151、行真正为良善的良善，必出于对良善的爱，因而是为了良善。那些处于这种爱的人不愿听见功德，因为他们喜欢行善，并从中获得一种幸福感。相反，他们若想到他们所行的是为了自己，就会感到难过。此处的情形几乎就像那些为了友谊而向朋友行善，为了弟兄关系而向弟兄行善，为了妻儿而向妻儿行善，为了国家而向国家行善，因而出于友谊和爱行善的人。那些持有这种正确观念的人也会说，并坚持认为，他们行善不是为了自己，而是为他人。
151、真正的良善行为一定出自对良善的爱，因此是为了良善而行善。人若置身于这样的爱中，他就不愿意听应得报偿之类的话，因为他喜欢这样做，并从中享受快乐。另一方面，如果人们认为他的所作所为是出于自私，他会感到难过。这就类似于为了友谊而帮助朋友、为了亲情而关照弟兄姐妹、为了妻儿而善待妻儿、为了国家而奉献国家，因此他所做的都是出于友谊和爱。认真思量后，他会很信服的告诉人们，他这样做不是为了自己，而是为了他们。
151. Good that is really good must be done from a love of what is good and therefore for the sake of the good that is accomplished. When we devote our lives to this love we do not want even to hear about getting credit because we love what we are doing and find real pleasure in it. Quite the opposite: it saddens us if people think we have done something out of self-interest. 1It is very much like helping our friends for the sake of friendship, our sisters and brothers for the sake of family, our spouse and children for their sakes, and our country for its sake, and therefore doing what we are doing out of friendship and love. If we think of it, we even tell them with conviction that we are not being helpful for our own sake but for theirs.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin here translated "self-interest" is proprio, literally, "what belongs to oneself," "one's own. " Though the Latin word is an adjective in origin, it is commonly used as a noun, as in this passage, to mean the self and the qualities that belong to the self. For further discussion of the Latin term, see note 1 in New Jerusalem 70. [GFD]
151. If we want to do good things that are truly good, they have to come from love, which means doing things just because they are good. When we have this kind of love, we do not want to hear about taking credit for what we do. We love to do good things — it makes us feel very happy. On the other hand, we feel sad if people think we are doing them for selfish reasons.
It is almost the same when we do good things for our friends just because they are our friends, or for our brothers because they are our brothers, or for our spouse and children because they are our spouse and children, or for our country because it is our country — in other words, when we do good things for people out of friendship and love. When we think carefully about it, we will say and persuade people that we are not doing these good things for our own sake, but for their sake.
151. Doing good that is really good must be out of a love for good, and so for the sake of good. Those who are in a state of love for good are unwilling to hear talk of reward, for they love doing good and get a blessed feeling from it. In the opposite case they are saddened, if it is thought that what they are doing is for any personal motive. The situation is almost the same as in the case of those who do good to their friends for friendship's sake, to their brother for brotherhood's sake, to their wife and children for their sakes, to their country for its sake, thus out of friendship and love. Those who have the right idea also say and persuade others that they are not doing good for their own sake, but for the others'.
151. The doing of good which is [really] good, ought to flow from the love of good, and thus it ought to be for the sake of good. Those who are in that love are not willing to hear of merit: for they are in the love of doing, and perceive a satisfaction in doing and, conversely, they are grieved if it is thought, that anything is done [by them] for the sake of self. The case herein is almost like those who do good to their friends for the sake of friendship, to a brother for the sake of the brotherly relation, to a wife and children for the sake of the wife and children, to the country for the sake of the country, and who thus do good from friendship and love. Those also who think rightly say and insist, that they do good not for the sake of themselves, but for the sake of others.
151. To do good, which is good, must be from the love of good, thus for the sake of good. They who are in that love are not willing to hear of merit, for they love to do, and perceive satisfaction therein, and, on the other hand, they are sorrowful if it be believed that what they do is for the sake of anything of themselves. This is almost like those who do good to their friends for the sake of friendship; to a brother for the sake of brotherhood, to wife and children for the sake of wife and children, to the country for the sake of the country, thus from friendship and love. They who think well, also say and insist, that they do not do good for the sake of themselves, but for the sake of others.
151. Facere bonum quod est bonum, erit ex amore boni, ita propter bonum Illi qui in eo amore sunt, non volunt audire de merito, nam amant facere, et in eo faustum percipiunt; et vice versa contristantur, si credatur quod fiat propter aliquod sui. Se habent illa paene sicut qui bonum faciunt amicis amicitiae causa, fratri fraternitatis causa, uxori et liberis uxoris et liberorum causa, patriae patriae causa, ita ex amicitia et amore; illi, qui bene cogitant, etiam dicunt et persuadent quod non benefaciant propter se sed propter illos.