476.从婴孩直到老年，每个人在灵界的地方或位置都在变化。婴孩时，他被保守在靠北的东部地区；少年时，由于他接受宗教启蒙教育，便逐渐从北向南移动；青年时，随着他开始实践自己的想法，继续向南移动；然后，当他能自行判断，成为自己的主人时，根据他在诸如内心爱神爱邻方面的成长，便进入靠东的南部地区。但若他倾向并吸收邪恶，就会向西行进。凡在灵界者，皆照方位拥有自己的居所；住在东方的，是那些拥有主的良善之人，因为主在当中的太阳就在那个地区；住在北方的，是那些无知的人；住在南方的，是那些聪明人；而住在西方的，则是那些恶人。人仅就其灵而非肉身而言，被保守在这个空间或中间地带；由于人的灵通过趋向善或恶而不断改变自己的状态，所以其居所也在各个地区转移，并与住在那里的灵相联。但必须知道，并不是主将人转到各个地方，而是人自己向各个方向转移。若他选择善，就与主同在，更确切地说，是与他同在的主将他的灵转向东方。然而，若他选择恶，便与魔鬼同在，更确切地说，是与他同在的魔鬼将他的灵转向西方。必须指出的是，提到天堂的地方，也是在说主，因为主是天堂万物的全部；提到魔鬼的地方，也是在说地狱，因为凡在地狱者皆为魔鬼。
476. 从婴孩直到老年, 每个人在灵界的地方或位置都在变化。 婴孩时, 他被保守在靠北的东部地区; 少年时, 由于他接受宗教启蒙教育, 便逐渐从北向南移动; 青年时, 随着他开始实践自己的想法, 继续向南移动; 然后, 当他能自行判断, 成为自己的主人时, 根据他在诸如内心爱神爱邻方面的成长, 便进入靠东的南部地区。 但若他倾向并吸收邪恶, 就会向西行进。 凡在灵界者, 皆照方位拥有自己的居所; 住在东方的, 是那些拥有主的良善之人, 因为主在当中的太阳就在那个地区; 住在北方的, 是那些无知的人; 住在南方的, 是那些聪明人; 而住在西方的, 则是那些恶人。 人仅就其灵而非肉身而言, 被保守在这个空间或中间地带; 由于人的灵通过趋向善或恶而不断改变自己的状态, 所以其居所也在各个地区转移, 并与住在那里的灵相联。 但必须知道, 并不是主将人转到各个地方, 而是人自己向各个方向转移。 若他选择善, 就与主同在, 更确切地说, 是与他同在的主将他的灵转向东方。 然而, 若他选择恶, 便与魔鬼同在, 更确切地说, 是与他同在的魔鬼将他的灵转向西方。 必须指出的是, 提到天堂的地方, 也是在说主, 因为主是天堂万物的全部; 提到魔鬼的地方, 也是在说地狱, 因为凡在地狱者皆为魔鬼。
476. Every human being from infancy to old age is relocating and changing places in that world. In early childhood we are kept in the eastern region there, on its north side. In later childhood and youth, as we acquire a foundation in our religion, we move in a series of stages away from the north and toward the south. In early adulthood, when we begin to think with our own minds, we are brought farther south. Later on, when we become independent and able to judge for ourselves and are growing in matters that inwardly relate to God and love for our neighbor, we move into the southern region, on its east side. But if we have a fondness for evil and indulge in it, we move toward the west.
All who are in the spiritual world live in one region or another. People who are involved in goodness from the Lord live in the east, because that is where the sun that surrounds the Lord is. People who are in ignorance live in the north. People who have good understanding live in the south. People who are involved in evil live in the west.
[2] Our body is not kept in that interspace or central area, but our spirit is. As its condition changes, by moving either toward what is good or toward what is evil, our spirit is moved to different places or locations in this or that region and comes into contact with the people who live there. It is important to know, however, that the Lord does not transfer us here or there. We relocate ourselves in various ways. If we choose what is good, then we together with the Lord relocate - or rather the Lord together with us relocates - our spirit farther east. If, however, we choose what is evil, then we together with the Devil relocate - or rather the Devil together with us relocates - our spirit farther west. And please note that when I say "heaven" I mean the Lord, because the Lord is everything to all of heaven, and when I say "the Devil" I mean hell, because all the people there are devils.
476. From childhood to old age everyone changes his place or location in the world of spirits. As a young child he is kept towards the north of the eastern sector. As a boy, as he begins to learn the rudiments of religion, he moves away by stages from the north towards the south. As a young man, as he begins to think for himself, he moves southwards; and later on, when he can exercise his own judgment and be his own master, in proportion to his development in matters which inwardly concern God and love towards the neighbour, south-eastwards. However, if his preference is for evil and he absorbs that, he moves towards the west. Everyone in the spiritual world has his dwelling-place determined by compass-points. The east is inhabited by those who have good from the Lord, for this is where the sun is, in the midst of which is the Lord. The north is inhabited by those who lack knowledge, the south by those who are intelligent, the west by those who are wicked.
