3985. It was granted me to ask him what his opinion was about life in heaven, whether he would breathe only joy, in idleness, without any activity, that is, without a life of doing good. That idle life of joy, in a mental image appeared as a very sad and boring existence, for now the joy would disappear, would become as nothing, or something dirty, that after a short time would become disgusting and nauseous. But when there is an active life, then he felt that there was joy. He was asked what he thought of it when he found out that there are spirits serving mankind called tjensteandar, 1whether they were serving him, or what about them, whether they also have such an idea of heavenly joy as being idle, breathing joy in laziness; and that there are spirits serving people on earth. Whether people after death become such, he did not know. In short, it was realized that an idle life of joy is no life, but that only an active one is accompanied with joy, and that it is life, because it is active. 1748, 17 Nov.
3985. It was given to ask this spirit what he thought of the life in heaven, whether he would be altogether idle, breathing only joy, with no active life, that is, with no life of doing good, at the same time intimating that the bare idea of such an idle life spent in mere joy was exceedingly sad and repulsive, as thus all joy would perish and become as nothing, or something vile, which after a short time one would nauseate and despise; whereas an active life would be attended with a constant perception of joy. It was also asked of him what he thought of this - viz. that as he knew there were ministering spirits assigned to men, called "tiensteandar," 1whether he supposed they would minister to him, and what opinion he had of them; as for instance whether he imagined their idea of heavenly joy was that of dwelling at ease, breathing only an indolent delight, as also whether spirits would be aware, after death, of the fact of their being ministering spirits attendant upon man. To myself it was perceptible, that an idle life of joy was no life at all, but that an active life alone had in it delight, and that such a life was life indeed, because a life of action. - 1748, November 17.
Footnotes:
1. A Swedish word signifying attendant spirits.
3985. Quaerere eum datum, quid sentiat de vita in coelo, ut solum respiret gaudium, otiosus, absque ulla vita activa, hoc est absque vita bonum faciendi, et vita ista otiosa, in gaudio, in idea erat sicut tristissima vita et taediosa, et sic periret gaudium, fieret gaudium nihil, seu spurcum quod post paucum temporis fastidiret et nausearet, at cum vita activa est, tunc percipiebat gaudium dari: dictum, quid putaret de eo, quod cum novit quod sint spiritus qui inserviunt homini, vocati tjensteandar, num ii ei servirent, vel quid de iis, [si] talem ideam quoque habent de gaudio coelesti, quod otiosi sint, respirantes in otio gaudium? et quod dentur spiritus inservientes homini, num homines post mortem [tales fierent] nescivit; verbo perceptum quod vita gaudii otiosa, nulla vita sit, sed quod activa solum secum habeat gaudium, et quod sit vita, quia activa. 1748, 17 Nov.