9868. “是绿宝石, 蓝宝石, 金钢石” 表对真理的属天之爱, 接下来的事物皆源于这爱. 这从这些石头的含义清楚可知, 这些石头是指对真理的属天之爱, 如下文所述. 之所以说 “接下来的事物皆源于这爱”, 是因为接下来的一切良善和真理都是按次序从之前的那些发出的; 事实上, 与先于自己的其它事物无关的任何事物都是不可能存在的. 按照次序, 第一是对良善的属天之爱; 第二是对真理的属天之爱; 第三是对良善的属灵之爱; 第四是对真理的属灵之爱. 这个次序就表现在决断胸牌的那几行石头上, 这正是天堂里良善和真理的实际次序. 对良善的属天之爱和对真理的属天之爱在至内层天堂; 对良善的属天之爱构成它的内在, 对真理的属天之爱构成它的外在. 但对良善的属灵之爱和对真理的属灵之爱在第二层天堂; 对良善的属灵之爱构成它的内在, 对真理的属灵之爱构成它的外在. 此外, 每种爱都按同样的次序流入下一种爱, 它们可以说构成一个统一的整体. 由此明显可知 “接下来的事物皆源于这爱” 是什么意思.

至于这一行的石头, 它们和前一行的石头, 以及其余的石头一样, 其含义来源于它们的颜色. 宝石的含义取决于它们的颜色 (参看9865节); 在天堂, 颜色是那里的光与影的修改, 因而是天使中间形式多样的聪明和智慧 (3993, 4530, 4677, 4742, 4922, 9466节); 因为天堂之光是从主发出的神性真理, 一切聪明和智慧的源头. 第一行石头表示对良善的属天之爱, 这是由于它们深浅不同的红色; 但这一行的石头具有深浅不同的蓝色, 这是红色的产物. 因为既有红色所产生的蓝色, 也有白色所产生的蓝色; 由红色所产生的蓝色由内在从火焰闪耀; 正是这种蓝色表示对真理的属天之爱; 而白色所产生的蓝色, 就是下一行石头的那种颜色, 表示对良善的属灵之爱, 这蓝色不会由内在从火焰闪耀, 而是从光闪耀.

绿宝石, 就是这一行的第一块石头是否具有蓝色, 这从它在原文的词源无从得知; 但它表示对真理的属天之爱, 这一点明显可见于以西结书:

亚兰因你的手工很多, 就作你的客商; 他们用绿宝石, 紫色布, 绣货兑换你的货物.(以西结书 27:16)

这论及推罗, 推罗表示由关于良善和真理的认知或知识所产生的智慧和聪明 (1201节). 绿宝石在此与紫色布联系在一起, 由于 “紫色” 表示对良善的属天之爱 (9467节), 故可知 “绿宝石” 表示对真理的属天之爱; 因为在圣言的预言部分, 由于天上的婚姻存在于那里的每一个细节中, 故凡论述良善的地方, 也会论述属同一类的真理 (9263, 9314节). 此外,

“亚兰”, 就是 “客商”, 表示关于良善的认知或知识 (1232, 1234, 3249, 4112节); 关于良善的认知或知识是属天之爱的真理.

蓝宝石, 就是这一行的第二块宝石, 具有一种蓝色的, 就是那种天蓝色, 这是众所周知的; 故经上在出埃及记中说:

七十个长老看见以色列的神, 祂脚下仿佛有蓝宝石的作工, 好像天空物质一般明净.(出埃及记 24:10)

这块石头表示因着内层真理而透明之物, 也就是属天之爱的真理 (可参看9407节).

不过,

“金钢石”, 就是这一行的第三块石头, 表示属天之爱的真理, 是由于它的透明, 这种透明倾向于带有蓝色在里面. 这一行的石头, 以及前一行的石头, 其颜色就以这种方式从这块石头闪耀出来, 因为它是最后一块石头, 并与下一行石头相联系. 至内层天堂的良善和真理, 相对于随后天堂的良善和真理, 也是这种情况. 后者的良善和真理通过传送, 如同通过一种透光那样从前者获得它们仁与信的生命.

