19. 被称为“信之理”的真理，以及被称为“爱之善”的良善，在内义中-即在天堂中-的加增无以言表。属世意义若无属灵和属天意义，将是何等光景？反之，若无属世意义，属灵和属天意义又将如何?
真理和良善在圣经内义中加增的原因：世上之事乃是属灵源头的结果，而属灵之事又是属天源头的结果。每个结果由众多元素作为原因构成，它们无可数量，无法看见。结果是可见的，原因进入结果的每一部分，组织起来形成总体结构，其内隐藏的具体及各个元素如此之深，完全超越目所能及的尺度。
[2] 它好比一棵树，看起来枝繁叶茂。这些都是结果，但你若能检验一根枝条内部的细丝，或一片树叶的纤维，又或果实里面无形的细微构成部分，以及它的种子内部不可见的成分—树及其所有部分由这些细微物质构成，你就会领悟到里面隐藏着不可数计、无以言表的看不见的事物。有一次，一朵花在众天使面前绽放—展现出其灵性内在成分，他们见后就说，此花之内蕴藏着整个乐园，其内涵之丰富，无以言表。
[3] 还可将一个人体连同一切可见的肢体与器官，与其内部结构相比。其中有如此多的有机组织，被所有的科学奥秘连接起来构成一个完整的个体。你可以说，所有学科的奥秘汇集起来一同贡献于它—诸如物理、化学、力学、几何、声学、光学。这些奥秘从未被探索，因为无法理解。
这就是内在相对于外在，或属灵相对于属世，或属天相对于属灵。属世本身只不过是个外在的形式，为属灵的结果；而属灵是属天的外在形式，为属天的结果。因此，属灵的一切来自属天，属世的一切来自属灵。
由此明显可知当如何来理解以下陈述：真理是良善的形式，良善是真理的内在本质，因为良善从真理之中得其形式，离开了形式，本质便无法存在。并且，真理源于良善，就像它存在的原因一样。若将良善从真理中移除，就像从杏仁中移除核心一样，而真理就如其外壳；或者像掏空水果的果肉，只留下果皮一样。无良善之真理因而转变为某种假象，外表看似一样，里面却是空的。离开属灵的属世事物就是如此；离开了属天，属灵事物也是这样。
[4] 属灵之中包含的事物，在属世领域既不可见，也无法言表；属天之中包含的事物数不胜数，在属灵领域也不可见，由此可见圣经的属世、属灵和属天之意是怎么回事，它们相互之间无法描述。于是它们依秩序接续，如同知识、聪明、智慧一样。天使因此称地上的世人“有知识”，因为他们处于属世的光照中；而主的属灵国度天使被称为“有聪明”，主的属天国度天使则被称作“有智慧”。
[5] 圣经的字义好比一棵树，覆盖着完整的皮层或树皮，因而健康繁茂；圣经的灵义好比各样汁液和精华对此树的滋养，一部分从土地里升上来，一部分取自空中或大气中的太阳光和热。圣经若只有字义，却不同时具有属灵和属天之义，就好比一棵没有树液滋养的树，或者像一棵只有树皮、内无木本的树。当这些意义汇聚一起时，就成为一棵全面完美的树。同样在这棵树中，它所有的汁液都由树根借着皮层或树皮上升；因此若剥了树皮，这树也就枯萎了；离开了属世之义的圣经灵义也是如此。
19. Truths and Goods Called Truths of Faith and Goods of Love are Indescribably Multiplied in the Internal Meanings [of the Word], Thus in the Heavens
(Also, What the Natural Meaning Would Be Like Without the Spiritual and Celestial Meanings, and Vice Versa)
The reason truths and goods are multiplied in the internal meanings of the Word is that natural things are effects from spiritual causes, and spiritual things are effects from celestial causes, and an effect consists of many things as causes which do not appear to the eye-so many, that the effect may be said to consist of an infinite number of them. An effect is relatively gross, and a cause enters into every aspect of the effect, organizing it as a general form of itself, in which there are particular and individual components altogether too deeply hidden to fall within the scope of visual sight.
[2] An effect is, by way of comparison, like a tree in full growth, whose branches, leaves and fruits are visible to the eye. These are all effects. But if you could examine the fibers inside one of its branches, or the filaments in one of its leaves, or all the individual components of its fruit that are otherwise invisible, and likewise the invisible constituents in one of its seeds-all of which go to make up a tree with its various characteristics-if you could examine these things, you would see how beyond number and also how indescribable the things are which lie hidden from ordinary view. A flower was once opened before angels in respect to its interior elements which are called spiritual, and when they saw it, they said there was virtually a whole paradise there, consisting of things indescribable.
