734．说完，该天人带路，确信天堂喜乐仅是与天人最快乐地聚会，最甜蜜地交谈的这一组先跟随其后。他们在天人带领下，加入了北部地区的聚会，这里的人在世时对天堂的想法正是这样。有一座宽敞的大厅，这群人就在此聚集；厅内有五十多个房间，不同的房间谈论不同的话题。有的房间内谈论集市与街道的所见所闻；有的谈论有关女性的暧昧话题，偶尔穿插一些笑话，引得在场的人捧腹大笑。其它房间，有的正讨论从各种秘密渠道走漏的消息，涉及王室宫庭、政府部门、政治局势，再就是对当前形势的推断和猜测；有的谈论生意；有的谈论文学；有的谈论公共事务和道德行为；有的则讨论教会事务和宗教门派，凡此种种，不一而足。我蒙允许观察房子里面的情形，见有人从一个房间跑到另一个房间，寻找回应他们情感及其喜乐观点的聚会。在聚会中，我发现了三类人：一类人迫不急切地想要说话，一类人急于提问题，一类人则热衷于倾听。
这所房子有四道门，一道对着一个地区；我注意到，很多人从聚会的地方散开，勿忙离去。我跟随其中一些人到了东门，发现他们正拉长脸坐在门边。于是，我走到他们面前，问他们为何如此忧愁地坐在这里，他们回答说：“大厅的门都关上了，防止想要出去的人离开。我们在这里已经呆了三天了，时间全花在我们原先想要的聚会和谈话上，我们厌倦了持续不断地谈论，一点儿也不想听它的噪音。我们感到很无聊，就来到这扇门前敲门，但被告知，这里的大门只许进，不许出，我们要留在这里享受天堂的快乐；我们由此得知自己要永远呆在这里，所以心里悲愁，现在胸口压抑，我们开始焦虑。”
然后，天人对他们说：“就你们的喜乐而言，这种状态就是死亡，你们原以为它们就是唯一的天堂喜乐，然而，事实上，它们只不过是天堂喜乐的附属物。”他们问天人：“那么，什么是天堂的喜乐？”天人简要回答说：“做有益于自己或他人的事就是天堂的快乐。用的快乐从爱得其本质，从智慧得其彰显。用的快乐通过智慧产生于爱，它是一切天堂喜乐的灵魂和生命。天堂有最快乐的聚会，它们兴奋天人的心智，愉悦他们的灵，使他们开心，焕发其身体活力。但他们享受这些，是在他们履行完自己的公职和工作之后。赋予灵魂与生命一切乐趣和娱乐的根本在于发挥作用。但若灵魂或生命被取走，附属的喜乐就不再是快乐，先是变得模糊，然后可以说毫无价值，最终令人厌恶和痛苦。”说完这番话，门被打开了，坐在门前的那些人一跃而起，逃回家中，回到各自的工作岗位，重新焕发生机。
734. 说完, 该天人带路, 确信天堂喜乐仅是与天人最快乐地聚会, 最甜蜜地交谈的这一组先跟随其后。 他们在天人带领下, 加入了北部地区的聚会, 这里的人在世时对天堂的想法正是这样。 有一座宽敞的大厅, 这群人就在此聚集; 厅内有五十多个房间, 不同的房间谈论不同的话题。 有的房间内谈论集市与街道的所见所闻; 有的谈论有关女性的暧昧话题, 偶尔穿插一些笑话, 引得在场的人捧腹大笑。 其它房间, 有的正讨论从各种秘密渠道走漏的消息, 涉及王室宫庭, 政府部门, 政治局势, 再就是对当前形势的推断和猜测; 有的谈论生意; 有的谈论文学; 有的谈论公共事务和道德行为; 有的则讨论教会事务和宗教门派, 凡此种种, 不一而足。 我蒙允许观察房子里面的情形, 见有人从一个房间跑到另一个房间, 寻找回应他们情感及其喜乐观点的聚会。 在聚会中, 我发现了三类人: 一类人迫不急切地想要说话, 一类人急于提问题, 一类人则热衷于倾听。
这所房子有四道门, 一道对着一个地区; 我注意到, 很多人从聚会的地方散开, 勿忙离去。 我跟随其中一些人到了东门, 发现他们正拉长脸坐在门边。 于是, 我走到他们面前, 问他们为何如此忧愁地坐在这里, 他们回答说: “大厅的门都关上了, 防止想要出去的人离开。 我们在这里已经呆了三天了, 时间全花在我们原先想要的聚会和谈话上, 我们厌倦了持续不断地谈论, 一点儿也不想听它的噪音。 我们感到很无聊, 就来到这扇门前敲门, 但被告知, 这里的大门只许进, 不许出, 我们要留在这里享受天堂的快乐; 我们由此得知自己要永远呆在这里, 所以心里悲愁, 现在胸口压抑, 我们开始焦虑。 ”
然后, 天人对他们说: “就你们的喜乐而言, 这种状态就是死亡, 你们原以为它们就是唯一的天堂喜乐, 然而, 事实上, 它们只不过是天堂喜乐的附属物。 ”他们问天人: “那么, 什么是天堂的喜乐? ”天人简要回答说: “做有益于自己或他人的事就是天堂的快乐。 用的快乐从爱得其本质, 从智慧得其彰显。 用的快乐通过智慧产生于爱, 它是一切天堂喜乐的灵魂和生命。 天堂有最快乐的聚会, 它们兴奋天人的心智, 愉悦他们的灵, 使他们开心, 焕发其身体活力。 但他们享受这些, 是在他们履行完自己的公职和工作之后。 赋予灵魂与生命一切乐趣和娱乐的根本在于发挥作用。 但若灵魂或生命被取走, 附属的喜乐就不再是快乐, 先是变得模糊, 然后可以说毫无价值, 最终令人厌恶和痛苦。 ”说完这番话, 门被打开了, 坐在门前的那些人一跃而起, 逃回家中, 回到各自的工作岗位, 重新焕发生机。
734. The angel then led the way. The first to go with him were the people who had convinced themselves that heavenly joys were extremely enjoyable interactions and delicious conversations with angels. The angel brought them into a gathering of people in the northern region who had shared the same view of heavenly joys when they were in the physical world.
