6040.“约瑟对他的弟兄说”表属世层中的真理的觉知。这从“说”的含义，以及“以色列的儿子们”和“约瑟”的代表清楚可知：“说”是指觉知，如前面频繁所述；“以色列的儿子们”是指属世层里面的属灵真理（5414，5879节）；“约瑟”是指内在属天层（5869，5877节）。由此明显可知，“约瑟对他的弟兄说”表示属世层中的真理从内在属天层所获得的觉知。“约瑟说”之所以并非表示他的觉知，是因为约瑟是内在，一切觉知皆通过内在流入外在或属世层。属世层凭自己无法觉知任何东西，而是从先于它自己的事物那里获得它的觉知。然而，在先之物也无法凭自己觉知，而是从还要先于它的事物那里觉知；因此，最终觉知从主那里获得，主拥有非受造的存在。这就是流注的性质，因而这就是觉知的性质。存在和持续存在如何，流注就如何。没有什么东西自我产生，而是从先于自己之物产生，因而最终一切事物皆来自那首先的，也就是说，来自存在和显现本身，或说祂的存在和显现是非受造的。一切事物也被那首先的保持在存在中，因为这同样适用于持续存在，如同适用于存在，持续存在就是不断存在。
之所以说“属世层中的真理的觉知”，而不说“那些处于这些真理之人的觉知”，是因为这就是属灵语言的性质。事实上，思维观念以这种方式从人那里抽象出来，并固定到属灵实物上；这些实物，就是真理与良善，就是那在人里面活着，并使他活着的，或说是那在人里面拥有生命，并使他拥有生命的。因为这些实物源于主，生命的一切皆源于主。思维也以这种方式从将真理与良善归于人那里退出。这种属灵语言还能使人形成一种总体观念，这种总体观念比当它与人的观念相关联时延伸得更广泛。例如，如果有人说“那些处于这些真理之人的觉知”，这些观念同时也会固定在这样的人身上；这是通常的情形，如此它们就从总体观念中被抽离出来了；来自真理之光的启示就这样被削弱。此外，在来世，关于人的思维会干扰那些被思及的人；因为在来世，一切思维都被交流。这些就是为什么要用抽象的语言形式的原因，如此处：“属世层中的真理的觉知”。
Potts(1905-1910) 6040
6040. And Joseph said unto his brethren. That this signifies the perception of truths in the natural, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception (of which often above); from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths in the natural (n. 5414, 5879); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877). Hence it is evident that by "Joseph said unto his brethren" is signified the perception of truths in the natural from the internal celestial. That by "Joseph said," is not signified his perception, is because Joseph is the internal, and all perception flows in through the internal into the external or natural. For of itself the natural perceives nothing whatever, but its perceiving is from what is prior to itself; nay, neither does the prior perceive from itself, but from what is still prior to itself, thus finally from the Lord, who Is of Himself. Such is the nature of influx, and therefore such is the nature of perception. It is with influx as it is with coming forth (exsistentia) and subsistence. Nothing comes forth (exsistit) of itself, but from what is prior to itself, thus finally all things from the First, that is, from the Esse and the Existere of Itself. And also from the same all things subsist, for it is with subsistence as with coming forth, for to subsist is perpetually to come forth. The reason why it is said "the perception of truths in the natural," but not "the perception of those who are in these truths," is that such is the nature of spiritual speech. For in this way ideas of thought are abstracted from persons, and are determined to things; and things, that is, truths and goods, are what live with man and cause man to live, for they are from the Lord, from whom is everything of life. In this way also the thought is withdrawn from attributing truths and goods to the person. By such speech also a general idea is had, which extends itself more widely than if the idea of person is adjoined to it; as for instance if it is said "the perception of those who are in these truths," the ideas are at once determined to such persons, as is usually the case, and thus they are withdrawn from the general idea; and in this way the enlightenment from the light of truth is diminished. Moreover in the other life thought about persons excites those who are being thought of; for in the other life all thought is communicated. These are the reasons why an abstract form of speech is used, as here: "the perception of truths in the natural."
