157、⑴自创世时，两性就被赋予可以说联结为一体的能力和倾向。刚才从创世记已经说明，女人是从男人身上取出的。由此可知，两性都具有联结为一体的能力和倾向。因为凡从某人身上所取之物，都带有并保留某种出自此人的个性、形成它的个性之物。它因具有类似性质，故渴望重新联结；并且一旦重新联结，它在对方里面如同在自己里面，反之亦然（即它在自己里面如同在对方里面）。毫无疑问，两性都具有与对方结合的能力，或他们能被联结；同样毫无疑问，他们具有联结起来的倾向；因为我们的亲身经验证明了这两个事实。
157、（1）男女两个性别在创世时就有一种能力和倾向使得他们会合二为一。以上提到过在创世纪中说女人是来自于男人的，因此两个性别的人都有一种能力和倾向来合二为一。因为事物带着它的由来之物的性质，因为有相似的性质，所以有重新组合的渴望，一旦相结合后，双方互相存在于对方之中，但却象是自我一样。
所以说每个性别都有与对方相结合的能力和倾向，这点通过观察和经验可以得到证实。
157. (i) From creation each sex is endowed with the ability and inclination to be linked as it were into one.
It was shown just above from Genesis that woman was taken out of man. From this it follows that both sexes have the ability and inclination to join themselves into one. For that which is taken out of anything takes with it and retains as a result of its individuality what it makes its own. Since this is of like nature, it longs to be reunited, and when reunited is in the other as if in itself, and conversely. There can be no doubt about the ability of one sex to be linked or be united to the other; nor about the inclination to be linked. Both of these facts are proved by what we can see with our own eyes.
157. 1. Each sex has implanted in it from creation a capacity and inclination that gives them the ability and the will to be joined together as though into one. We showed just above from the book of creation that woman was taken out of man. It follows from this that the two sexes have therefore a capacity and inclination to join themselves into one. For whatever is taken from someone carries with it and retains something from his character which forms its character. And because it is of a like character, it yearns for reunion, and when it has been reunited, it exists as though in itself when it exists in the other, and conversely.
It raises no objection to say that each sex has a capacity for conjunction with the other or that they can be united. Nor that they have an inclination to join themselves together. For personal observation and experience attests to both.
157. 1. Each sex has inherent from creation an ability and an inclination so that they can, and want to, join together just as if into one person. It is already clear from the Book of Genesis that woman was taken from man (see above). This means that each sex has the ability and inclination to join together into one, because whatever is taken from something takes along and keeps the identity it got from there and makes it its own. This identity is homogeneous with the other, so it wants to reunite, and when it does reunite it is just like being in itself when in the other, and vice versa.
The idea that one sex is capable of joining with the other, or that they can unite, is no problem. Neither is the idea that they have an inclination to join themselves together. Firsthand experience teaches both things.
157. I. THAT FROM CREATION THERE HAS BEEN IMPLANTED IN EACH SEX, A FACULTY AND INCLINATION, GIVING THEM THE ABILITY AND THE WILL TO BE CONJOINED AS INTO A ONE. That woman was taken out of man has been shown just above from the Book of Creation. That hence in each sex there is a faculty and inclination to conjoin themselves into a one, follows as a consequence; for that which has been taken out of another draws on, and retains the proprial characteristic of that other which it makes its own; and this, being homogeneous, breathes reunition, and when reunited, it is as though in itself when in the other, and the reverse. The statement that there is such a faculty of conjunction of the one sex with the other, or that they can be united, presents no difficulty as neither does the statement that there is an inclination to be conjoined, for personal experience teaches both.
157. (i) By creation a faculty and an inclination were set in each sex as a result of which they can and wish to be conjoined as into one. We showed just above from the Book of Creation that woman was taken out of man. It follows that there are in each sex a faculty thence and an inclination for conjoining themselves into one. For what is taken from something else takes and keeps something of the first entity's proper nature which it makes its own. It is homogeneous with that entity and therefore seeks reunion with it, and on reunion is as it were in itself when in it, and the other way about. Without question there is a faculty of conjunction of one sex with the other, and an inclination to unite; common observation teaches both facts.
157. (1) That there is inherent in each sex, by creation, the faculty and inclination whereby they are able and desire to be conjoined as into one. It has been shown just above, from the Book of Creation, that the woman was taken out of the man. It results from this that in both sexes there is the faculty and inclination to conjoin themselves into one. For that which is taken out of anything derives and retains from its peculiar nature what makes its own; which being of like nature aspires to reunion, and when reunited is as if in itself when in that, and this reciprocally. That there is this faculty of conjunction of one sex with the other, or that they can be united admits of no doubt; nor that there is the inclination to be conjoined, for ocular experience teaches both.
157. I. Quod 1a Creatione insita sit utrique Sexui facultas et inclinatio, ut possint et velint conjungi sicut in unum. Quod foemina a viro desumpta sit, mox supra ex Libro Creationis ostensum est: quod inde sit utrique sexui facultas et inclinatio ad conjungendum se in unum, inde sequitur; id enim quod ab aliquo desumptum est, trahit et retinet ex proprio ejus, quod facit suum; quod quia homogeneum est, spirat reunitionem, et cum reunitum est, est sicut in se cum in illo, et vicissim. Quod facultas conjunctionis unius sexus cum altero sit, seu quod possint uniri, hoc nullum movet scrupulum; nec quin sit inclinatio ad conjungendum se; utrumque enim autopsica experientia docet.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: quod