77、凭被称为理性的官能，谁不能明白这样或那样的良善于社会有益，这样或那样的邪恶于社会有害？例如，公义、诚实、婚姻的贞洁于社会有益，不义、不诚实、与有夫之妇通奸于社会有害；因此，这些邪恶本身就是伤害，这些良善本身就是益处。所以，若愿意，谁不能将这些事纳入理性思维？他有理性，也有自由；只要他基于上述理由避开内心的这些邪恶，他的理性和自由就会被揭开并显明出来；只要它们掌控他的事务，赋予他感知和能力；并且只要他如此行，就会看待这些良善如同朋友看待朋友。
然后，人就能从这些考虑、凭借他那被称为理性的官能，对有益于灵界社群的良善和有害于灵界社群的邪恶得出结论，只要他视邪恶为罪，视良善为仁爱的行为。一个人若愿意，也能将这一切纳入理性思维，因为他有理性和自由。他避开这些如罪的邪恶到何等程度，他的理性和自由就在何等程度上被揭开、显明出来，并被明智地使用，赋予感知和能力。他如此行到何等程度，就在何等程度上关注仁之良善，如同邻舍出于相爱而关注邻舍。
由于主为了接受和结合的缘故，愿意凡一个人照理性自由所做的，在他看来似乎都是他自己的，并且这符合理性本身，故可知，人能凭他的理性意愿事情，因为它们构成他的永恒幸福，他还能通过祈求主的神性能力而做这些事。
77. Who cannot employ his faculty called rationality to understand that this or that good is useful to society, and that this or that evil is harmful to society? That, for example, justice, honesty, and chastity in marriage are useful to society, and that injustice, dishonesty, and licentiousness with the wives of others are harmful to society? Consequently that these evils are in themselves injurious, and that those goods are in themselves beneficial?
Who, therefore, cannot make these matters matters of his reason, provided he is willing to? He has the rationality, and he has the freedom. To the extent that he therefore refrains from these evils in him, his rationality and freedom also are unveiled, emerge, take control, and give him the perception and ability; and to the extent that he does this, to the same extent he regards those goods as a friend does his friends.
[2] From these considerations a person can, by virtue of his faculty called rationality, draw conclusions regarding the goods which are useful to society in the spiritual world, and regarding the evils which are harmful there, if only for evils he substitutes sins, and for goods, works of charity. This, too, a person can make a matter of his reason, provided he is willing to, since he has the rationality and freedom to do so. Moreover, his rationality and freedom are unveiled, emerge, take control, and give him the perception and ability to the extent that he refrains from these evils as sins; and to the extent that he does this, to the same extent he regards the goods of charity as a neighbor does the neighbor out of a love for each other.
[3] Now because, for the sake of reception and conjunction, the Lord wills that whatever a person does freely in accordance with his reason appear to him as his own doing, and this accords with reason itself, it follows that a person can by virtue of his reason will something because it means his eternal happiness, and by imploring the Lord's Divine power, do it.
77. Is there anyone who cannot see from that inherent ability called rationality that one particular thing is good and useful to society while another thing is bad and harmful? Justice, for example, and honesty and marital fidelity are useful to society, while injustice, dishonesty, and sex with other people's spouses are harmful to society. This means that evil acts are intrinsically damaging, while good acts are intrinsically beneficial. Is there anyone, then, who cannot incorporate this into rational thought, given the will to do so?
We do have rationality, and we do have freedom. Our rationality and freedom are uncovered, brought to light, and used judiciously, and they enable us to perceive and to act, to the extent that we abstain from our inner evils with these goals in mind. To the extent that we do, we turn toward those good acts the way one friend turns to another.
[2] This enables us--again using that ability of ours called rationality--to make decisions about the good qualities that are useful to society in the spiritual world and the evil qualities that are harmful there. All we have to do is to see sins as the evil ones and good, thoughtful acts as the good ones. Again, we can incorporate this into our rational thought if we want to, because we do have rationality and freedom. Our rationality and freedom are uncovered, brought to light, and used judiciously, and they enable us to perceive and to act, to the extent that we abstain from these evils as sins. To the extent that we do, we turn toward good, thoughtful deeds the way one neighbor turns lovingly toward another.
[3] Now, since the Lord wants whatever we do freely and rationally to seem to be ours, for the sake of our acceptance and union, it follows that we can intend things rationally because they involve our eternal happiness and that with a strength we have asked for from the Lord, we can do them.