The people of this kind had been brought together to a very large house there. The house had more than fifty rooms, and the rooms had each been assigned a particular topic of conversation. In several rooms over here, people were discussing what they had heard and seen in the town square and in the streets. In several rooms over there, people were talking about love and relationships, and some were interjecting hilarious comments until all present were laughing hard with big smiles on their faces. In other rooms people were discussing the latest news about the royal family, the government ministers, the political state of the nation, and various points that had been leaked by members of secret committees, as well as their own projections and conjectures about what would happen next. In other rooms, people were discussing business; in other rooms, literature; in others, topics related to civic prudence and moral life; in others, matters related to the church and its various sects; and so on.
I was given permission to look around the house. I saw people rushing from room to room, looking for an exchange that would be close to their heart and joyful for them. I noticed that there were three types of people in these conversations: people who were desperate to speak; people who were eager to ask questions; and people who were avidly listening.
[2] There were four entrances to the house, one toward each point of the compass. I noticed that many people were leaving the conversations and hurrying to leave the building. I followed some to the east door. There I saw a number of people sitting by the door, looking depressed.
I went up to them and asked, "Why are you sitting here and looking so sad?"
"The doors to this house," they replied, "are kept locked to people who are trying to exit. It is now three days since we came in here. All the life has gone out of our desire to be in conversation. We are so worn out from the endless talking that we can hardly bear to hear even the buzz of it in the distance any more. We are so fed up that we came to this door and have been banging on it to be let out, but the response we get is, 'The doors to this house do not open to let people out; they only open to let people in. Stay there and relish the joys of heaven!' Hearing that, we realized we are stuck here forever. We are feeling utterly depressed and are starting to have chest pains and rising anxiety. "
[3] The angel then spoke to them and said, "The state you are in now is actually the death of your joys - yet you recently thought these activities were the only joys in heaven! In fact, they are only an adjunct to true heavenly joys. "
"So what is heavenly joy, then?" they asked the angel.
