, October 9th.
205. CONCERNING THE FALLACIES OF THE SENSES IN ALL THINGS UNLESS THESE ARE DISPERSED, THE TRUTH CAN NEVER APPEAR.
The angels are very much surprised that the men of this age, even those reputed to be learned, do not apprehend that man, in addition to the body which is to die, consists of three distinct faculties, which relate to just so many heavens of angels. They are also very much surprised that men do not yet know that the life of man is never man's, but that all life is infused by God Messiah. Indeed, the shades and fallacies are so great that men can scarcely suppose otherwise than that the eye sees of itself, and the interior mind sensates of itself, and that man's understanding understands of itself, when yet what is inferior is from that which is superior to it, and all is from the Supreme, thus from God Messiah. The things that man has are only organic [forms], from which differences arise, as can be known. Wherefore, unless man disperses those fallacies it can never be said that he is in the truth. In order that he may have faith, it is necessary that the truth should be believed; this opens up the way to God Messiah, Who is Truth itself. On this account the angels were also greatly surprised that, although man does not perceive the proximate causes of natural objects, he is not willing to have faith in things spiritual, celestial and Divine - which are remote, more remote, and most remote - unless he is able to perceive them with his eyes, and as it were to feel them. 1747, Oct. 9. 1
Footnotes:
1. The unnumbered paragraph which is placed after n, 205 in the Latin Edition may be found following n, 972, where it properly belongs.
205. De fallaciis sensuum in omnibus rebus, quibus nisi discussis nusquam apparere potest veritas
Angeli valde mirati sunt, quod homines hujus temporis, etiam qui docti audiunt, non capiant, quo homo ex tribus distinctis facultatibus consistant 1
, quae nempe se referunt [ad] 2
totidem coelos angelorum, praeter corpus quod moriturum est; tum etiam valde mirati sunt, quod nesciant adhuc, hominis vitam nusquam hominis esse, sed vitam omnem infundi a Deo Messia, quod nempe tantae umbrae et fallaciae sint, ut vix aliter autumare queant, quam quod oculus ex se videat, sic quod mens interior ex se sentiat, et quod intellectus humanus ex se intelligat, cum tamen inferior a suo superiori, et omnes a Supremo, sic a Deo Messia, sunt modo organica quae homo habet, ex quibus fluunt differentiae, ut notum esse potest. Quare nisi homo fallacias istas discutit, nusquam potest dici quod in veritate sit; ut fidem habeat, necessum est ut veritas 3
credatur, id pandit viam ad Deum Messiam, Qui est Ipsa Veritas. Quare etiam mirantur valde, quum homo ne [quidem] percipiat causas proximas naturalium objectorum, quod etiam non fidem habere velit spiritualibus, coelestibus ac Divinis, quae remotae, remotiores et remotissimae sunt, nisi eas oculis queat percipere et quasi sentire. 1747, 9 Oct.
Footnotes:
1. sic manuscript; vide praefationem hujus editionis sub capite "Idiosyncrasies"
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; 1 Manuscript in veritate m[aneat]
3. The Manuscript has veritate