4060. How people on earth appear
Certain spirits were permitted to pass from me to some person on earth, and from there to speak with me. When one of them got there and wanted to play the person's part, he could not, for he could not see, which he wanted, nor understand. I heard him say from there that it looked to him like some black, inanimate object, devoid of life. Thus do people on earth seen by a spirit appear, for bodily life is like that in comparison, because it is bodily. I was also given to learn this from a murderer, when he lay like a black heap, namely that he was in his bodily life, and said that he then lived better than otherwise. Still he appears like an inanimate black heap. I was instructed that those people who have faith likewise appear relatively inanimate, but as wooden likenesses of man, of about the same color. 1748, 25 Nov.
4060. There were certain spirits to whom it was permitted to pass from me to a certain man, and thence to speak with me. When one of them came thither and would fain perform carefully what he intended, he was unable, for he could neither perceive nor understand what he wanted. Hence he said - which was also perceived - that there was to him as it were a certain black inanimate something as a black heap, void of life. Of such a quality do men appear as seen by spirits, for such is comparatively the corporeal life, because it is corporeal. This it was given also to know from a homicide, while he lay as a black mass, as he was then in the life of the body, and he then said that he lived better thus than in any other way, and yet he appeared as a black inanimate mass. I was instructed that in regard to men who are in faith alone, that they in like manner appear comparatively inanimate, but as made of wood in the human likeness, and almost of the color of wood. - 1748, November 23.
4060. Quales homines apparent
Erant quidam spiritus, quibus permissum ad aliquem hominem a me transire, et inde mecum loqui, cum illuc venit, et voluit eum agere, tunc non potuit, nam nihil potuit percipere, quod vellet, nec intelligere, dicebat inde, quod perceptum, quod esset ei sicut quoddam nigrum inanimatum sicut nigra moles, nullius vitae, tales apparent homines a spiritu [visi] , nam vita corporea talis est respective, quia corporea: id quoque scire datum ab homicida, cum jacuit sicut moles nigra, quod tunc esset in vita corporis sui, et dixit tunc se vixisse melius quam alias, usque apparet sicut moles inanimata nigra: instructus quod ii homines, qui in fide, quod similiter inanimati respective appareant, sed ut lignei ad similitudinem hominis, talis fere quoque coloris. 1748, 25 Nov.