[2] The person himself is not kept bodily in this gap or mid-region, but in his spirit; and as this changes its state, approaching good or else evil, the spirit is moved to places or locations in one or the other quarter, and comes into company with those who live there. It must, however, be known that it is not the Lord who moves them hither and thither, but the person moves himself in different ways. If he chooses good, then he together with the Lord, or rather the Lord together with him, moves his spirit eastwards. But if he chooses evil, then he together with the devil, or rather the devil together with him, moves his spirit westwards. It should be noted that where heaven is mentioned in this connection, the Lord is also meant, because the Lord is the all-in-all of heaven; and where the devil is mentioned, hell is meant, since that is where all the devils are.
476. Every man from infancy even to old age is changing his locality or situation in that world. When an infant he is kept in the eastern quarter towards the northern part; when a child, as he learns the first lessons of religion, he moves gradually from the north towards the south; when a youth, as he begins to exercise his own thoughts, he is borne southward; and afterwards when he judges for himself and becomes his own master, he is borne into the southern quarter towards the east, according to his growth in such things as have regard interiorly to God and love to the neighbor. But if he inclines to evil and imbibes it, he advances towards the west. For all in the spiritual world have their abodes according to the quarters; in the east are those who are in good from the Lord, because the sun, in the midst of which is the Lord, is in that quarter; in the north are those who are in ignorance; in the south, those who are in intelligence; and in the west, those who are in evil. Man himself is not kept as to his body in that interspace or middle region, but only as to his spirit; and as his spirit changes its state by advancing towards good or towards evil, so is it transferred to localities or situations in this quarter or in that, and comes into association with those who dwell there. But it must be understood that the Lord does not transfer man to this or that place, but man transfers himself in different ways. If he chooses good, he together with the Lord, or rather the Lord together with him, transfers his spirit towards the east. But if man chooses evil, he together with the devil, or rather the devil together with him, transfers his spirit towards the west. It must be noticed that where the term heaven is here used, the Lord also is meant, because the Lord is the all in all things of heaven; and where the term devil is used, hell also is meant, because all who are there are devils.
476. Every man from infancy to old age changes his place or situation in the world of spirits. When an infant, he is kept in the eastern quarter, towards the north there; when a boy, as he learns the rudiments of religion, he gradually recedes from the north towards the south; and when a young man, as he begins to think from his own mind, he is borne towards the south. Later, when he comes to judge for himself and becomes his own master, as he increases in such things as interiorly relate to God and to love towards the neighbor, he progresses still southward but towards the east. If, however, he inclines to evil, and becomes engrossed in it, he moves towards the west; for all in the spiritual world have their dwellings in certain quarters. In the east are those who are in good from the Lord, for the sun is there, in the centre of which is the Lord. In the north are those who are in ignorance; in the south, those who are in intelligence; and in the west, those who are in evil.
A man is kept in this intervening or middle region between heaven and hell not as to his body, but as to his spirit; and as his spirit changes its state, by drawing near to good or evil, it is transferred to a place or situation in one or other of the quarters, and enters the company of those who dwell there. It should be known, however, that the Lord does not transfer the man to this place or that, but the man himself effects the change. If he chooses good, then he, together with the Lord, or rather the Lord together with him, transfers his spirit towards the east; but if he chooses evil, then he, together with the devil, or rather the devil together with him, transfers his spirit towards the west. It is to be observed that when heaven is here mentioned, the Lord also is meant, because the Lord is the All in all of heaven; and when the devil is mentioned, hell is meant because all those who are there are devils.
476. Omnis homo ab infantia, usque ad senectutem mutat loca seu situs in hoc Mundo; INFANS tenetur in plaga orientali versus septentrionem ibi; et PUER, sicut addiscit rudimenta religionis, successive a septentrione recedit ad meridiem; ADOLESCENS, sicut incipit ex sua mente cogitare, fertur versus meridiem; ac postea quando sui judicii et sui juris factus est, secundum incrementa in talibus, quae Deum et amorem erga proximum spectant interius, in meridiem ad orientem; at si favet malo, et illud insorbet, progreditur ille versus occidentem: omnes enim in Mundo spirituali, habitant secundum plagas; in ORIENTE illi qui in bono a Domino sunt, nam ibi est Sol, in cujus medio est Dominus: in SEPTENTRIONE illi qui in ignorantia sunt; in MERIDIE illi qui in intelligentia; 1 et in OCCIDENTE illi qui in malo.
[2] Ipse homo quoad corpus non tenetur in illo Interstitio seu Meditullio, sed quoad spiritum suum, et sicut hic mutat statum, accedendo ad bonum aut ad malum, ita transfertur ad loca seu situs in hac aut illa plaga, et ibi in consortium venit cum habitatoribus. At sciendum est, quod Dominus non transferat hominem huc aut illuc, sed homo seipsum diversimode; si ille eligit bonum, tunc homo simul cum Domino, aut potius Dominus simul cum homine, transfert spiritum ejus versus Orientem; si autem homo eligit malum, tunc homo una cum diabolo, aut potius diabolus una cum homine, transfert spiritum ejus versus Occidentem. Observandum est, quod ubi hic dicitur Coelum, etiam intelligatur Dominus, quia Dominus est omne in omnibus coeli, et ubi dicitur diabolus, intelligatur Infernum, quia omnes ibi sunt diaboli.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: qui intelligentia.