305. Verses 4, 5. And I wept much, that no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look therein. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion which is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

"And I wept much, that no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look therein," signifies, grief of heart on account of the disorder and ruin of all, if no one could know, have cognisance of, and explore all men, and all things pertaining to them.

"And one of the elders" signifies, a society of heaven which [was] in wisdom above the rest; "saith unto me, Weep not," signifies lest there be grief hence; "behold, the Lion hath prevailed," signifies, that the Lord from His own power subjugated the hells, and reduced all things in the heavens to order; "of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David," signifies, by the Divine good united to the Divine truth in His Human; "to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof," signifies that He knows and has cognisance of all men and every man, and the most secret things of every one.

1480. 'That the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful' means that the knowledge which is comprised of cognitions is to itself highly pleasing. This is clear from what has been stated above at verse 11, to the effect that in childhood knowledge is of such a nature. Within knowledge an inclination so to speak exists - for that inclination is innate in man - which disposes it first of all to take pleasure in knowing just for the sake of knowing, and with no other end in view. This is so with everyone: his spirit takes great delight in knowing, so that it scarcely desires anything better, knowledge being its food by which it is sustained and renewed, as the external man is by earthly food. And this which nourishes his spirit is communicated to the external man to the end that the external man may be adapted so as to serve the internal. These foods exist consecutively, in the following order: Celestial food consists in every good of love and charity received from the Lord, while spiritual food consists in every truth of faith; these are the kinds of food by which angels live. From these comes the food - also celestial and spiritual, but of a lower angelic degree - by which angelic spirits live. And from this again comes celestial and spiritual food of a still lower degree, which is that of reason and from this of knowledge, by which good spirits live. Last of all comes bodily food, which is proper to man while he lives in the body. All these foods correspond to one another in a remarkable manner. From this it is also evident why and how knowledge is to itself most pleasing, for that pleasure is as appetite and taste; therefore also eating with man corresponds in the world of spirits to facts, and appetite and taste themselves to the intense desire for facts, as is clear from experience which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be presented further on.