5587. About the speech of the heavenly and spiritual angels
The heavenly angels do not speak anything from their inward region, because this does not fall into words. All truths are inscribed there in harmony with the order of heaven in such a manner that there is an image of heaven in them. And because they have truths themselves in this fashion, they never think about them, so neither do they think about such things as belong to reason, that is to say, rational matters, nor about moral matters and civil matters regarding what is just and fair because they see all these matters from the truths they have. The fact that they do not think anything about them at all was given me to learn from experience, for a heavenly angel like this was with me. And I was also instructed from heaven that things like this which are rational matters, and [which] they hear, they never express nor can express in words because they have no memory of them other than that they know and perceive them when others speak about them, and that they then [simply] say or think Yes, Yes! or No, No!
[2] They said further that whatever of such things enters through the hearing they do not express but still perceive; but what they see with their own eyes, this they know and this they express as well as others, for such things are visible worldly things from outward objects that relate to their bodies, or rather, to their human aspect.
I was put into a similar state so that I might know how the case is. But these things must be seen by them, not so much heard, for those things which enter into perception through hearing enter into the inner man, thus into the will, or rather into the affection; however those which enter through vision enter only into the outer man and into the outer understanding. From this it could be shown to me that they have a memory like that of spirits, which is outward, and from which they can also speak, but they do not have an inward memory, so they do not speak with mental images. Besides this they speak through various gestures and through expressions of acting, moving, and sitting.
5587. ABOUT THE SPEECH OF THE CELESTIAL AND OF THE SPIRITUAL.
The celestial do not speak anything from their interior, because this does not fall into words. All truths are inscribed in their interior according to the order of heaven, so that an image of heaven is in them; and because they are thus in the truths themselves they never talk about them, and consequently not about such things as belong to reason, or rational things, neither about morals, or civil matters as regards justice and equity - since they see them all from the truths in which they are. That they talk nothing at all about them was granted me to prove; for such a celestial one is with me. I was also informed out of heaven that such things as are rationals and they hear, they never utter, neither are able to utter, because they have not a memory for those, other than that they know and perceive them when others speak of them; and, then, they say, or think, Yea, yea, or, Nay, nay. They said, moreover, that whatever from such things enters by means of hearing, they do not utter, but yet still they perceive. What, however, they see before their eyes, this they know, and this they utter as readily as others; for these are such visible worldly and exterior objects as pertain to their body, or their human. I was let into the like state, so that I might know how the case is. But things must be seen by them, not so much heard. The things which enter through hearing into the perception, enter into the interior man, thus into the voluntary or into the affection; but those which enter through the sight, enter only into the exterior man, and into the external intellectual. Hence it might be evident to me, that their memory is of such a quality as that of spirits, which is exterior; from which, also, they can speak, but it is not interior. They, therefore, do not speak with ideas. Moreover, they speak by various gestures and by their movements, in doing, going and sitting.
5587. De loquela coelestium et spiritualium
Coelestes non loquuntur aliquid ex interiori, quia hoc non cadit in voces, omnia vera ibi inscripta sunt secundum ordinem coeli, sic ut in illis sit imago coeli, et quia ita sunt in ipsis veris, nusquam cogitant de illis, proinde nec de talibus quae sunt rationis, seu rationalia, nec de moralibus, et civilibus quoad justum et aequum, quia illa omnia illi vident ex veris in quibus sunt; quod prorsus nihil cogitent de illis, experiri datum est nam talis coelestis apud me est; instruebar etiam e coelo quod talia quae rationalia sunt, et audiunt, quod nusquam eloquantur, nec eloqui possint, quia non memoriam habent illorum aliam quam quod sciant et percipiant cum alii loquuntur de illis, et tunc dicant vel cogitent ita ita, vel non non. Dixerunt porro, quod quicquid intrat per auditum ex talibus, non eloquantur, sed usque percipiant; sed quod vident oculis suis, hoc sciant, et hoc eloquantur tam bene quam alii, sunt enim talia mundana aspectabilia, ex exteriora, quae pertinent ad corpus eorum, seu humanum eorum; missus sum in similem statum, ut scirem quomodo res se habet, sed videnda illis sunt, non ita audienda, quae enim per auditum intrant in perceptionem, in interiorem hominem intrant, ita in voluntarium, seu in affectionem, quae autem intrant per visum, solum in exteriorem hominem intrant, et in intellectuale externum; inde constare mihi potuit, quod illis memoria sit qualis spirituum, quae exterior, ex qua etiam loqui possunt, sed non interior, ita nec loquuntur cum ideis; praeterea loquuntur per gestus varios, et per formas in agendo, eundo, sedendo.