895. Some may be surprised at this, but when a written text is being read, and the reader is not paying attention to or understanding the words written, then the meaning and understanding of the subjects rises up to the angels more clearly than when the earthly human mind participates. When the meaning of something has to be grasped more clearly, then it is as if the bodily senses must be withdrawn from the inward mind. The result is that the mental image always becomes clearer, because freed of hindering objects. It is like when the mind does not dwell upon words or expressions, which are the body of speech.
This may seem amazing, and thus paradoxical, namely that the angels understand the meaning of something written, even if the person [reading it] does not understand it; nevertheless, it is most true, for it was proven today by experience. From this one may infer that when little children are reading the holy Bible, angels understand and see the meaning of the Word more clearly than when grownups are reading it, as has also been told to me before. 1748, 20 February.
895. Some may be surprised at the fact that when writings are being read and no attention is being paid by the reader, or there is no perception of the things written, the sense and perception of those things are then elevated to the angels more distinctly than when the natural human mind is in them at the same time. When the sense of things is to be more clearly perceived, it is as though the states of the body must be withdrawn from the interior mind, whence the idea always becomes clearer, because without impeding objects; it is the same when the mind does not inhere in words or expressions which are the body of speech. The fact that the angels understand the sense of a writing even if the man does not, may seem surprising and thus paradoxical, yet it is most true, for today's experience testifies to it. Hence it can be concluded that when little children read the Holy Bible, angels understand or perceive the sense of the Word more clearly than when adults read it, as was also told me before. 1748, Feb. 20.
895. Hoc mirari quidam possunt, quod dum leguntur scripta, et a legente nulla attentio, seu perceptio eorum quae scripta sunt, quod tunc elevetur sensus et perceptio rerum ad angelos distinctius, quam dum mens naturalis humana simul est, est quasi cum sensus rerum clarius percipiendus, quod tunc abducendi sint sensus corporis a mente interiori, inde clarior semper fit idea, quia absque objectis impedientibus; similiter ac dum mens non inhaeret verbis seu vocibus, quae sunt corpus loquelae; hoc mirum potest videri 1
, et sic paradoxon, nempe quod angeli intelligant sensum scripturae, tametsi homo non intelligit, sed usque est verissimum, nam id experientia hodie testatum 2
est. Inde concludi potest, quod dum infantes legunt Biblia sancta, quod angeli sensum Verbi clarius intelligant seu percipiant, quam dum adulti, sicut mihi quoque dictum prius est. 1748, 20 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has videre
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has testata