208、这两种人是谁，他们各是何性质。那些承认神及其圣治的人就像天堂的天使，天使都憎恶被自己引导，喜欢被主引导。主引导他们的标志就是，他们爱邻舍。另一方面，那些只承认自然和自己的谨慎之人就像地狱灵，地狱灵都憎恶被主引导，喜欢被自己引导。他们若曾为国家的大人物，就想掌控一切；若曾为教会的大主教，同样如此；若曾为法官，就会扭曲司法判决，操纵法律；若曾为学者，就会利用自己的学识维护人自己的东西和自然界；若曾为商人，就行同强盗；若曾为农民，就行同窃贼。他们就是神的一切仇敌和圣治的嘲弄者。
208. Who the two kinds of people are and their character: Those who acknowledge God and His Divine providence are like angels in heaven, who are averse to leading themselves and love to be led by the Lord. A sign that they are led by the Lord is their loving the neighbor.
In contrast, those who acknowledge nature and their own prudence are like spirits in hell, who are averse to being led by the Lord and love to lead themselves. If they were powerful and influential people in the kingdom, they wish to rule over all things. So, too, if they were princes of the church. If they were judges, they deliver corrupt judgments and exercise dominion over the laws. If they were learned, they use their knowledge to defend a person's native character and support nature. If they were businessmen, they act like robbers. If they were farmers, they act like thieves. They are all hostile to God and mockers of Divine providence.
208. Who the two kinds of people are and what they are like. People who acknowledge God and divine providence are like angels of heaven, angels who hate to lead themselves and love to be led by the Lord. The sign that the Lord is leading them is that they love their neighbor.
On the other hand, people who acknowledge [only] the material world and their own prudence are like spirits of hell, spirits who hate to be led by the Lord and love to lead themselves. If they had been prominent in government, they want to control everything, as they do if they had been prominent in the church. If they had been judges, they warp their judicial decisions and manipulate the laws. If they had been academics, they use their scholarship to bolster human self-importance and the material world. If they had been in business, they are robbers, and if they had been farmers, they are thieves. They are all enemies of God and mockers of divine providence.
208. Who they are and what their nature is who acknowledge the Divine Providence, and who acknowledge man's own prudence. Those who acknowledge God and His Divine Providence are like the angels of heaven, who regard with aversion being led of themselves, and who love to be led by the Lord; and a sign that they are led by the Lord is that they love the neighbour. On the other hand, those who acknowledge nature and man's own prudence are like spirits of hell, who regard with aversion being led by the Lord and who love to be led of themselves. If they have been great men in a kingdom they wish to rule in all things; so also if they have been leaders in the Church. If they have been judges they pervert judgment and exercise arbitrary power over the laws. If they have been learned they apply scientific knowledge to confirm man's proprium and the rule of nature. If they have been merchants they act as robbers; and if they have been husbandmen they act as thieves. 1They are all enemies of God and scoffers at the Divine Providence.
Footnotes:
1. Original Edition has "furfures." Tafel Latin edition (1855) and Worcester Latin edition (1899) change to "fures."
208. Who and what those of each class are. Those who acknowledge God and His Divine providence are like the angels of heaven, who are averse to being led by themselves and love to be led by the Lord. It is an evidence that they are led by the Lord that they love the neighbor. But those who acknowledge nature and their own prudence are like spirits of hell, who are averse to being led by the Lord and love to be led by themselves. If they have been great men in a kingdom they wish to rule over all things; likewise if they have been primates of the church; if they have been judges they pervert judgment and exercise arbitrary power over the laws; if they have been learned they employ their knowledges to uphold what is man's own (proprium) and nature; if they have been merchants they act as robbers; if husbandmen they act as thieves. They are all enemies of God and scoffers at the Divine providence.
208. QUINAM ET QUALES hi et illi sunt; illi qui Deum, et Divinam Ipsius Providentiam agnoscunt, sunt sicut angeli coeli, qui aversantur duci a semet, et amant duci a Domino; indicium quod ducantur a Domino, est quod ament proximum. At qui naturam et propriam prudentiam agnoscunt, sunt sicut spiritus inferni, qui aversantur duci a Domino, et amant duci a semet: qui si fuerunt magnates Regni, volunt dominari super omnia: similiter si fuerunt primates Ecclesiae: si fuerunt judices, pervertunt judicia, et dominatum super leges exercent: si fuerunt docti, scientifica applicant ad confirmandum proprium hominis et naturam: si negotiatores fuerunt, agunt latrones: si coloni fuerunt, agunt furfures. Omnes sunt hostes Dei, et subsannatores Divinae Providentiae.