77. Everyone is able, from his faculty called rationality, to understand that this or that good is useful to society, and that this or that evil is harmful to it; for example, that justice, sincerity and the chastity of marriage are useful to society, and that injustice, insincerity and adulterous relations with the wives of others are harmful to it; consequently that these evils in themselves are injuries, and that these goods in themselves are benefits. Who, therefore, if he be so disposed, cannot make these things matters of his own reason? He has rationality and he has liberty; and so far as he, for the reasons mentioned, shuns these evils in himself his rationality and liberty are uncovered and become apparent; they assume control of his affairs and grant him perception and power; and so far as he acts thus, he regards these goods as a friend regards friends.
[2] In view of these considerations a man from his faculty called rationality is able to form conclusions regarding the goods which are useful to society in the spiritual world, and regarding the evils which are harmful there, if in place of evils he understands sins, and in place of goods, the works of charity. This also a man is able to make a matter of his reason, if he be so disposed, since he has rationality and liberty; and so far as he shuns these evils as sins, his rationality and liberty are uncovered and become apparent; they assume control of his affairs and grant him perception and power; and so far as he acts thus, he regards the good works of charity as a neighbour regards the neighbour, from mutual love.
[3] Now because the Lord, for the sake of reception and conjunction, wills that whatever a man does freely according to reason should appear to him to be his own, and as this is in accordance with reason itself, it follows that man can will to act thus from reason, because it constitutes his eternal happiness; and that he can do so from the Divine power of the Lord when this is invoked.
77. With his faculty called rationality, who is not able to understand that this or that good is useful to society, and that this or that evil is harmful to it; for example, that justice, sincerity, and the chastity of marriage, are useful to society, and that injustice, insincerity, and adulterous relations with the wives of others, are harmful to it; consequently, that these evils in themselves are injuries, and that the goods in themselves are benefits? Who therefore is not able, if he will, to make these distinctions matters of reason? He has rationality, and he has liberty; and so far as he, for these reasons, shuns these evils in himself, are his rationality and liberty uncovered and made manifest, and so far do they regulate, and give perception and ability; and so far as this is done man looks to these goods as a friend looks to his friends.
[2] From all this man is able afterwards, from his faculty which is called rationality, to draw conclusions about such goods as are useful to society in the spiritual world, and about the evils that are harmful there, if in place of evils he understands sins, and in place of goods works of charity. Thus a man is able, if he will, to make a matter of his reason also, since he has rationality and liberty. And so far as he shuns these evils as sins, are his rationality and liberty uncovered and made manifest, and so far they regulate and give perception and ability; and so far as this is done, he looks to the goods of charity as neighbor looks to neighbor, from mutual love.
[3] Since, then, it is the Lord's will, for the sake of reception and conjunction, that whatever a man does freely in accordance with reason should appear to him to be his, and this is in accordance with reason itself, it follows that man is able from his reason to will this on the ground that it constitutes his eternal happiness; and by the Lord's Divine power, when it is invoked, he is able to do it.
77. Quis non potest ex facultate sua, quae vocatur rationalitas, intelligere, quod hoc aut illud bonum sit utile communi, et quod hoc aut illud malum sit noxium communi, ut quod justitia, sinceritas, et castitas conjugii, sint utiles communi, et quod injustitia, insinceritas et scortatio cum aliorum uxoribus, sint noxiae communi; consequenter quod mala haec in se sint damna, et quod bona illa in se sint emolumenta: quis itaque non potest illa rationis suae facere, modo velit; rationalitas ei est, et libertas ei est; et tantum ejus rationalitas et libertas nudatur, apparet, moderatur et dat percipere et posse, quantum mala illa apud se propterea fugit, et quantum hoc facit, tantum bona illa, ut amicus amicos, spectat.
[2] Ex his dein potest homo ex facultate sua, quae vocatur rationalitas, concludere ad bona quae utilia communi sunt in Spirituali mundo, et ad mala quae ibi noxia sunt, si modo pro malis percipiat peccata, et pro bonis opera charitatis; hoc quoque potest homo rationis suae facere, modo velit, quoniam rationalitas et libertas ei sunt, et tantum ejus rationalitas et libertas nudantur, apparent, moderantur et dant percipere et posse, quantum mala illa ut peccata fugit, et quantum hoc facit, tantum bona charitatis, ut proximus proximum ex amore utrinque, spectat.
[3] Nunc quia Dominus propter receptionem et conjunctionem, vult, ut quicquid homo libere facit secundum rationem, appareat illi sicut ejus, et hoc est secundum ipsam rationem, sequitur quod homo possit ex ratione, quia est ejus aeterna felicitas, velle, et ex implorata Divina Domini potentia, id facere.