455、⑽淫行的性欲气场在其初始阶段，就处在淫乱之爱的气场和婚姻之爱的气场中间，并制造一种平衡。前一章分别论述了淫乱之爱和婚姻之爱这两种气场，并说明淫乱之爱的气场从地狱上升，婚姻之爱的气场从天堂降下（435节）；这两种气场在两个世界相遇，但不会联结（436节）；它们之间存在一个平衡，人就处于这平衡（437节）；人能随意转向任一气场，但转向这一个的程度，就是远离另一个的程度（438节）。至于何谓气场，可参看434节，以及那里所引用的章节。
淫行的性欲之气场就在这两种气场中间，并制造一种平衡，因为处于其中的人既能转向婚姻之爱的气场，即转向婚姻之爱，也能转向奸淫之爱的气场，即转向奸淫之爱。人若转向婚姻之爱，就转向天堂；若转向奸淫之爱，就转向地狱。这种任意转向是人的选择、乐趣和意愿的问题，好叫他能照理性而非本能自由行事，因而能成为一个人，并将他所感觉到的流注变成自己的，而不是像动物那样无法将其变成自己的一部分。之所以说如在其初始阶段那样的淫行的性欲，是因为这时，它尚处于中间状态。谁不知道凡人起初所行的，皆源于情欲，因为它源于属世人？谁不知道当人从属世正变得属灵时，这情欲不算罪恶？当人的爱正变成婚姻之爱时，淫行的性欲也一样。
455、（10）在前面章节中讲过淫荡的氛围来自于地狱，婚姻之爱的氛围来自于天国。两种氛围会相遇但不会混和，在两种氛围间有一种平衡状态。人类生活在其中，人可能走向二者任何一方。他走向一方时，也就在同一程度上脱离了另一方。
放荡行为的氛围是两种氛围的过度氛围，是因为在其中的人可能转向任何一方而进入婚姻之爱或进入通奸之中，人若转向婚姻之爱，他就转向了天堂，若转向通奸，则转向了地狱。任何一种选择都是人的自由，都是人按其意愿而自由行为。他可能成为人也可能成为兽。
455. (x) The sphere of the lust for fornicating is, at its first stage, midway between the sphere of scortatory love and that of conjugial love, and it creates an equilibrium.
The two spheres, of scortatory and conjugial love, were described in the last chapter. It was shown there that the sphere of scortatory love comes up from hell, and the sphere of conjugial love comes down from heaven (435). Those two spheres meet in both worlds, but do not join (436). The two spheres are in equilibrium, and a person is kept in this (437). A person can turn to which sphere he pleases, but in turning towards one he turns away from the other (438). For what is meant by spheres (435) and the passages quoted there.
[2] The sphere of the lust for fornicating is midway between those two spheres and produces an equilibrium, because anyone in that position can turn towards the sphere of conjugial love, that is, towards that love, and he can turn towards the sphere of the love of adultery, that is, towards that love. If he chooses conjugial love, he turns towards heaven, if the love of adultery, towards hell. Which way he takes is a matter of choice, pleasure and will for a person; and this is in order to give him freedom to act according to reason, and not by instinct. This means so that he can be human and make the influence he feels his own, and not a animal which makes no part of it its own. We say the lust for fornicating as it is at the outset, because it is then in the midway state. Is there anyone who does not know that whatever a person does at the outset is the result of desire, as it comes from the natural man? Or that desire is not reckoned a sin, when he becomes spiritual instead of natural? It is much the same with the lust for fornicating, when a person's love becomes conjugial.
455. 10. The atmosphere of a lust to fornicate, as it is in its beginning, is intermediate between the atmosphere of licentious love and the atmosphere of conjugial love, and forms the point of equilibrium. The latter two atmospheres, the atmosphere of licentious love and the atmosphere of conjugial love, were discussed in the previous chapter, and we showed there that an atmosphere of licentious love ascends from hell, and that an atmosphere of conjugial love descends from heaven (no. 435); that in both worlds these two atmospheres meet, but do not combine together (no. 436); that between these two atmospheres there is an equilibrium, and mankind lives in it (no. 437); and that a person can turn himself in the direction of either atmosphere, but in the measure that he turns to one, in the same measure he turns away from the other (no. 438). (What we mean by atmospheres may seen from no. 434 and the places cited there.)