2967. 'Current with the merchant' means in conformity with their state. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'a merchant', and, from this, of 'current with the merchant'. In the Word 'a merchant' means people who possess cognitions of good and truth, while 'merchandise' means those cognitions themselves. Consequently 'silver current with the merchant' means truth to the extent that it can be received, or what amounts to the same, in conformity with each individual's state and ability. For the embodiment of some arcanum within this added phrase may be seen by anyone. The specific meaning of 'a merchant' and of 'merchandise' is dealt with below, but the general meaning of the whole phrase is this: Everyone who is being reformed and regenerated has charity and faith conferred on him from the Lord; but each individual receives these according to his ability and his state. For the evils and falsities which a person absorbs from earliest childhood make it impossible for one individual to receive what is given in the same way as any other receives it. Those evils and falsities must first undergo vastation before a person can be regenerated. The amount of celestial and spiritual life left following vastation determines how far what is then left can be enlightened with truth and enriched with good.

[2] It is the remnants, that is, the goods and truths from the Lord stored away in a person, that receive life at that time. The goods and truths acquired in the period from early childhood to when reformation takes place are with one person more, with another less. They are preserved in his internal man, and cannot be brought out until his external man has been brought into a state of correspondence with the internal, which is effected chiefly by means of temptations, and by many kinds of vastation. Indeed until bodily desires which are contrary to goods and truths - as is the nature of desires which constitute self-love and love of the world - become dormant, celestial and spiritual desires that belong to the affection for good and truth cannot enter in. This is the reason why each individual is reformed in conformity with his state and ability. This is also the Lord's teaching in the parable about a man who went away on a journey,

He called his servants and delivered to them his riches. To the first he gave five talents, to the second two, and to the third one, to each according to his own ability. He who received the five talents traded with them and earned five talents more. So too he who received the two earned two more. Matthew 25:14-17, and following verses.

The same teaching also occurs in the parable about the ten servants to whom he gave ten pounds to trade with, Luke 19:12-13, and following verses.

[3] As regards 'a merchant' meaning those who possess cognitions of good and truth and 'merchandise' meaning those cognitions themselves, this is clear from the places which have just been quoted from Matthew and Luke, and also from the following: In Ezekiel,

Say to Tyre, one that dwells upon the entrances of the sea, she that is the trader of the peoples to many islands: Tarshish was your merchant because of the abundance of all riches; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traders in the souls of men - and they gave vessels of bronze for your commerce. The sons of Dedan were your traders, many islands were the merchandise of your hand. Syria was your merchant in the multitude of your handyworks; Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders. Wheat of minnith and pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm, they exchanged for your commerce. Damascus was your merchant in the multitude of your handyworks because of the multitude of all riches - in the wine of Helbon and the wool of Zahar. And Dan and Javan exchanged yarn for your wares. Dedan was your trader in chariot-cloaks. ¹ The Arab and all the princes of Kedar were the merchants of your hand in lambs, in rams and goats; in these they were your merchants. The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they were your traders in the best of every spice. Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the traders of Shebah; Asshur, Chilmad, was your trader. These were your traders in choice wares. Ezekiel 27:3, 12-13, 15-24.

These verses refer to Tyre, by which - as may be seen in 1201 and as is evident from all the specific details contained in these verses - cognitions of truth are meant. The tracings and merchandise, and also the wares, mentioned there have no other meaning, for which reason Tyre is described as 'one that dwells upon the entrances of the sea' - 'waters' meaning cognitions and 'the sea' a gathering together of these, 28. Tyre is also called 'the trader of the peoples to many islands', that is, extending even to those whose worship is more remote - 'islands' meaning more remote forms of worship, see 1158. What Tarshish means is explained in 1156, while 'silver, iron, tin, and lead' from there means truths in their own order even to the last, which are sensory truths - what 'silver' means being explained in 1551, 2048, 'iron' in 425, 426.

What 'Javan, Tubal and Meshech' means is explained in 1151-1153, 1155, while 'the souls of men' and 'vessels of bronze' from those places mean things that have to do with natural life - 'soul' meaning all life that comes from the Lord, 1000, 1040, 1436, 1742; 'vessels of bronze' the natural goods which receive that life, 425, 1551. What 'Dedan' means is explained in 1172, 'Syria' in 1232, 1234. 'Judah and the land of Israel were your traders in wheat of minnith and pannag, honey, oil, and balm' means celestial and spiritual things from the Word. The rest of the nations and their merchandise that are mentioned mean different genera and species of truth and good, and so the cognitions that exist with those meant by 'Tyre'.

