SS90.由于此处所论述的主题是圣言的神性和神圣，所以对于前面的论述，我们可以补充一个值得一提的经历。一张小纸片从天上降到我这里，它上面写满希伯来字，不过，是用古人所用的那种书写方式来写的。在那些时代，这些字母（其中一些字母现在成了直线型的）是弯曲的，有往上翘的小角。当时与我同在的天使说，他们自己能从字母本身明白完整的含义，尤其从线和每个字母的尖点的弯曲知道这些含义。他们解释了这些字母每一个是什么意思，合起来又是什么意思，并说，加到亚伯兰和撒莱名字上（创世记17:5，15）的字母“H”表示无限和永恒之物。他们还当着我的面仅仅根据字母或音节解释了诗篇32:2中的圣言含义。总的来说，这些字母的含义是：主甚至怜悯作恶的人。
天使告诉我，在第三层天堂，文字是由以各种方式弯折的弯曲字母构成的，并且每个字母都拥有一个完整的含义；那里的元音显示出一种对应于情感的声音。在第三层天堂，他们无法发出元音i和e，而是用y和eu来取代它们；他们使用元音a，o和u，因为这些字母有一个全音。他们还说，他们不会把辅音念得那么生硬，而是很柔和；正因如此，一些希伯来字母有小圆点在里面，作为一个记号，提醒它们要有一个柔和的发音。他们补充说，念这些字母时的生硬在属灵天堂会用到，因为那里的天使处于真理，真理允许生硬的东西，但良善不允许，而属天国度或第三层天堂的天使处于良善。他们又说，这些天使拥有用含有某种意义的点和小角的弯曲字母写成的圣言。由此明显可知主的这些话是什么意思：
律法的一点一画也不能废去，直到一切都成全。（马太福音5:18）
天地废去较比律法的一点一画落空还容易。（路加福音16:17）
90. Since we are dealing here with the divinity and holiness of the Word, I may add an interesting story to what has just been said.
On one occasion a little sheet of paper was sent down to me from heaven. It was inscribed with Hebrew letters, but written in the way the ancients used to write. Letters that today are largely straight were curved then and had little tips that turned upward. Angels who were with me at the time said that they found complete meanings in the letters themselves. They derived these meanings especially from the curvature of the lines and of the tips of the letters. They went on to explain what the letters meant individually and in combination, saying the h that was added to the names of Abram and Sarai [Genesis 17:5, 15] meant what was infinite and eternal. They also explained to me the meaning of the Word in Psalms 32:2 on the basis of the letters alone. Taken all together, the meaning of the letters was that the Lord is also compassionate to people who do evil.
[2] The angels told me that the writing in the third heaven consists of letters that are bent and curved in various ways, each of which has a specific meaning. The vowels in that writing indicate sounds that correspond to the feelings expressed. Angels in that heaven cannot pronounce the vowel sounds of i and e, so instead they use y and eu. The vowel sounds of a, o, and u are in common use among them because these give a full sound. They also said that they do not pronounce any consonants as hard, they only pronounce them as soft, which is why some Hebrew letters have dots in them to signal that they are to be pronounced [as hard, but no dots when they are to be pronounced] as soft. The angels said that [pronouncing] these letters as hard was a practice in the spiritual heaven because there they are focused on what is true, and truth is open to what is hard. The goodness that is the focus of angels of the heavenly kingdom, or the third heaven, is not open to what is hard.
The angels [with me] said that the written Word they have also has curved letters with little tips or strokes that add to the meaning. I could see from this the meaning of the Lord’s words,
Not one little letter or the tip of one letter will pass from the law until all of it is fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18)
and
It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the tip of one letter of the law to fall. (Luke 16:17)
90. Because we are dealing here with the Divinity and holiness of the Word, to what we have already said let me add a relevant narrative account.
I was once sent a little piece of paper from heaven with Hebrew letters on it, but letters written as they were among the ancient people. Today the letters are to some extent formed with straight lines, but among the most ancient peoples they were then rounded and had little hornlike strokes projecting upward. Angels who were with me then said they knew whole meanings from the letters alone, and that they knew the meanings chiefly from the curves of the lines and points of a letter. They then explained what some letters signified separately, and what in combination, saying that he (h), which was added to the names of Abram and Sarai, symbolized infinity and eternity.
The angels explained for me, moreover, the meaning of the Word in Psalms 32:2 from just the letters or syllables alone, the gist of their meaning being that the Lord is merciful also to those who do evil.
[2] They informed me that writing in the third heaven consists of no straight letters, but of letters variously curved, each of which has a meaning, and that the vowel points there serve to indicate the part of the pronunciation which corresponds to affection; that in that heaven they cannot pronounce the vowels i and e, but instead say y or eu; and they do use the vowels a, o, and u, because these vowels have a full sound. They also said they do not pronounce any of the consonants as hard, but as soft. This, they said, is the reason some Hebrew letters have a dot placed within them, to indicate [that they are pronounced as hard, but without a dot] that they are pronounced with a soft sound, saying that hardness in consonants is employed in the spiritual heaven, because there they are concerned with truths, and truth is capable of hardness, unlike the goodness that prompts angels of the celestial kingdom or third heaven.
They said, too, that the Word they have is written with curved letters having symbolic little hornlike projections and points.
It was apparent from this what is meant by the Lord’s saying, “Not one jot or one tittle will pass from the law till all is fulfilled, ” (Matthew 5:18). And, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one point of the law to fail” (Luke 16:17).