His brief response was this: "It is the delight found in doing something useful for ourselves or for others. The delight that we feel in being useful derives its essence from love and takes its shape through wisdom. The delight in being useful that arises from love through wisdom is the soul and life of all heavenly joys. "
"In the heavens," he added, "angels have very enjoyable conversations; these interactions are exhilarating to their higher minds, bring satisfaction to their lower minds, create pleasurable feelings in their chests, and refresh their bodies. These conversations only happen among them, though, after they have done useful things as a part of their jobs and their work. Their work puts soul and life into all the other things that make them happy and give them pleasure. If you take away that soul, that life, these ancillary joys gradually cease to be joyful; at first they become trivial, then completely pointless, and eventually depressing and anxiety-provoking. "
Once he had said that, the door opened up. The people who had been sitting there jumped up and ran back to their homes, to their jobs and their work, and came back to life.
734. With these words the angel led the way, and was first accompanied by the group which had persuaded itself that heavenly joys were only entertaining meetings and charming conversations. These people were taken by the angel to join gatherings in the northern quarter, whose ideas of the joys of heaven had been in the previous world precisely this. There was a spacious building in which people of this sort were gathered; it contained more than fifty rooms, different ones being allocated to each of the various topics of conversation. In one set of rooms the talk was of what they had seen or heard in the square and the streets; in another there was charming talk of different kinds about the fair sex, with enough jokes included to make everyone present burst out into hilarious laughter. In other rooms they were discussing the news about royal courts, government departments, the political situation, leaks from various secret committees, together with deductions and guesses about what had happened. Other rooms were devoted to trade, others to literary subjects, others to matters concerned with public affairs and moral behaviour, others to ecclesiastical matters and different sects, and so on.
I was allowed to look inside that building, and I saw people running from one room to another, looking for gatherings which answered to their affection and thus to their idea of joy. In the gatherings I saw three sorts of people: some who were more or less panting to speak, some who were anxious to ask questions, and some keen on listening.
[2] The building had four doors, one on each side, and I noticed that many people were breaking up the gatherings and hastening to leave. I followed some of them to the east door, and saw some people sitting near it with long faces. So I went up to them and asked why they were sitting looking so sad. 'The doors of this building,' they replied, 'are kept shut against those who want to leave. It is now three days since we came in, and we have spent our time as we wished in meetings and conversations, and we have become so tired of continual talk that we can hardly bear to listen to the mere noise of it. We were so bored we made our way to this door and knocked; but we were told that the doors of this building are open for people to come in, but not to go out. "Stay and enjoy the joys of heaven," they told us. So we concluded from this reply that we shall have to stay here for ever. As a result our minds have fallen victim to sadness, our chests are beginning now to feel constricted, and we are becoming worried.'
[3] Then the angel addressed them and said: 'This state is death to your joys, the ones you thought were the only heavenly ones, though they are but concomitant to heavenly joys.' 'What then,' they asked the angel, 'is heavenly joy?'
The angel replied briefly as follows: 'It is the pleasure of doing something which is of service to oneself or others. This pleasure derives its essence from love, and its coming-into-being from wisdom. The pleasure of service arising from love by means of wisdom is the soul and life of all heavenly joys. There are in the heavens most entertaining meetings, which cheer the angels' minds, delight their spirits, gladden their hearts and refresh their bodies. But these take place after they have performed services in their occupations and tasks. This is what gives the soul and life to all their pleasures and amusements. But if you deprive them of that soul or life, the concomitant joys one after another cease to be joys, first becoming matters of indifference, and then worthless, and finally the source of sadness and worry.'
When he had said this, the door was opened and the people sitting near leaped out. They hurried away home, each to his own occupation and his own task, and so were revived.
734. So saying, the angel led the way; and the first company that followed him was of those who had persuaded themselves that heavenly joys were merely most cheerful companionship and most agreeable conversations. These were introduced by the angel to an assembly in the northern quarter, who in the former world had thought the joys of heaven to be of that character. There was a spacious house there in which they were assembled. In the house there were more than fifty rooms, distinguished by the different kinds of conversation. In some of the rooms they talked about what they had seen and heard in the marketplace and on the streets; in some they made amorous remarks about the fair sex, adding occasional jests until every face in the company expanded with merry laughter. In other rooms they talked about the news concerning courts, ministers, the state of politics, and the various things that had emanated from secret councils, mingled with arguments and conjectures about events. In other rooms they talked about business; in others about literary matters; in others about matters pertaining to civil prudence and moral life; and in others again about ecclesiastical affairs, the sects; and so on.