[3] An effect is also by way of comparison like the human body with all of its organs and parts that are visible to the eye, in contrast to its interior constituents, where there are so many organic forms, held together by the purest secrets of all the sciences and constituting a single whole, that you would say that into its composition have been brought together the secrets of all the sciences, as of physics, chemistry, mechanics, geometry, acoustics, optics-secrets which can never be explored because they cannot be comprehended.
That is what internal things are like in comparison to external things, or spiritual things in comparison to natural things, and celestial things in comparison to spiritual things. Something natural regarded in itself is simply the external form, called an effect, of spiritual things; and something spiritual is the external form, called an effect, of celestial things. Spiritual things all take their origin from celestial things, therefore, and natural things all take their origin from spiritual things.
It is apparent from this how it is to be understood that truth is the form of good, and that good has its character in truths, because good receives its form from truths, and without form there is no character. It also makes apparent how it is to be understood that truth arises from good as from its vital cause, so that if you remove good from truths, it is like taking the nut out of an almond, making truth comparable to its empty shell, or like taking the flesh from a fruit and leaving only the skin. Truth without good is consequently turned into a kind of illusion, which outwardly appears the same, but inwardly is empty. So it is with natural things if spiritual things are removed, and so, too, with spiritual things if celestial things are removed.
[4] Since spiritual things contain indescribable things which do not appear in the natural realm, and celestial things a countless number of things [which do not appear in the spiritual realm], it is apparent what the meanings of the natural, spiritual and celestial Words are like, namely, that these Words are indescribable in relation to one another. They therefore follow in order, like knowledge, intelligence and wisdom. Angels on this account also call people on earth knowledgeable, because they are in natural light, whereas angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom are called intelligent, and angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom wise.
[5] The Word in its literal meaning may be likened to a tree possessing a healthy and thriving bark or cortex enveloping it. And the spiritual meaning may be likened to the tree's nourishment by various juices and essences, partly arising from the soil, partly taken in from the air and atmosphere by means of the heat and light of the sun. If the literal meaning alone were to exist, and not at the same time the spiritual and celestial meanings, it would be like a tree without sap, in fact, like bark by itself without the wood. But with those other meanings it is like a tree in its perfect state. In such a tree, too, all the sap rises from the root through the bark or cortex. Therefore if the bark is taken away, the tree withers. So would it be with the spiritual meaning of the Word apart from its natural meaning.
19. XIX. The truths which are called the truths of faith, and the kinds of good which are called those of love, are increased to an indescribable extent in the internal senses, and so in the heavens.
What the natural sense is like without the spiritual and celestial senses, and these without the natural sense.
The reason is that natural things are the effects coming from spiritual things, and spiritual things are the effects coming from celestial things. An effect is composed of so many elements invisible to the eye; these are causes so numerous that they could go on being counted for ever. An effect is gross, and the cause enters into every part of the effect, and is so to speak the common factor composing it, the particular details of which are completely outside 1the range of the eye's vision.
[2] A cause may be compared to a tree, which to the eye appears to have luxuriant branches, leaves and fruits; all of these are effects. But if you could observe a branch inside, down to its filaments, or a leaf down to its fibres, or a fruit down to its every detail, which are too small to see, and a seed with all its details too small to see, from which the tree and all its parts come, you would see what countless and indescribable secrets lie hidden beyond the range of the eyes. Once before an audience of angels a flower was opened up to its inner or spiritual components; and on seeing these they said it was as if a whole park were contained in it, made up of indescribable parts.
[3] Another comparison might be with the human body with all its limbs and organs visible, as compared with its inner structure. Here there are so many organic forms, connected and making a single whole entirely by the secrets of all the sciences, 2so that you might say that the secrets of all the sciences have contributed to it, such as physics, chemistry, mechanics, geometry, acoustics, optics. These scientific secrets can never be fully investigated, because they cannot be grasped. This is what the interior is compared to the exterior, or the spiritual as compared to the natural, and the celestial as compared to the spiritual. The natural regarded in itself is nothing but the external form, what is called the effect, of spiritual things; and the spiritual is the external form, what is called the effect, of celestial things. Everything spiritual comes from the celestial, and everything natural from the spiritual.
This makes it clear how we must understand the statement that truth is the form of the good, and that good has its quality in truths; because good in them possesses a form, and in the absence of a form quality ceases to exist. Also that truth arises from good, as from its living cause; and if you take good away from truths, this is like taking the kernel out of an almond, and truth is like its shell. Or it is as if you took away the flesh from a fruit, leaving only the skin. Truth therefore without good is turned into something imaginary, outwardly looking the same, but empty inside. So too is the natural without the spiritual, and also the spiritual without the celestial.
