251.整个自然界，无论总体还是细节，皆代表属天和属灵事物；人造的东西与自然事物相比价值不大。我与灵人并天使谈到存在于可见自然界中的事物，没有人想到它们可以说是属天和属灵事物的形像。例如，一株植物或一棵树从种子生出并生长；赋予植物或树木生命的树液通过外皮和内皮被汲取，从那里被输送到它的一切中间和核心部分，就像属灵元素必须回到属天元素那里一样。每一和一切事物都视果实为自己的目的，也就是视其生命的更新、因而延续为目的。同样，一切果实，甚至被藏有核仁的硬壳包裹的果实都有各种一个在另一个里面的覆盖物或表层；汁液通过它们被输送到内层和至内层部分，直到果实成熟。这些现象就表现了正在重生之人里面的类似过程。覆盖物或外壳表现了尘世元素、知识和理性事物，以及理解力的事物，它们都是属灵元素；从一个分成无数条路径的公共层面，它们能回到并被分发到最核心处的一切和最小部分。因此，在这类自然事物中所产生的永久性就对应于人类生命的永恒性。动物界、人体及其更小和最小部分中的一切事物也是同样的情形。（1747年11月15日）
251. The whole of nature in general and in its parts symbolically portrays the properties of heavenly and spiritual things
[Marginal Note: Manmade things are of small value compared to those of nature]
I was conversing with spirits and angels about the things that come to sight in nature, and which no one reflects upon as being like images of things heavenly and spiritual - for example, the way a plant or tree is born and grows from its seed. The life-giving sap of the plant or tree is drawn up through the bark and rind, to be distributed throughout its mid and central parts, just as spiritual elements must go back to heavenly ones. Then also, all and the least of its parts regard the fruit as their goal, that is, the renewal and thus perpetuation of life. Likewise, in every fruit, even those surrounded by hard crusts within which the kernels lie concealed, there are coverings or surfaces of various kinds one within another, through which the juice is conveyed to its inward and innermost parts until the fruit is ripe.
These things depict similar processes in a person who is being regenerated. The coverings depict earthly elements, matters of knowledge and reason, as well as matters of the understanding which are spiritual elements; and, as from a general plane diverging into an infinite number of pathways, they can go back and be distributed to all and the least parts in the innermost recesses. The resulting perpetuity in such things [of nature] corresponds to eternity in a human being's life. It is similar with all things down to the very least in the animate kingdom, in the human body, and in its smaller and least parts. 1747, the 15th day of November (old calendar).
251. UNIVERSAL NATURE IN GENERAL AND IN PARTICULARS REPRESENTS THE STATUS OF CELESTIAL AND SPIRITUAL THINGS. mARTIFICIAL THINGS [artificiales] 1ARE TRIFLES IN RESPECT TO NATURAL THINGSn
I was conversing with spirits and angels concerning the things that exist in visible nature, upon which no one reflects that they are, as it were, the images of things celestial and spiritual: as for example, that a plant or tree is produced from its seed, and grows; that the sap, which is the life of the plant or tree is drawn up through the outer bark and inner skin, and is thence distributed into all its middle [fibers] and centers: so in like manner, spiritual things ought to refer themselves to celestial things. Also that each and all things regard the fruit as their end, that is, the renovation and hence perpetuation of their life. It is similar in all fruit, even with those which are encompassed by hard shells, and whose kernels lie hidden within; there are shells or different coverings there, one within another, by means of which the sap is conveyed to the interior and inmost parts until at length it is matured. These things must represent similar things in man when being regenerated; namely, the shells represent natural, scientific, rational, and intellectual things, which are spiritual: so that from a common plane divided into an infinite number of paths, they can refer and distribute themselves to each and all things in the inmost recesses. Hence there follows in such things a perpetuity which, in the life of man, corresponds to eternity. The case is similar with regard to each and all things in the animal kingdom, in the human body, and in all its lesser and least parts. 1747, Nov. 15, o.s.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin word "artificiales" means made by skill or art, thus both what is artistic and what is artificial.
251. Quod universa natura in communi et in partibus repraesentent 1
status rerum coelestium et spiritualium m. Quod artificialia nauci sint respectu naturalium n.
In sermone cum spiritibus et angelis eram, de iis quae in natura visibili existunt 2
, et nemo reflectit super ea, quod sint quasi imagines rerum coelestium et spiritualium, sicut quod planta vel arbor ex semine suo nascatur, et crescat, ut exempli causa, quod per corticem et librum subducatur succus, qui est vita plantae et arboris, et inde distribuatur in omnia ejus meditullia ac centra, similiter ac spiritualia se 3
. referre debeant ad coelestia, tum quod omnia et singula spectent fructum, ut finem suum, h.e., renovationem, et inde perpetuitatem vitae; similiter in omni fructu 4
., etiam iis qui circumdati sunt crustis duris, et nuclei intus latent, ibi sunt crustae, seu superficies diversae, una intra aliam, per quas succus defertur ad interiora, et intima ejus, usque dum maturuerit: repraesentant 5
ea similia in homine regenerando, crustae nempe naturalia, scientifica, rationalia, intellectualia, quae sunt spiritualia, ut sic ex communi plano, in infinitas vias diviso, ad omnia et singula in intimis sinubus se referre et distribuere possint, inde sequitur in talibus perpetuitas, quae in hominis vita correspondet aeternitati; similiter omnia et singula se habent in regno animali, corpore humano, ejus partibus minoribus et minimis. 1747, die 15 Nov. st. v.
Footnotes:
1. sic ms; in J.F.I. Tafel's edition repraesentet substituit
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has existit
3. The Manuscript has spiritualia, se
4. The Manuscript has fructo ut apparet
5. In the Manuscript repraesentat in repraesentant emendatum