[4] On such cognitions wisdom and understanding rest, as is quite clear in the same prophet where the following is stated,

Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, By your wisdom and by your intelligence you have gained riches for yourself and gained gold and silver in your treasuries. By the vastness of your wisdom, by your trading, you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up on account of your riches; therefore, behold, I am bringing strangers - the terrible of the nations - upon you. Ezekiel 28:2, 4-7.

Here it is quite evident that the commodities with which they traded mean cognitions of good and truth since there is no other source from which wisdom and intelligence may be derived. Hence the statement, 'By your wisdom and by your intelligence you have gained riches for yourself and gained gold and silver in your treasuries'. But when cognitions are sought for the selfish purpose of becoming pre-eminent, and of gaining either reputation or riches, they have no life, and those people who possess them are deprived of such altogether. In this life they are deprived of them by embracing falsities instead of truths and evils instead of goods, and in the next life too they are deprived altogether of those things that are true. This is why it is said, 'Because your heart is lifted up on account of your riches, therefore I am bringing strangers (meaning falsities) - the terrible of nations (meaning evils) - upon you'. And elsewhere in the same prophet,

Tyre is like [a city] destroyed in the midst of the sea. When your wares came out of the seas you satisfied many peoples; with the multitude of your riches and of your commerce you enriched the kings of the earth. Now you are broken by the seas, in the depths of the waters; your commerce and all your company have sunk in the midst of you. The merchants among the peoples hiss at you. ² Ezekiel 27:32-34, 36.

And in Isaiah,

The prophecy concerning Tyre. The inhabitants of the island are silent, O merchant of Sidon passing over the sea; they have replenished you. On the great waters the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the river, was her revenue and was the merchandise of nations. Who has purposed this against Tyre crowning itself, whose merchants were princes? Isaiah 23:2-3, 8.

This refers to the vastation of Tyre.

[5] Merchandise and wares are in a similar way spoken of in reference to Babylon, these being adulterated cognitions of good, and falsified cognitions of truth. In John,

Babylon has given all nations drink from the wine of the fury of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her; and the merchants of the earth, have grown rich from the abundance of her luxuries. The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, since no one buys their wares any more, wares of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, etc. The merchants in these things who were made rich by her will stand far off for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning. Revelation 18:3, 11-12, 15.

'Babylon' means worship, the external features of which seem holy but the interior features are unholy, see 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306, 1326. From this it is evident what its merchandise and wares mean.

[6] That 'a merchant' means one who acquires to himself cognitions of truth and good, and from these intelligence and wisdom, is clear from the Lord's words in Matthew,

The kingdom of heaven is like a trader seeking fine pearls, who, having found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46.

'A fine pearl' is charity or the good of faith.

[7] That all cognitions of good and truth come from the Lord is taught in Isaiah,

Thus said Jehovah, The labour of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush and of the Sabaeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours. They will follow after you, they will come over in chains and bow down to you. To you they will make the supplication, God is with you only, and there is no other besides God. Isaiah 45:14.

This refers to the Lord's Divine Human.

[8] From all these places one may now see what is meant by acting as a merchant, or buying and selling, namely acquiring cognitions of good and truth for oneself, and by means of these cognitions acquiring good itself. This good is acquired from the Lord alone, as is clear in the same prophet,

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, and he who has no money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isaiah 55:1-2.

Here 'buying' stands for acquiring for oneself, 'wine' stands for spiritual truth, 1071, 1798, 'milk' for spiritual good, 2184. Anyone may see that here 'coming to the waters' does not mean coming to the waters, nor that 'buying' means buying, nor 'money' money, nor 'wine and milk' wine and milk, but that each of these means something corresponding to it in the internal sense. For this is the Divine Word, in which all the expressions used - though fashioned out of things perceptible in the natural world and out of man's sensory impressions - have Divine spiritual and celestial things corresponding to them. In this and no other way is the Word Divinely inspired.

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