[4] Since the spiritual contains indescribable things not visible in the natural, and the celestial contains countless things [not visible in the spiritual], 3the natural, spiritual and celestial senses cannot be described by comparing one with another. Thus one comes after another, like knowledge, intelligence and wisdom. People on earth therefore, being in natural light, are called by angels knowledgeable, but the angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom are called intelligent, and the angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom are called wise.
[5] The Word in its literal sense can be compared to a tree, surrounded by an undamaged and flourishing rind or bark; and the spiritual sense can be compared to its being fed by various juices and essences, some rising from the ground, others absorbed from the air or ether by means of the sun's heat and light. If the literal sense stood alone, and was not accompanied by the spiritual and celestial senses, it would be like a tree with no sap, or rather, the bark alone with no wood inside. But together with those senses it is like a tree in all its perfection. In it too all the sap passes from the root by way of the rind or cortex. If therefore it is taken away, the tree withers. Such would be the spiritual sense of the Word, if deprived of its natural sense.
Footnotes:
1. Reading prorsus [non] intra as proposed by B. Rogers. -Translator
2. Reading very difficult; the translation follows the text proposed by B. Rogers. -Translator
3. This addition seems to be needed to balance this clause with the preceding one. -Translator
[APPENDIX]
Although the manuscript of the main text ends with section 19, a number of other sections are found at various places in the text of the Day-book or Diarium Spirituale. The author appears to have numbered them himself as 20-26, but there is no section numbered 25. They are here translated with the original numbers as before in Roman numerals. The Latin text may be found in J.F.I. Tafel's edition, Part VII:2 pp. 74-5; Appendix pp. 104-5, 105-6, 109, 111-12, 115-16. They seem in some cases to be early drafts of what appears in the main text, but there are interesting points not made there. The reading of the manuscript is particularly difficult, and in a few places the meaning is not certain.- Tr.]
19. XIX. THE TRUTHS WHICH ARE CALLED TRUTHS OF FAITH, AND THE GOODS WHICH ARE CALLED GOODS OF LOVE, ARE INEFFABLY INCREASED IN THE INTERNAL SENSES, THUS IN THE HEAVENS. THE QUALITY OF THE NATURAL SENSE WITHOUT THE SPIRITUAL AND CELESTIAL SENSES, AND THE REVERSE.
The reason of this is, that natural things are effects from spiritual, and spiritual things are effects from celestial, and the effect consists of so many things which are causes, that do not appear before the eyes, as may be said to reach to infinity. The effect is gross, and the cause enters every effect and composes it as its own general, in which are particulars and single things altogether beyond the sphere of the sight of the eye.
[2] It is comparatively like a tree, which appears before the eyes luxuriant with branches, leaves, and fruits. All these are effects, but if you could examine a branch within as to the filaments, or a leaf as to fibers, or the fruit as to each and all things of it which are invisible, and the seed as to its invisible parts, of which the tree with all its members consists, you would see how innumerable and indescribable things lie hidden from the eyes. Once a flower was opened before the angels as to its interiors, which are called spiritual, and when they saw they said that there was within as it were a whole paradise, consisting of indescribable things.
[3] It is also like the human body with all its members and organs that appear before the eye, as compared with its interiors, where are so many organic forms, by pure arcana of all the sciences making so many bodies from one, even so that you might say that into it are gathered arcana of all the sciences, as Physics, Chemistry, Mechanics, Geometry, Acoustics, Optics, which arcana of the sciences can in no wise be explored, because not comprehended. Such is the internal with respect to the external, or the spiritual with respect to the natural, and the celestial with respect to the spiritual. The natural in itself regarded is nothing else than an external form, which is called the effect of spiritual things; and the spiritual is an external form, which is called the effect of celestial things; wherefore everything spiritual is from the celestial, and everything natural is from the spiritual. From this it is plain how it is to be understood that truth is the form of good, that good has its quality in truths, because form is in them, and without form quality is lacking; and that truth exists from good as from its own living cause; and that if you remove good from truths, it is as if you should take the kernel from an almond, the truth being like its shell; or as if you should take out the pulp from fruit, and leave only the skin. Hence truth without good is turned into what is fantastic, which appears externally like truth, but is empty within. So is the natural without the spiritual, and also the spiritual without the celestial.
[4] Because there are ineffable things in the spiritual which do not appear in the natural, and innumerable things in the celestial, therefore it is plain what is the nature of the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial, that they are ineffable with respect to one another. They follow after one another, as knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom; wherefore also men on earth, because they are in natural light, are called by the angels knowing, while angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom are called intelligent; and angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom are called wise.
