353# “就听见四活物中的一个，如同用雷声说”表示由主那里从至内层天堂出来。这从“四活物”或基路伯和“雷声”的含义清楚可知：“四活物”或基路伯在至高意义上是指主的圣治和保护，免得有人不通过爱之良善就靠近(对此，参看AE 152, 277节)，在相对意义上是指至内层和和第三层天堂(对此，参看AE 313a, 322节)；“雷声”是指由此而来的显现。在圣言中，“闪电”、“雷声”和“响声或声音”表示光照、理解和感知(参看AE 273节)，以及由此而来的显现。“雷声”表示出于至内层天堂的显现，这一点来自对应关系；因为从该天堂降下来进入世人听觉的声音听上去不是别的；事实上，它们充满整个大脑，从那里传到听觉，并在听觉被感觉为雷声。从中间天堂降下来的声音则不然。这些声音因带着光照流入，故听上去只是像说话一样响亮。
原因在于，从至内层或第三层天堂降下来的事物进入人的意愿，意愿以声音来表达自己；而从中间或第二层天堂降下来的事物进入人的智力，智力以声音的清晰度来表达自己；因为声音在理解力中形成，或取得形式；如此形成、被称为清晰度的声音，通过观念在思维中、通过话语在听觉中呈现自己。因此，那些从至内层或第三层天堂降下来的事物对应于雷声，那些从中间或第二层天堂降下来的事物对应于闪电；因此，在圣言中，“闪电”和“雷声”表示光照、理解和感知。就世上的声音而言，有某种类似这样的东西；当声音从高处降下来，如从高山降到山谷，以及从云层降到大地，由此听到雷声时，声音就会增强；当从第三层或最高层天堂出来的声音滚向较低部分，最终抵达人类听觉所在的最低部分时，也是如此，在这最低部分听上去就像雷声，但只被那些其内层打开的人听见，如这时约翰的内层。
353. And I heard one of the four animals saying as with a voice of thunder. That this signifies, out of the inmost heaven from the Lord, is clear from the signification of the four animals or cherubim, as denoting, in the highest sense, the Lord's Divine Providence and protection lest any one should approach except through the good of love (concerning which see above, n. 152, 277); and [as denoting], in a respective sense, the inmost and third heaven (concerning which also see above, n. 313, 322); and from the signification of a voice of thunder, as denoting manifestation thence. That by lightnings, thunderings, and voices in the Word, are signified enlightening, understanding, and perception, may be seen above, n. 273, hence also manifestation. That thunders signify manifestation out of the inmost heaven is from correspondence; for the voices which flow down out of that heaven even into the hearing of man, are not otherwise heard, for they fill the whole brain (cerebrum), and thence propagate themselves towards the hearing, and are there perceived by such a sound. It is different with the voices that flow down out of the middle heaven. These, since they flow in with enlightenment, are therefore heard sonorously like the expressions of speech.
[2] The reason is, because the things that flow down out of the inmost or third heaven enter man's Voluntary, and the Voluntary is made known by sounds; but the things that flow down out of the middle or second heaven, enter into man's Intellectual, and the Intellectual is made known by the articulations of sound; for sounds are formed in the understanding; and sounds formed, which are called its articulations, manifest themselves by ideas in the thought, and by expressions in the hearing. Hence it is that those things that flow down out of the inmost or third heaven correspond to thunder, and those out of the middle or second heaven to lightning; and hence also it is that in the Word, by lightnings and thunderings are signified enlightenment, understanding, and perception. These have a likeness with sounds in the world, which increase when they descend from heights, as from high mountains into valleys, and also as when from the clouds towards the earth, whence thunderings [are heard]; thus also the voices out of the third or highest heaven, when they are rolled towards the lower parts, and at length into the lowest, in which is human hearing, are heard as thunderings, but only by those who have their interiors opened, as John's then were.