[2] The atmosphere of a lust to fornicate is intermediate between these two atmospheres and forms the point of equilibrium for the reason that when anyone is in it, he can turn himself in the direction of the atmosphere of conjugial love, which is to say, toward that love, and also in the direction of the atmosphere of a love of adultery, which is to say, toward the love of it. However, if he turns toward conjugial love, he turns himself to heaven; if toward a love of adultery, he turns himself to hell. Either alternative is at the person's option, pleasure and will, in order that he may act freely in accordance with his reason, and not from instinct, thus that he may be a human being, adopting what flows in for himself, and not an animal, which adopts nothing of anything flowing in for itself.
We say the lust to fornicate as it is in its beginning, because it is then in its intermediate state. Who does not know that whatever a person does in the beginning originates from lust, because it originates from the natural self? And who does not know that that lust is not imputed to him when, from being natural, he becomes spiritual? It is the same with the lust of fornication when the person's love becomes conjugial.
455. 10. The aura of a desire for fornication, the way it is at its beginning, is in the middle between illicit love's aura and married love's aura, and it provides a balance. The two auras of illicit love and married love were discussed in an earlier chapter, and it showed that illicit love's aura comes up out of hell and married love's aura comes down from heaven (no. 435), that the two auras meet in both worlds but do not mingle (no. 436), that the two auras are in balance and people are in this balance (no. 437), that a person can turn toward the aura he chooses, but so far as he turns toward one he turns away from the other (no. 438), and what is meant by auras (no. 434 and the places cited there).
The aura of a desire for fornication is in between these two auras and makes the balance, because while a person is in this aura he can turn to the aura of married love - that is, to this love - and also to the aura of adulterous love - that is, to a love of it. But if he turns toward married love he turns toward heaven. If toward adulterous love he turns toward hell. Either choice is at the judgment, pleasure, and will of the person, so that he can act freely according to reason and not by instinct - therefore, so he can be a human and take the influence on himself, not a beast that takes nothing to itself.
The heading says "desire for fornication the way it is at its beginning" because it is in the intermediate state then. Who does not know that at first whatever a person does comes from selfishness because it comes from the person's worldly side? And who does not know that he is not blamed for that selfishness when he changes from worldly to spiritual? It is the same with the desire for fornication, once the person's love turns into married love.
455. X. THAT THE SPHERE OF THE LUST OF FORNICATING, AS IT IS IN ITS BEGINNING, IS MEDIATE BETWEEN THE SPHERE OF SCORTATORY LOVE AND THE SPHERE OF CONJUGIAL LOVE, AND MAKES AN EQUILIBRIUM. These two spheres, that of scortatory love and that of conjugial love, were treated of in the preceding chapter, and it was shown that the sphere of scortatory love ascends from hell, and the sphere of conjugial love descends from heaven (no. 435); that the two spheres meet in both worlds but do not join (no. 436); that between them there is equilibrium, and man is in that equilibrium (no. 437); that man can turn himself to whichever sphere he pleases, but that so far as he turns to the one, he turns away from the other (no. 438). As to what is meant by spheres, see no. 434 and the passages there cited. That the sphere of the lust of fornicating is mediate between these two spheres and makes an equilibrium, is because when in it, a man can turn to the sphere of conjugial love, that is, to that love, and also to the sphere of the love of adultery, that is, to the love thereof. If he turns to conjugial love, he turns to heaven, if to the love of adultery, he turns to hell. Either turning is at the free determination, good pleasure, and will of the man, to the end that he may be able to act freely according to reason, and not from instinct; consequently, that he may be a man, and may appropriate influx to himself. It is said the lust of fornication as it is in its beginning, because it is then in a middle state. Who does not know that all that a man does in the beginning is done from concupiscence because from the natural man? And who does not know that this concupiscence is not imputed when from natural he is becoming spiritual? It is the same with the lust of fornication when the man's love is becoming conjugial.
