3238. For some time once again they were spoken with by the angels of the Lord, and they were told in quick intervals, by means of imagery I did not understand, what (as before [3236]) they know and do not know-there being countless things in every idea - and that to eternity they cannot know even the most general things. This was also shown to them to the point where they acknowledged it.
Then the angels spoke with them things they did not perceive except by means of changes of state, things that they were saying they do not understand, but perceive by changes of state. Then they were told that every single change (now, [they say,] the least), contains countless things; finally, when they had realized this, they humbled themselves, their humbling being portrayed to me by a letting down of the volume of them toward the deeper parts more and more, and nevertheless an elevation could not be concealed, due to the fact that the volume was hollowed and lifted up at the sides, then also by a certain movement back and forth. They were also told what this means, or what they are thinking in their humiliation. So they are halved, the half of the volume [of spirits] above my head being sent back toward their planet, behind toward the left, the other half remaining in a humbled state. This was a sign that those who would not humble themselves were sent back home, in order to learn there.
3238. (For some time, there was again conversation between them and the angels of the Lord, and it was said to them, in rapid moments, through ideas not understood by me, that they know and do not know what is [evil]; also, that there are indefinite things which they do not know, indefinites in every idea, and that they cannot know even generals to eternity. This also was shown them, even to acknowledgement [so as to be recognized]; furthermore, the angels spoke with them such things as they did [could] not perceive, save by changes of state; which things, they said they do not understand, but perceive by means of changes of state. It was then said to them that every change [the least], now [occurring], contains indefinites. At length, when they perceived this, they humbled themselves; their humiliation was represented to me by the letting down of their volume more and more, towards deeper [regions]; and that still the elevation could not be concealed, on account of the volume being hollowed, and elevated at the sides; thus also by means of a sort of reciprocal slight motion [motitationem]. It was also told them what it signifies, or what they think in their humiliation; thus they are halved; a half part of the volume [is] above my head; they are removed [relegabantur] towards their planet, upwards at the back. The other half remaining in humiliation; which was a proof [sign] that they who are such as could not humble themselves, were sent back home, that they might lean there).
3238. Per aliquod temporis iterum cum iis loquutum ab angelis Domini, et iis citis momentis dictum per ideas mihi non intellectas, quid (ut antea 1
[3236]) sciunt non sciunt, tum quod indefinita sint quae non sciant, indefinita in quavis idea quod in aeternum ne quidem communia scire possint, quod etiam iis ostensum, usque agnitionem, tum ab angelis loquuta 2
cum iis talia, quae non perciperent nisi per mutationes status, quae dicebant se non intelligere, sed percipere per mutationes status, tum iis dictum, quod unaquaevis mutatio (nunc minima) indefinita contineat; tandem cum hoc perceperunt, se humiliarunt, humiliatio eorum repraesentabatur mihi per voluminis eorum demissionem versus profundiora magis et magis, et quod usque elevatio non posset celari per id quod volumen incavatum esset, et a lateribus elevatum, sic etiam per quandam reciprocam motitationem, quod iis quoque dictum est, quid significet, seu quid cogitent in sua humiliatione ita dimidiati sunt, pars dimidia voluminis supra caput meum, versus suam planetam relegabantur a tergo sinistrorsum, altera dimidia remanente in humiliatione, quod indicium erat, quod ii qui tales ut non humiliarent se, domum remissi, ut discerent ibi.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition malum
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has loquurum ut apparet