SS96.确认圣言的表面真理到了摧毁隐藏在里面的纯正真理的地步，之所以是有害的，是因为圣言字义中的每一个事物都与天堂相联，并打开天堂，如前所示（62-69节）。这意味着当一个人利用字义来证实违背天堂之爱的尘世之爱时，圣言的内在就变成假的了；结果，当内在变成虚假的外在意义，也就是字义传到天堂时，天堂就会关闭，因为处于圣言内在的天使弃绝这外在。由此可见，一个虚假的内在，或被歪曲的真理，会夺走与天堂的联系，并关闭天堂。这就是为何确认任何异端虚假都是有害的。
SS96a.圣言就像一个园子，一个天上乐园；它包含各种美味和快乐，因其果实而美味，因其鲜花而快乐；园子中央是生命树，旁边是活水的源泉，而森林的树木则围绕着它。人若从教义而处于神性真理，就在它的中央，也就是生命树所在的地方，并真正享受到它们的美味和快乐。但人若不从教义，仅从字义而处于真理，则在边缘，只看见森林。人若专注于虚假宗教的教义，并确认它的虚假，甚至不在森林中，而是在森林之外，在寸草不生的沙地。在适当地方，我将说明这些人死后实际经历的几个状态。
96.(a) The reason we are condemned if we convince ourselves of the Word’s semblances of truth and thereby destroy the inner genuine truth is that everything in the Word’s literal meaning is in communication with heaven and opens it (see the material in 62-69 above). This means that when we use that meaning to justify worldly loves that conflict with heavenly loves, the inner content of the Word becomes false. As a result, when an outer (that is, literal) meaning whose inner content is false is communicated to heaven, then heaven is closed because the angels, who treasure the inner content of the Word, reject it. We can see from this that a false inner reading, or distorted truth, deprives us of communication with heaven and closes it. This is why we are condemned if we convince ourselves of some heretical falsity.
96.(b) The Word is like a garden that we should refer to as a heavenly paradise in which there are all kinds of delicacies and delights - delicacies in the form of fruits and delights in the form of flowers - with trees of life in the middle next to springs of living water. Surrounding this garden, though, are the trees of a forest. When our religious perspective is based on divine truths we are in the middle, where the trees of life are, and we actively enjoy their delicacies and delights. When our religious perspective is based not on truths but only on the [Word’s] literal meaning, then we are on the circumference and all we see is forest. If we are devoted to the teachings of a false religion and convince ourselves that its teachings are true, we are not even in the forest; we are outside it, on sand flats where there is not even any grass.
At some other time I will show that people actually do experience conditions like this after death.
96. We said that it is harmful to affirm the apparent truth of the Word to the point of destroying the genuine truth that lies concealed within, and that is because each and every particular in the Word’s literal sense communicates with heaven and opens it, in conformity with what we said in nos. 62-69 above.
So then, when a person uses that sense to justify worldly loves in opposition to heavenly loves, the inner meaning of the Word is falsified. And as a result, when that outer meaning or literal sense, whose inner meaning is false, communicates with heaven, it then closes heaven. For the angels who are present in the Word’s inner meaning reject the falsified meaning.
It is apparent from this that inner falsity or truth falsified takes away communication with heaven and closes it.
This is why it is harmful to affirm some heretical falsity.
96. [repeated]. The Word is like a garden, one rightly called a heavenly paradise, which contains delights to the tongue and to the eye and nose — delights to the tongue in its fruits and delights to the eye and nose in its flowers — with trees of life at its center by gushing springs of water. But surrounding the garden is a forest of trees.
A person guided by Divine truths in accordance with doctrine resides in the center where the trees of life are and experiences in fact the delicacies and delights of the garden.
In contrast, a person not guided by truths in accordance with doctrine, but who focuses on the literal sense alone, resides on the periphery and sees only the forest and its trees.
But someone caught up in the doctrine of a false religion, who has affirmed in himself the falsity of it, resides not even in the forest, but in a sandy plain round about, devoid even of grass.
That such are the states after death of the people described is something we will establish in its proper place.