Elliott(1983-1999) 6040
6040. 'And Joseph said to his brothers' means a perception by the truths in the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' as perception, dealt with often; from the representation of 'the sons of Israel' as spiritual truths within the natural, dealt with in 5414, 5879; and from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal celestial, dealt with in 5869, 5877. From this it is evident that 'Joseph said to his brothers' means a perception by the truths in the natural which was received from the internal celestial. The reason 'Joseph said' does not mean a perception by him is that Joseph is the internal and all perception flows by way of the internal into the external or natural. By itself the natural does not perceive anything whatever but receives its perceptions from what is prior to itself. Yet what is prior does not perceive by itself but from what is yet prior to it, so that finally perception is received from the Lord, who has uncreated Being. Such is the nature of influx and consequently of perception. The situation with influx is like coming into being and remaining in being. Nothing comes into being by itself but from what is prior to itself, so that finally everything comes from Him who is First, that is, whose Being (Esse) and Manifestation (Existere) are uncreated. Everything is also kept in being by Him who is First, for the same applies to remaining in being as to coming into being, since remaining in being is constant coming into being.
[2] The reason why the expression 'a perception by the truths in the natural' is used and not a perception by people in possession of those truths is that spiritual language employs that kind of expression. For such a usage draws the ideas composing one's thought away from persons and fixes them on spiritual realities; and those realities, which are truths and forms of good, are what possess life in a person and cause him to have life. For those realities are derived from the Lord, the Source of life in its entirety. That kind of usage also leads one's mind away from ascribing truths and forms of good to a person. Such spiritual language also enables one to form an overall idea that extends further and wider than when the idea of a person is tied up with it. If for example one speaks of perception by people in possession of truths in the natural one's ideas become fixed at the same time on people like that - a common occurrence - and so one's ideas are drawn away from the overall idea, with the result that the light of truth is diminished. Furthermore, in the next life thought about persons disturbs such persons, for in that life all thought is communicated. These are the reasons why impersonal expressions like the one here - 'a perception by the truths in the natural' are used.
Latin(1748-1756) 6040
6040. `Et dixit Joseph ad fratres suos': quod significet perceptionem verorum in naturali, constat a significatione `dicere' quod sit perceptio, de qua saepius; a repraesentatione `filiorum Israelis' quod sint vera spiritualia in naturali, de qua n. 5414, 5879; et a repraesentatione `Josephi' quod sit caeleste internum, de qua n. 5869, 5877; inde patet quod per `dixit Joseph ad fratres suos' significetur perceptio verorum in naturali a caelesti interno. Quod per `dixit Joseph' non significetur (t)perceptio illius, est quia `Joseph' est internum, et omnis perceptio influit per internum in externum seu naturale; naturale enim ex se prorsus nihil percipit, sed quod percipiat, est a priore se, immo {1}nec prius percipit a se sed ab adhuc priore se, ita tandem a Domino Qui a Se Est; talis est influxus {2}et inde talis perceptio; influxus se habet sicut existentia et subsistentia; nihil existit a se sed a priore se, ita tandem omnia a Primo, hoc est, ab Esse et Existere a Se; et quoque ab Eodem omnia subsistunt, {3}se enim habet subsistentia sicut existentia, nam subsistere est perpetuo existere. [2](s)Quod dicatur perceptio verorum in naturali, non autem perceptio illorum qui in veris illis, est causa quia loquela spiritualis (t)est talis, nam ita ideae cogitationis abstrahuntur a personis et determinantur ad res, et res sunt, nempe vera et bona, quae vivunt apud hominem et faciunt hominem vivere; sunt enim a Domino, a Quo {4} omne vitae, {5}ita quoque cogitatio abducitur ab attribuendo vera et bona personae; per talem loquelam etiam idea communis habetur quae se latius extendit quam si adjungitur ei idea personae, ut si dicatur perceptio illorum qui in veris illis {6}, tunc ideae simul determinantur ad illos qui tales sunt, ut solet fieri, et sic a communi {7}abstrahuntur, inde illustratio a luce veri diminuitur; praeter quod per cogitationem de personis in altera vita excitentur illi de quibus cogitatur, nam in altera vita omnis cogitatio communicatur;(s) hae causae sunt quod abstracte dicatur, ut hic, perceptio verorum in naturali. @1 etiam quod prius est nec$ @2 qui$ @3 hoc est, perpetuo existunt$ @4 i per illa$ @5 sic$ @6 i sunt$ @7 abstrahitur$