277.对此，我补充以下记事。记事一：
有一天，我在灵里漫步于灵界各个地方，想看看那里显现在许多地方的天上事物的代表。在一个有天使所在的房子里，我发现两个大钱袋，里面装着大量银子。钱袋是敞开的，似乎谁都可以拿里面的银子，甚至偷走它。不过，钱袋旁边坐着两个看管的年轻人。放钱袋的地方看上去像马厩里的马槽。隔壁房间有一些端庄的童贞女，还有一位贞洁的妻子。那房间附近站着两个小孩子，我被告知，别把他们当作小孩子玩耍，而要视他们为智者。后来，一个妓女出现了，再后来出现了一匹躺着的死马。看到这些事物后，我得到指教，它们代表圣言的属世之义，属灵之义就在这属世之义中。装满银子的大钱袋表示丰富的真理知识；钱袋敞开，却由年轻人看管表示谁都能由此获得真理的知识，但务必小心，不要让任何人向包含赤裸真理的属灵之义施暴。马厩中的马槽表示用于理解力的属灵滋养。马槽具有这样的含义，是因为由此进食的马表示理解力。隔壁房间所看到的端庄童贞女表示对真理的情感，贞洁的妻子表示良善与真理的结合。小孩子表示智慧的纯真，因为最高天堂的天使，也就是最有智慧的天使，由于其纯真而在远处看似小孩子。妓女与死马表示如今许多人对真理的歪曲，对真理的一切理解力由此丧失。妓女表示歪曲，死马表示对真理的理解力降为零。
277. 關於以上觀點, 我會再講講幾個難忘的經歷。
第一個經歷:
有一天, 我在心靈世界各處漫步, 想看看各處顯現的天上之物如何表達象徵之意。在一個天人居住的家庭, 我看見兩個大錢袋, 裡面裝著大量的金錢。錢袋是敞開的, 看起來誰都可以從中取錢, 甚至把它們全部偷走。不過有兩個年青人坐在錢袋邊上看管。放錢袋的地方看起來就像馬廄的食槽。在隔壁的房間, 有一些端莊的年輕女子, 還有位忠貞的妻子。在那房間附近, 站著兩個孩子, 我被告知, 別把他們當作小孩一樣玩耍, 而要視他們為智者。然後, 有個妓女出現, 並且一匹躺著的死馬。
看完這情景之後, 我被告知, 這些景象代表聖言的文字意義中含有屬靈意義。裝滿金錢的大錢袋表示真理知識的充足供應。錢袋被打開但是被年輕人看管表示任何人可從這些供應中自提所需, 但要謹慎, 以免褻瀆屬靈意義; 這屬靈意義沒有別的, 全是赤裸的真理。馬廄中的食槽表示對認知的屬靈餵養。馬槽有此意, 是因為在此進食的馬表示認知。隔壁房間所見的端莊的年輕女子表示對真理的渴慕, 忠貞的妻子表示良善與真理的結合。孩子表示智慧的純真無邪, 最高天國的天人們, 因為他們的天真無邪而隔一定距離看起來顯現為孩子。妓女與死馬表示許多人現今對真理的歪曲, 喪失了一切對真理的認知。妓女表示歪曲, 死馬表示真理的認知淪為虛無。
277. To these points I will add the following memorable occurrences.
The first memorable occurrence. One day in the spirit I was touring various sites in the spiritual world for the purpose of observing the symbolic depictions of heavenly things that are on display in many locations there. In one home where there were angels I saw two large purses in which was concealed a significant quantity of silver. Because these money bags had been opened I was aware that anyone could take out the silver that had been deposited in them and even make off with it; however, there were two young men sitting next to the money bags as guards. The place where the bags had been deposited looked like a manger in a stable. In the next room, I noticed some modest young women and a faithful wife. Two little children were standing just outside that room. I was told not to play in a childish way with them but to treat them wisely. Afterward a whore appeared, and a horse that was lying dead.
After I had seen these displays, I was told that what I had seen represented the Word's earthly meaning with its spiritual meaning inside it. The large purses full of silver meant true concepts in tremendous quantities. The fact that the bags had been opened but were guarded by young men meant that any of us can get true concepts from the Word, but we have to be careful to avoid violating the spiritual meaning, which contains truths and nothing else. The manger in a kind of stable meant spiritual nourishment for the intellect. Mangers have this meaning because the horses that eat from them mean the intellect. The modest young women seen in the next room meant different kinds of love for the truth, and the faithful wife meant the union of goodness and truth. The little children meant a wise kind of innocence - the angels of the highest heaven, who are the wisest angels, look like little children from a distance because of their innocence. The whore and the dead horse meant that many people are falsifying the truth nowadays, causing the loss of all understanding of truth. A whore means falsification, and a dead horse means no understanding of the truth.
277. Here I shall add some accounts of experiences, of which this is the first.
One day I wandered in the spirit around various parts of the spiritual world, with the intention of observing the representations of heavenly things, which are displayed in many places there. In one house occupied by angels I saw great money-bags, in which a large sum of money was stored. Since they were open, it looked as though anyone could help themselves to the money stored there, or even steal it all. But two young men sat next to the money-bags, to guard them. The place where they were put looked like a manger in a stable. In the next room some modest young women were to be seen accompanied by a respectable wife. Near that room stood two children, and I was told not to play with them like children, but to treat them wisely. Afterwards a whore appeared and a horse lying dead.