I was permitted to look into that house, and I saw men running from room to room, seeking companionship in their preferences and thus in their joy; and of such companionship I saw three kinds. Some were very eager to talk, some anxious to ask questions, and some greedy to hear.
[2] There were four doors to the house, one toward each quarter; and I noticed that many separated themselves from the companies and were in haste to go out. I followed some to the eastern door, and saw them sitting near it with sad faces. I approached them and asked why they were sitting there so sad; and they replied, "The doors of this house are kept closed against those who wish to go out; and it is now the third day since we entered; and the life of our desire has been exhausted in company and conversation, and we have become so wearied by unceasing talk that we can hardly bear to hear the murmur of the sound of it. And so out of weariness we came to this door and knocked, but we were told that the doors of this house are not opened to let people out, but only to let them in, and that we must stay and enjoy the delights of heaven; and from this we have come to the conclusion that we are to remain here forever; and therefore sadness has seized our minds, and now our breasts begin to feel oppressed, and anxiety is coming upon us."
[3] The angel then addressed them and said, "This state is the death of those joys of yours which you believed to be the only heavenly joys, when in fact they are only accessories of heavenly joys."
They asked the angel, "What, then is heavenly joy?"
The angel answered briefly, "It is delight in doing something useful both for oneself and for others. Delight in use derives its essence from love and its existence from wisdom. Delight in use arising from love through wisdom is the soul and life of all heavenly joys. In the heavens there are the most gladsome companionships, which exhilarate the minds of the angels, cheer their spirits, delight their breasts, and refresh their bodies; but these they enjoy after they have performed their uses in their offices and employments, from which come the soul and life in all their pleasures and enjoyments; but if that soul or life is taken away the accessory joys gradually cease to be joys, becoming first indistinct, then as it were worthless, and at length distasteful and distressing."
When this had been said, the door was opened, and those sitting near it sprang out; and they fled to their homes, each to his duty and work, and were revived.
734. Having said this, the angel led the way, and was first attended by the company from those who had persuaded themselves that the joys of heaven consisted in pleasant association and delightful conversation. These the angel introduced to communities in the northern quarter who, while in the former world, had entertained similar ideas on the joys of heaven. In that region there was a spacious house where members of these communities were assembled. The house contained more than fifty rooms, each being devoted to a particular subject of conversation. In some, they spoke of what they had seen and heard in the market place and streets; and in others, the conversation turned upon the various charms of the fair sex, interspersed with jests, which were continued till the faces of all in the gathering were wreathed in merry smiles. In other rooms they discussed the latest news about the court, state services, public policy, and various matters that had transpired from privy councils, adding their reasonings and conjectures upon the issues involved. In others, the subjects were trade, literature, civil prudence, the moral life, the Church and sectarianism, and so on. I was permitted to look into that house, and I saw people hurrying from room to room seeking to associate with those whose love, and consequently whose joy, was similar to theirs. In the various gatherings I noticed three types of persons, some eager to talk, some to ask questions, and some to listen.
[2] The house had four doors, one on each side; and I observed that many were leaving their groups and hastening to go out. I followed some to the east door where I saw several sitting with dejected countenances. I went up to them and asked why they were so sad; and they replied: "The doors of this house are kept shut against those who wish to go out. It is now the third day since we entered, and we have come to the end of our desire for meetings and conversations. We are now so tired of continual talking that we can scarcely bear the sound of it. From weariness we made our way to this door and knocked; but we were told that the doors of this house are not opened for those who would go out, but only for those who would come in; and that we must remain, and enjoy the delights of heaven; so we conclude that we are to remain here for ever. This is the cause of the sadness that has possessed our minds; and now a feeling of oppression and anxious fear has come over us.
[3] Then the angel addressed them and said: "The state in which you now are brings to an end those joys of yours which you believed to be the only heavenly joys, whereas they are merely subsidiary." "What then," they asked, "is heavenly joy?" The angel replied in these few words: "It is the delight of doing something useful to oneself and to others; and the delight of use derives its essence from love and its existence from wisdom. The delight of use, arising from love through wisdom, is the life and soul of all heavenly joys. There is in heaven most delightful association, which exhilarates the minds of angels, cheers their spirits, gladdens their hearts and refreshes their bodies. These pleasures, however, the angels feel only after they have performed the uses pertaining to their office and employment. From these uses are derived the life and soul of all their pleasures and delights; but if you take away that life or soul the subsidiary joys gradually lose their charm; first they become unattractive, then as it were of little account, and finally they bring that feeling of oppression and anxious care."