455. (x) The sphere of the lust of fornicating, such as this is at the outset, is midway between the sphere of scortatory love and the sphere of marital love, and makes an equilibrium. In the preceding chapter we treated of the two spheres of scortatory and of marital love. We showed that the sphere of scortatory love ascends from hell and the sphere of marital love descends from heaven (435); that the two spheres meet in each world, but do not join (436); that there is an equilibrium between the two spheres, and that the human being is in this equilibrium (437); that a man can turn to either sphere as he pleases, but that as far as he turns to one, he turns away from the other (438); and also showed what is meant by spheres (434. and at places there cited). The sphere of the lust of fornicating is midway between those two spheres, and makes an equilibrium, for the reason that one who is in it can turn to the sphere of marital love (or to this love) and also to the sphere of adulterous love (or to that love); if to marital love, he turns toward heaven, but if to adulterous love, toward hell. Either is at the free determination, preference and will of man, so that he may act freely according to reason and not from instinct, thus can be a human being and appropriate influx to himself, and not an animal, which appropriates nothing of influx to itself. We say "the lust of fornicating such as this is at the outset," for then it is in the middle state. Who does not know that anything man does at the first is from concupiscence, being from the natural man? And who does not know that this concupiscence is not to be imputed when from being natural he is becoming spiritual? The like is true of the lust of fornication, as man's love becomes marital love.
455. (10) That the sphere of the lust of fornicating, as it is in its beginning, is intermediate between the sphere of scortatory love and the sphere of conjugial love, and makes the equilibrium. The two spheres, of scortatory love and of conjugial love, have been treated of in a preceding chapter. And it was shown that the sphere of scortatory love comes up out of hell, and the sphere of conjugial love descends from heaven (n. 435); that in each world the two spheres meet, but do not conjoin themselves (n. 436); that between these two spheres there is an equilibrium, and man is in it (n. 437); that a man can turn himself to which sphere he pleases, but in so far as he turns himself to the one, he turns from the other (n. 438); what is meant by spheres (434, and the places there cited). That the sphere of the lust of fornicating is intermediate between those two spheres, and makes the equilibrium, is from the fact that while one is in that state he is able to turn himself to the sphere of conjugial love, that is to that love, and also to the sphere of the love of adultery, which is to that love. But if he turns to conjugial love he turns himself toward heaven; if to the love of adultery he turns himself towards hell, each is at the free determination, pleasure, and will of the man, because he has the ability to act freely according to reason, and not from instinct; that is, that he may be a man, and appropriate influx to himself, and not a beast which appropriates nothing of it to himself. It is said, the lust of fornication as it is in its beginning, because then it is in an intermediate state. Who does not know that whatever man does at the beginning is from concupiscence, because from the natural man? And who does not know that this concupiscence is not imputed to him while from natural he is becoming spiritual? It is similar with the lust of fornication while the man's love is becoming conjugial love.
455. X. Quod sphaera libidinis fornicandi, qualis est in principio, sit media inter sphaeram amoris scortatorii et sphaeram amoris conjugialis, et faciat aequilibrium. De binis Sphaeris, Amoris scortatorii et Amoris conjugialis, in priori Capite actum est, ac ostensum, quod sphaera amoris scortatorii ascendat ex Inferno, et quod sphaera amoris conjugialis descendat e Coelo,435: quod binae illae sphaerae sibi obvient in utroque Mundo, sed non se conjungant, 436: quod inter binas illas sphaeras aequilibrium sit, et quod homo in illo sit, 437: quod homo se convertere possit ad quam sphaeram libet, sed quod quantum se convertit ad unam, tantum se avertat ab altera, 438; quid per sphaeras intelligitur, 434, et ex locis ibi citatis.
[2] Quod Sphaera libidinis fornicandi sit media inter binas illas sphaeras, et faciat aequilibrium, est quia dum quis in illa est, potest se convertere ad sphaeram amoris conjugialis, hoc est, ad hunc amorem, et quoque ad sphaeram 1amoris adulterii, hoc est, ad hujus amorem; sed si ad amorem conjugialem, convertit se ad Coelum, si ad amorem adulterii, convertit se ad Infernum; utrumque in arbitrio, lubitu, et voluntate hominis est, propter causam, ut agere possit libere secundum rationem, et non ex instinctu, proinde ut sit homo ac appropriet sibi influxum, et non bestia, quae nihil ejus sibi appropriat. Dicitur libido fornicationis qualis est in principio, quia tunc in medio statu est: quis non scit, quod quicquid homo in principio agit, sit ex concupiscentia, quia ex naturali homine; et quis non scit, quod illa concupiscentia non imputetur, dum a naturali fit spiritualis; simile est cum libidine fornicationis, dum amor hominis fit conjugialis.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: spaeram