353. And I heard one of the four animals saying as with the voice of thunder, signifies out of the inmost heaven from the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "the four animals" or cherubim, as being in the highest sense, the Lord's Divine Providence and guard that there be no approach except through the good of love (of which see above, n. 152, 277); and as being in a relative sense the inmost and third heaven (of which see above, n. 313, 322); also from the signification of "the voice of thunder," as being the manifestation therefrom. That "lightnings," "thunders," and "voices," in the Word, signify illustration, understanding and perception, see above (n. 273), thence also manifestation. That "thunders" signify the manifestation from the inmost heaven is from correspondence; for the voices that come down out of that heaven even into the hearing of man are heard no otherwise, for they fill the whole cerebrum and extend themselves therefrom towards the hearing, and are there perceived as a sound of thunder. It is otherwise with the voices that come down from the middle heaven; for as these flow in with illustration, they are heard only sonorously like words of speech.
[2] The reason for this is that the things that come down out of the inmost or third heaven enter the will of man, and the will expresses itself in sounds; but the things that come down out of the middle of second heaven enter into the intellect of man, and the intellect expresses itself in articulations of sound; for sounds take form in the understanding, and sounds so formed, which are called articulations of sound, present themselves in the thought through ideas, and in the hearing through words. Those things, therefore, that come down out of the inmost or third heaven correspond to thunder, and those out of the middle or second heaven to lightning; and consequently in the Word "lightnings" and "thunders" signify illustration, understanding, and perception. There is something like this in the case of sounds in the world, which grow with an increase as they come down from heights, as from high mountains into valleys, and also from the clouds towards the earth, from which are thunders; so also the voices out of the third or highest heaven, when they roll on towards the lower parts and at length reach the lowest, in which is human hearing, are heard as thunders, but only by those whose interiors are opened, as John's were at this time.
353. "Et audivi unum ex quatuor animalibus dicens tanquam voce tonitrui." - Quod significet e caelo intimo a Domino, constat 1
ex significatione "quatuor animalium" seu cheruborum, quod in supremo sensu sint Divina providentia Domini, ac custodia ne adeatur nisi quam per bonum amoris (de qua supra, n. 152, 277); et in sensu respectivo intimum et tertium caelum (de qua etiam supra, n. 313(a), 322); et ex significatione "vocis tonitrui", quod sit inde manifestatio; quod per "fulgura, tonitrua et voces", in Verbo significentur illustratio, intellectus et perceptio, videatur supra (n. 273), inde quoque manifestatio.
Quod "tonitrua" significent manifestationem e caelo intimo, est ex correspondentia; nam voces quae ex illo caelo delabuntur usque in auditum hominis non aliter audiuntur, implent enim totum cerebrum, et inde se propagant versus auditum, et ibi tali sono appercipiuntur: aliter voces quae delabuntur e caelo medio; hae quia cum illustratione illabuntur, ideo modo sonore, sicut voces loquelae, audiuntur.
[2] Causa est, quia quae e caelo intimo seu tertio delabuntur, intrant voluntarium hominis, et voluntarium se sistit per sonos; at quae e caelo medio seu secundo delabuntur, intrant intellectuale hominis, ac intellectuale se sistit per articulationes soni; formantur enim soni in intellectu, ac formati soni, quae vocantur articulationes ejus, se sistunt per ideas in cogitatione, ac per voces in auditu: inde est quod quae e caelo intimo seu tertio delabuntur, correspondeant tonitrui, et quae e caelo medio seu secundo, correspondeant fulguri; et inde quoque est, quod in Verbo per "fulgura et tonitrua" significentur illustratio, intellectus et perceptio. Haec similitudinem habent cum sonis in mundo, quod crescant cum augmento quum ex altis descendunt, ut dum ex montibus altis in valles, et quoque ut dum ex nubibus versus terram, unde tonitrua; ita quoque voces e caelo tertio seu supremo, quae cum versus inferiora devolvuntur, tandem in infimis, in quibus est auditus humanus, audiuntur sicut tonitrua, sed modo apud illos quibus interiora sunt aperta, ut nunc Johanni.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.