As the angel ended, the door was thrown open, and those who were sitting near rushed out and fled home, each going back to his own office and employment with renewed vigor.
734. His dictis, Angelus praeivit, et primum comitata est illum Cohors ex illis, qui sibi persuaserant, quod Gaudia Coelestia essent solum laetissima consortia, et suavissimae confabulationes: hos 1 Angelus introduxit ad Caetus in Plaga Septentrionali, quibus Gaudia Coeli in Mundo priori non alia fuerant. Erat ibi spatiosa Domus in quam tales congregati sunt; in Domo erant plus quam quinquaginta Camerae, distinctae secundum varia genera Confabulationum; in his Cameris loquebantur de talibus quae viderant et audiverant in foro et in plateis: in illis 2 loquebantur varia amabilia de sexu pulchro, interspersis facetiis, adauctis usque ad expansionem facierum omnium in consortio in risus hilaritatis: in aliis Cameris loquebantur Novellas de Aulis, de Ministeriis, de Statu politico, de variis quae e secretis Consiliis emanaverunt, una cum ratiociniis et conjecturis de eventibus; in aliis de Negotiatione; in aliis de Rebus literatis; in aliis de talibus quae sunt Prudentiae civilis, et Vitae moralis; in aliis de Ecclesiasticis et de Sectis, et sic porro: datum mihi est inspicere in illam Domum, et vidi discurrentes a Cameris in Cameras, inquirentes consortia suae affectionis et inde gaudii; et in consortiis vidi tria genera, quosdam sicut anhelos ad loquendum, quosdam cupidos ad sciscitandum, et quosdam avidos ad audiendum.
[2] Erant quatuor portae Domus, una ad quamlibet plagam, et observavi quod plures solverent consortia, et properarent ad exeundum; sequutus sum quosdam ad portam Orientalem, et vidi aliquos juxta illam sedentes facie tristi, et accessi et quaesivi, cur ita tristes sederent; et responderunt, portae hujus Domus tenentur clausae pro exituris, et nunc tertius dies est, a quo intravimus, et exegimus vitam desiderii nostri in consortiis et colloquiis, et a continuis sermocinationibus defatigati sumus in tantum, ut vix sustineamus audire sonorum murmur ex illis; quare ex taedio contulimus nos ad hanc portam, et pulsavimus, sed responsum nobis est, quod portae hujus Domus non aperiantur exituris, sed intraturis; manete et fruimini gaudiis Coeli; ex quibus responsis conclusimus, quod hic in aeternum permansuri simus; inde tristitia invasit mentes nostras, et nunc incipit pectus contrahi, et oboriri anxietas.
[3] Tunc alloquutus est illos Angelus, 3 et dixit, hic status est lethus gaudiorum vestrorum, 4 quae credidistis unice coelestia esse, cum tamen non sunt nisi quam accessoria Coelestium: et quaesiverunt Angelum, quid ergo est Gaudium Coeleste; et Angelus respondit haec pauca; est jucundum faciendi aliquid quod est sibi et aliis usui; et jucundum usus trahit suam essentiam ex Amore et existentiam ex Sapientia; jucundum usus oriundum ex Amore per Sapientiam est anima et vita omnium gaudiorum Coelestium. Sunt in Coelis laetissima Consortia, quae Angelorum mentes exhilarant, animos oblectant, pectora jucundant, et corpora recreant; sed haec illis sunt, postquam usus in functionibus suis et in operibus suis fecerunt; ex his est anima et vita in omnibus laetitiis et oblectamentis illorum; at si illam animam seu vitam aufers, accessoria gaudia successive 5 non fiunt gaudia, sed primum fiunt adiaphora, deinde sicut nauci, et demum tristia et anxia. His dictis aperiebatur porta, et assidentes exsiluerunt; et aufugerunt domum, quisque ad suam functionem, et ad suum opus, et refocillati sunt.
Footnotes:
1. Sic DAC 5[1] Prima editio: hoc.
2. Sic DAC 5[1] Prima editio: lllis.
3. Prima editio: Angelu.
4. Prima editio: vestorum.
5. Prima editio: saccessive.