[5] The Word in the sense of the letter may be compared to a tree, surrounded with cortex or bark, entire, and endowed with vegetative life, and the spiritual sense may be compared to its nutrition from various juices and essences, partly ascending from the ground, partly imbibed from the air and ether, by means of the heat and light of the sun. If the sense of the letter alone existed, and not at the same time the spiritual sense and the celestial sense, the Word would be as a tree without sap, or as the bark alone without wood; but with those senses it is like a tree in its perfect state; indeed in a tree all the sap passes from the root through the bark or cortex, wherefore when that is taken away the tree dries up. Such would be the case with the spiritual sense of the Word without its natural sense.
19. Quod vera, quae vocantur fidei, et bona quae vocantur amoris, ineffabiliter augeantur in sensibus internis, ita in coelis
Qualis sensus naturalis absque spirituali et coelesti, et vicissim
[1] Causa [quod vera et bona augeantur in sensibus internis] est, quia naturalia sunt effectus ex spiritualibus, et spiritualia sunt effectus ex coelestibus, et effectus consistit ex tam multis, quae coram oculis non patent, quae causae sunt, ut dici possit [consistere ex] infinitis; effectus est crassus, et causa intrat omne effectus, et componit illum sicut suum commune, in quo particularia et singularia prorsus [non] intra visus ocularis sphaeram sunt.
[2] Est comparative sicut arbor, quae coram oculis apparet luxuriari ramis, foliis, et fructibus; omnia haec effectus sunt; at si lustrare poteris ramum ejus intus quoad fila, aut folium quoad fibras, aut fructum quoad omnia et singula ejus quae inconspicua sunt, et semen quoad ejus inconspicua, ex quibus [consistit] arbor cum omnibus ejus, visurus esses, quam innumerabilia et quoque ineffabilia laterent oculis recondita. Quondam aperiebatur flos quoad interiora ejus, quae vocantur spiritualia, coram angelis, et cum viderunt, dixerunt quod inibi sicut integer paradisus esset, ex ineffabilibus consistens.
[3] Etiam est comparative sicut corpus humanum cum omnibus ejus membris et organis, quae coram oculo apparent, respective ad ejus interiora, ubi tot formae organicae sunt, per mera arcana omnium scientiarum connexae et unum facientes, usque ut dicas quod in illum collata sint arcana omnium scientiarum, sicut Physices, Chymices, Mechanices, Geometriae, acustices, optices, quae scientiarum arcana nusquam possunt explorari quia non capi; tale est internum respective ad externum, seu spirituale respective ad naturale, ac coeleste respective ad spirituale; est naturale in se spectatum non nisi quam forma externa, quae vocatur effectus, spiritualium, ac spirituale est forma externa, quae vocatur effectus, coelestium, quare omne spirituale est ex coelesti, et omne naturale est ex spirituali. Inde patet quomodo intelligendum est, quod verum sit forma boni, et quod bonum habeat quale suum in veris, quia ex illis est forma, et absque forma nihil [est] quale; et quod verum existat ex bono, ut a sua causa viva; et quod si removes bonum a veris, sit sicut nucleum amygdalae eximas, et verum sit instar ejus crustae, aut si ex fructu eximas carnem, et remaneat sola cutis; quare verum absque bono vertitur in tale quod est phantasticum, quod exterius apparet simile, sed interius est vacuum. Ita est naturale absque spirituali, et quoque spirituale absque coelesti.
[4] Quoniam ineffabilia sunt in spirituali, quae non apparent in naturali, et innumerabilia in coelesti, patet qualis est sensus [Verbi] naturalis, spiritualis et coelestis, quod ineffabilia sint [Verba] respective unum ad alterum; inde succedunt sicut scientia, intelligentia et sapientia, quare etiam homines telluris, quia in naturali luce sunt, ab angelis vocantur scientes, angeli autem Regni spiritualis Domini vocantur intelligentes, et angeli Regni coelestis Domini vocantur sapientes.
[5] Verbum in sensu literae comparari potest arbori, circumcirca cortice seu libro integro et vegeto praeditae, et sensus spiritualis comparari potest nutritioni ejus ex variis succis et essentiis, partim ex humo ascendentibus, partim ex aere et ex aethere, medio solis calore et luce, insuctis; si sensus literae solus foret, et non simul sensus spiritualis et coelestis, foret sicut arbor absque succo, imo sicut cortex solus absque ligno; at cum illis sensibus est [sicut] arbor in suo statu perfecto; in illo etiam omnis succus a radice transit per librum seu corticem, quare illo exemto exarescit arbor; ita foret sensus spiritualis Verbi, absque sensu naturali ejus.