90. As the Divinity and Sanctity of the Word are here treated of, there may be added an experience worthy of note to what has already been said. There was once sent down to me from heaven a piece of paper covered with Hebrew characters, but written as they used to be among the Ancients, with whom those letters, which today are partly linear, were curved with little flourishes turning upwards. The angels who were then with me said that they understood a complete sense from the letters themselves, but a special sense from the curves and the upturned flourishes over any letter. They explained what the letters and the inflections signified, both separately and conjointly; and they said that the letter H, which was added to the names Abram and Sarai, signified the infinite and the eternal. They also explained to me the meaning of the Word in Psalm 32:2 from the letters or syllables alone; adding that the meaning of the letters with all the inflections included was, that the Lord is merciful even to those who do evil.
[2] They informed me that writing in the third heaven consisted of letters inflected and variously curved each of which contained a certain meaning; that the vowels there indicated sound, which corresponds to affection; that in that heaven they cannot pronounce the vowels i and e, but employ instead of them y and eu; and that the vowels a, o, and u are in use among them, because these have a full sound. They also said that they did not sound any consonants hard, but soft; and for this reason certain Hebrew letters had dots within them, as a sign that they should have a soft pronunciation.
They added that a hardness in sounding letters was in use in the spiritual heaven, because there the angels are in truths, and truth admits of hardness; but good does not, in which are the angels of the celestial or third heaven. They said, moreover, that they had the Word among them written in letters inflected with the upturned flourishes (tittles) which have a meaning of their own. From this it was plain what is signified by these words of the Lord:
One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:18;
and also:
It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the Law to fail. Luke 16:17.
90. As the subject here treated of is the Divinity and holiness of the Word, to what has already been said we may add something worthy of mention. A small piece of paper marked with Hebrew letters, but written as the ancients wrote them, was once sent me from heaven. In those times some of the letters that now are partly formed with straight lines were curved, and had little horns that turned upward. The angels who were then with me said that they themselves discerned complete meanings from the very letters, and that they knew them especially from the curvings of the lines and of the points of each letter. And they explained what the letters meant when taken each by itself and what when taken together; and said that the H that was added to the names of Abram and Sarai means what is infinite and eternal. They also explained in my presence from the letters or syllables alone the meaning of the Word in Psalm 32:2, showing that the sum of their meaning is that the Lord is merciful even to those who do evil.
[2] They informed me that the writing in the third heaven consists of curved letters that are bent in various ways, and that each letter possesses a complete meaning; that the vowels there indicate a sound that corresponds to the affection, and that in that heaven they cannot utter the vowels i and e, but instead of them y and eu, but that they do use the vowels a, o, and u, because they give a full sound. 1Further: that they do not pronounce any consonants as hard, but soft, and that it is from this that certain Hebrew letters have a dot in the center as a sign that they are to be pronounced as [hard, and are without this dot when] soft; and they said that hardness in pronouncing the letters is in use in the spiritual heaven because there they are in truths, and truth admits of what is hard, but not good, in which are the angels of the celestial kingdom or third heaven. They also said that these angels possess the Word written with curved letters that have significant points and little horns. This shows what is meant by the words of the Lord:
One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:18);
It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail (Luke 16:17).
Footnotes:
1. These letters are to be pronounced as follows:
i as in machine.
e like the a in baby.
y like the German ü or the French u.
eu as in French, or like the German ö.
a as in father.
In Swedish, o and u are sounded as follows:
o either as oo in booth, or as o in note.
u somewhat like the ew in hew.
But the natural scale as set forth by Helmholtz and Donders would assign to o the sound of o in note, and to u the sound of oo in booth. [Translator]
90. Quia de Divinitate et Sanctitate Verbi hic agitur, aliquid memorabile illis, quae hactenus dicta sunt, adjicere licet. Quondam ad me e caelo missa est chartula exarata litteris Hebraicis, sed scriptis sicut apud antiquos, apud quos illae litterae quae hodie quoad aliquam partem lineares sunt, fuerunt inflexae cum corniculis sursum vergentibus; et dicebant angeli, qui tunc apud me erant, quod scirent integros sensus ex ipsis litteris, et quod illos scirent imprimis ex flexuris linearum et apicum litterae; et explicabant quid significarent seorsim et quid conjunctim; dicentes quod H, quod additum est nominibus Abrami et Sarai, significaret infinitum ac aeternum. Explicabant etiam coram me sensum Verbi, Psalm 32:2, ex solis litteris seu syllabis; quod sensus illarum in summa esset, quod Dominus etiam misericors sit illis qui malefaciunt. Informabant me, quod scriptura in tertio caelo ex litteris inflexis et varie incurvatis, quarum unaquaevis haberet sensum, constaret; et quod vocales ibi essent pro sono, qui correspondet affectioni; et quod in illo caelo non possent enuntiare vocales i et e, sed pro illis y et eu; et quod vocales a, o et u illis in usu essent, quia dant sonum plenum. Tum quod non exprimerent aliquas litteras consonantes aspere, sed molliter; et quod inde sit quod litterae quaedam Hebraicae intus punctatae sint, in signum ut molliter enuntientur; dicentes, quod asperitas in litteris esset in usu in spirituali caelo, ex causa quia ibi in veris sunt, et verum admittit asperum; non autem bonum, in quo sunt angeli regni caelestis seu tertii caeli. Dicebant etiam, quod Verbum apud se conscriptum haberent litteris inflexis cum corniculis et apicibus significativis. Ex quo patuit quid significant haec Domini,
"Non iota et corniculum praeteribit de Lege, donec omnia fiunt" (Matthaeus 5:18);
Tum,
"Facilius est caelum et terram transire, quam Legis unum apicem cadere" (Lucas 16:17).