96. It is hurtful to confirm the apparent truth of the Word so as to destroy the genuine truth concealed within; because all things in the sense of the Letter of the Word, both in general and in particular, communicate with heaven and open it, according to what was said above Nos. 62-69. When therefore a man applies that sense to confirm the loves of the world which are contrary to heavenly loves, then the internal of the Word is rendered false. Therefore, when its external, or sense of the Letter whose internal is rendered false, communicates with heaven, then heaven is closed; for the angels, who are in the internal of the Word, reject it. From this it is evident that a false internal, or truth falsified, destroys communication with heaven and closes it. This is why it is hurtful to confirm any heretical falsity.
96 [a] The Word is like a garden, a heavenly paradise, in which are delicacies and delights of every kind, delicacies in its fruits and delights in its flowers. In the midst of it there are trees of life, and near by, fountains of living water with forest trees round about the garden. The man who is principled in Divine Truths from doctrine abides in the centre of the garden where are the trees of life, and is in the actual enjoyment of its delicacies and delights. He, however, who is principled in truths, not from doctrine but only from the sense of the Letter, lives in the outskirts of the garden, and sees only the forest; but he who is in the doctrine of a false religion and has confirmed its falsity in his own mind, dwells not even in the forest, but in a sandy plain beyond it, where there is not even grass. That such are the respective states of those men after death will be confirmed in its proper place.
96. The reason why it is hurtful to confirm the apparent truth of the Word to the point of destroying the genuine truth that lies hidden within, is that each and all things of the sense of the letter of the Word communicate with heaven, and open it, as before shown (n. 62-69). So that when a man applies this sense to confirm loves of the world that are contrary to loves of heaven, the internal of the Word is made false, and the result is that when its external of the sense of the letter, and which now has a false internal, communicates with heaven, heaven is closed, for the angels, who are in the internal of the Word, reject that external of it. Thus it is evident that a false internal, or truth falsified, takes away communication with heaven and closes heaven. This is why it is hurtful to confirm any heretical falsity.
96a. The Word is like a garden, a heavenly paradise, that contains delicacies and delights of every kind, delicacies in its fruits and delights in its flowers; and in the midst of the garden trees of life with fountains of living water near them, while forest trees surround it. The man who from doctrine is in Divine truths is at its center where the trees of life are, and is in the actual enjoyment of its delicacies and delights; whereas the man who is in truths not from doctrine, but from the sense of the letter only, is at the outskirts, and sees nothing but the forest vegetation. And one who is in the doctrine of a false religion, and who has confirmed himself in its falsity, is not even in the forest, but is out beyond it in a sandy plain where there is not even grass. That such are their several states after death will be shown in its proper place.
96. Quod damnosum sit confirmare apparens verum Verbi, usque ad destructionem genuini veri quod intus latet, est quia omnia et singula sensus litterae Verbi communicant cum caelo, et aperiunt illud, secundum illa quae supra (62-69) dicta sunt. Cum itaque homo illum sensum applicat ad confirmandum amores mundi contrarios amoribus caeli, tunc internum Verbi falsum fit; quare cum externum ejus, quod est sensus litterae, cujus internum est falsum, communicatur cum caelo, tunc clauditur caelum; nam angeli, qui in interno Verbi sunt, rejiciunt illud. Ex quo patet quod falsum internum seu verum falsificatum auferat communicationem cum caelo, et claudat illud. Haec causa est, quod confirmare aliquod falsum haereticum, damnosum sit. Verbum est sicut hortus, qui paradisus caelestis vocandus est, in quo cupediae et deliciae omnis generis sunt; cupediae ex fructibus et deliciae ex floribus; in cujus medio sunt arbores vitae, juxta quas fontes aquae vivae; at circumcirca hortum sunt arbores silvae. Homo qui ex doctrina in Divinis veris est, in medio est, ubi sunt arbores vitae; et actualiter cupediis et deliciis inde fruitur: homo autem, qui non ex doctrina in veris est, sed ex solo sensu litterae, is in circuitu est, et videt modo silvestria: at qui in doctrina religionis falsae est, et falsum ejus apud se confirmavit, ne quidem in silva est, sed extra illam in campo arenoso, ubi nec gramen. Quod etiam tales status illorum post mortem sint, 1in suo loco confirmabitur.
Footnotes:
1. sint pro "sit"