After seeing these scenes I was instructed that they represented the natural sense of the Word, which contains the spiritual sense. The large bags full of money meant an abundant supply of knowledge of truth. Their being open but guarded by young men meant that anyone can help himself to the knowledge of truth from this source, but precautions are taken to prevent anyone doing violence to the spiritual sense, which contains the bare truths. The manger as in a stable meant spiritual nourishment for the understanding; this is the meaning of a manger because a horse, which eats from it, means the understanding. The modest young women seen in the next room meant the affections for truth, and the respectable wife the joining of good and truth. The children meant the innocence of wisdom, for the angels of the highest heaven, who excel in wisdom, have as the result of their innocence the appearance of children, when seen at a distance. The whore with the dead horse meant the falsification of truth practised by many people at the present time, which destroys all understanding of truth; the whore meant falsification, the dead horse the understanding of truth reduced to zero.
277. To this I will add the following Memorable Relation First:
One day I was wandering in the spirit through various places in the spiritual world, for the purpose of observing the representations of heavenly things that are there exhibited in many places; and in a certain house where there were angels, I saw large purses containing a great quantity of silver; and as the purses were open, it seemed as if anyone might draw forth the silver there stored, and even purloin it; but near the purses sat two youths who were guards. The place where the purses were stored looked like the manger in a stable. In the next room modest virgins with a chaste wife were seen; and near that room stood two little children, and it was said that they were not to be played with in a childish way, but treated wisely. Afterwards a harlot appeared, and then a horse lying dead.
Having seen these things, I was taught that they represented the natural sense of the Word, within which is the spiritual sense. The large purses filled with silver signified knowledges of truth in great abundance; their being open and yet guarded by youths, signified that anyone may obtain knowledges of truth therefrom, and yet care must be taken that the spiritual sense, which contains pure truths, be not violated. The manger like that in a stable signified spiritual nourishment for the understanding, a manger having this significance, because a horse, which eats from it, signifies the understanding. The modest virgins who were seen in the next room signified affections for truth, and the chaste wife, the conjunction of good and truth. The little children signified the innocence of wisdom, for the angels of the highest heaven, who are the wisest of angels, appear at a distance like little children because of their innocence. The harlot with the dead horse, signified the falsification of truth by many at the present day, whereby all understanding of truth perishes; a harlot signifying falsification, and a dead horse no understanding of truth.
277. MEMORABILIA.
To the above I shall add the following Memorabilia.
The first is this: One day, being in the spirit, I wandered over various parts of the spiritual world that I might observe the representations of heavenly things which are to be seen in many places there. In a certain house, where there were angels, I saw large money-bags, containing a great quantity of silver; and as these were open, it seemed as if any one might take out, or even steal, the silver deposited there; but near them were two young men, who acted as guards. The place where the bags were laid looked like a manger in a stable. In an adjoining room were some modest maidens, in the company of a chaste married woman. Near the room were standing two children, who, I was told, were above being played with as infants, but should be treated as wise persons. Then I saw a courtesan, and a horse lying dead.
When I had seen these things, I was informed that they represented the natural sense of the Word, within which is the spiritual sense. The large money-bags full of silver signified knowledge of truth in great abundance. The fact that they were open, and yet guarded by young men, signified that every one might take from them knowledge of truth, but that care must be taken lest any one should violate the spiritual sense, which contains pure truths. The manger, like that in a stable, signified nourishment for the understanding. This is the signification of a manger, for a horse, which eats from it, signifies the understanding. The modest maidens, who were seen is the adjoining room, signified the affections of truth; the chaste married woman, the conjunction of good and truth; and the children, the innocence of wisdom. For the angels of the highest heaven, who are the wisest of all, appear at a distance, from their innocence like little children. The courtesan, with the dead horse, represented the falsification of truth by many at the present day, by which all understanding of truth perishes, because a courtesan signifies falsification, and a dead horse, an understanding dead to all truth.
277. His adjiciam sequentia MEMORABILIA: PRIMUM hoc; Quodam die in spiritu pervagatus sum varia loca in Mundo spirituali, propter finem ut observarem Repraesentationes coelestium, quae in multis locis ibi exhibentur; et in quadam Domo, ubi angeli erant, vidi magnas Crumenas, in quibus reconditum fuit argentum in multa copia; et quia apertae erant, perceptum est, sicut unusquisque posset argentum ibi repositum depromere, imo diripere: sed juxta Crumenas illas sedebant duo Juvenes, qui custodes: locus ubi repositae erant, apparebat sicut praesepe in stabulo: in Camera proxima visae sunt Virgines modestae, cum Uxore casta; et prope illam Cameram stabant bini Infantes, et dictum est, quod cum illis non infantiliter ludendum sit, sed sapienter agendum. Postea apparebat Scortum, tum Equus jacens mortuus. Postquam haec visa sunt, instructus sum, quod per illa repraesentatus sit Sensus naturalis Verbi, in quo Sensus spiritualis: magnae illae Crumenae argento plenae significabant cognitiones veri in multa copia; quod apertae essent, et tamen a juvenibus custoditae, significabat quod quisque posset inde cognitiones veri desumere, sed quod caveatur, ne aliquis Sensum spiritualem, in quo merae veritates sunt, violet; Praesepe sicut in stabulo, significabat nutritionem spiritualem pro intellectu; hoc significat praesepe, quia equus, qui inde edit, intellectum: Virgines modestae, quae in Camera proxima visae sunt, significabant affectiones veri, et Uxor casta conjunctionem boni et veri; Infantes significabant innocentiam sapientiae, nam Angeli supremi Coeli, qui sapientissimi sunt, ex innocentia apparent e longinquo sicut infantes: Scortum cum Equo mortuo, significabat falsificationem 1 veri a multis hodie, per quam omnis intellectus veri perit; scortum significat falsificationem, et equus mortuus intellectum veri nullum.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: falfificationem.