6048.“说，你们作的什么职业”表并知道你们的良善。这从“职业”的含义清楚可知，“职业”是指良善。“职业”之所以指良善，是因为它们源于意愿，源于意愿的事物要么是良善，要么是邪恶；而源于理解力的事物，如所说的话，要么是真理，要么是虚假。雅各的儿子们，以及他们列祖的“职业”是养牲畜的，因而是作牧羊人的。这些“职业”也表示良善，尤表真理之良善。它们所具有的这种含义来源于对应，因为羊群中的羔羊、绵羊、小山羊和母山羊对应于仁之良善；牛群中的牛犊和公牛也是如此。这些牲畜具有这种对应关系从以下事实清楚看出来：当天使出于天上的情感彼此谈论仁之良善时，羊群和牛群就会出现在灵人界，以及第一层或最低层天堂的某些地方。当他们谈论内层仁之良善时，羊群就会出现；当他们谈论外层良善时，牛群就会出现（3218-3220节）。这解释了为何在圣言中，“羊群和牛群”表示这类行为或职业。
一般来说，要知道，包含在圣言中的每一个灵义都来源于来世的代表，而这些代表又来源于对应。原因在于，自然界从灵界获得其存在，犹如一个结果从其原因获得其存在，以便灵界能流入自然界，在那里充当事物背后的原因。自然界的一切事物也以这种方式被保持在自己的适当路径和秩序中。因为整个自然界就是代表主国度，也就是代表那里的属灵和属天实物的一个舞台（参看2758，2987-3002，4939，5116节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 6048
6048. And will say, What are your works? That this signifies, and to know your goods, is evident from the signification of "works," as being goods. That "works" are goods is because they are from the will, and things from the will are good or evil, but things from the understanding, such as discourse, are true or false. The works of the sons of Jacob, and also the works of their fathers, were to pasture cattle, thus to act as shepherds. These works also signify goods, specifically goods from truths. That they have this signification is from correspondences, for lambs, sheep, kids, and goats, which are of the flock, correspond to the goods of charity; in like manner bullocks and oxen, which are of the herd. That they correspond is evident from the fact that when from heavenly affection the angels are conversing together about the goods of charity, there appear in some places in the world of spirits, and also in the first or ultimate heaven, flocks and herds-flocks, when they are speaking of the interior goods of charity; and herds when of the exterior goods (n. 3218-3220). For this reason it is that in the Word such things are signified by "flocks and herds." In general be it known that every significative in the Word derives its origin from representatives in the other life, and these from correspondences. The reason is that the natural world is from the spiritual world as an effect from its cause, to the end that the spiritual world may flow into the natural world and there act as the causes. In this way also all things of this world are held together in their tenor and in order. (That universal nature is a theater representative of the Lord's kingdom, that is, of the spiritual and heavenly things therein, may be seen, n. 2758, 2987-3002, 4939, 5116.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 6048
6048. 'And says, What are your works?' means and to know your forms of good. This is clear from meaning of 'works' as forms of good. The reason why 'works' means forms of good is that works originate in the will, and what originates in the will is a form of good or a form of evil, whereas what originates in the understanding, such as spoken words, is a form of truth or a form of falsity. The 'works' done by Jacob's sons, and also by their forefathers, consisted in tending livestock, thus in acting as shepherds; and by these 'works' too forms of good are meant, in particular forms of the good of truth. This meaning has its origin in correspondences, for lambs, sheep, kids, and she-goats, which are members of the flock, correspond to forms of the good of charity; and so do young bulls and oxen, which are members of the herd. The fact that these animals have this correspondence is clear from the consideration that when angels, moved by a heavenly affection, talk to one another about forms of the good of charity, flocks and herds are seen in some places in the world of spirits and also in the first or lowest heaven. Flocks are seen when they talk about interior forms of the good of charity, but herds when they talk about exterior forms, see 3218-3220. This explains why in the Word such deeds are meant by 'flocks and herds'.
[2] In general it should be recognized that every spiritual meaning contained in the Word has its origin in representatives in the next life, and those representatives in correspondences. The reason for this is that the natural world derives its existence from the spiritual world in the way an effect does from its cause, to the end that the spiritual world may flow into the natural world and act as the causes behind things there. In this way everything there is maintained in its proper path and order. For the whole natural creation is a theatre representative of the Lord's kingdom, that is, of the spiritual and celestial realities there, see 2758, 2987-3002, 4939, 5116.
Latin(1748-1756) 6048
6048. `Et dicat, Quid opera vestra ?': quod significet et scire vestra bona, constat ex significatione `operum' quod sint bona; quod opera sint bona, est quia ex voluntate sunt, et quae ex voluntate, illa sunt bona vel mala, quae autem ex intellectu, prout sermones, sunt vera vel falsa. (s)Opera filiorum Jacobi, ut et patrum illorum {1}, fuerunt pascere pecora, ita agere pastores; haec opera etiam significant bona, in specie bona ex veris; quod significent, est ex correspondentiis, `agni' enim, {2} `oves, haedi, caprae' quae sunt gregis, correspondent bonis charitatis; similiter `juvenci, boves' qui sunt armenti; quod correspondeant, constat ex eo quod cum angeli {3} ex affectione caelesti loquantur inter se de bonis charitatis, appareant aliquibus in locis in mundo spirituum et quoque in primo seu ultimo caelo, greges {4}et armenta; cum de bonis charitatis interioribus, greges, at cum de exterioribus armenta, videatur n. 3218, 3219, 3220; inde nunc est quod in Verbo per `greges et armenta' significentur talia. [2]In genere sciendum quod omne significativum quod in Verbo, trahet suam originem a repraesentativis in altera vita, et haec a correspondentiis {5}; causa est quia mundus naturalis est ex mundo spirituali sicut effectus (c)a sua causa, ob finem ut mundus spiritualis possit influere in mundum naturalem et ibi agere causas; {6}sic etiam continentur in suo tenore et in ordine omnia quae ibi {7}: quod universa natura sit theatrum repraesentativum regni Domini, hoc est, spiritualium et caelestium quae ibi, videatur n. 2758, 2987, 3002, 4939, 5116.(s) @1 i a multis saeculis retro$ @2 i et$ @3 i in caelis$ @4 vel$ @5 i et adhuc sciendum, quod in mundo naturali nihil usque detur, quod in mundo spirituali non correspondeat talibus quae significant$ @6 continendo$ @7 i sunt$