168、自由状态下的悔改是有效的，但强迫状态下的悔改是无效的。强迫状态是指疾病，不幸所导致的心情沮丧，濒临死亡，夺去对理性的使用的一切畏惧。当一个在强迫状态下承诺悔改，也行善的恶人恢复自由的状态时，他就会回到以前的罪恶生活中。而善人则不然。
168、在自由状态下进行的悔改是有效的，但是在强迫状态下进行的是无效的。强迫状态例如：身患疾病时，因不幸而心情沮丧时，或死亡大限来临时，以及因任何恐惧而失去运用理性能力时。邪恶的人在强迫状态下也会行善，承诺悔改。当他回归自由时，他会恢复他以前的罪恶生活。良善之人则与之不同。
168. When we repent in a state of freedom, it works; when we repent under duress, it does not. The following are states of duress: a state of sickness, a state of mental depression because of misfortune, a state in which death seems imminent, as well as any state of fear that robs us of the use of reason. Sometimes people who are evil and are in a state of duress do things that are good and make promises to repent, but when they find themselves in a state of freedom they return to their old life of evil. It is different for people who are good.
168. If we regret our faults when we are free, it accomplishes something. But when we regret them under compulsion, it is worthless. We are under compulsion when we are sick, or depressed because some disaster has happened to us, or when we are about to die, or when we are so afraid of something that we cannot think rationally.
If we are harmful people, when we are under compulsion we may insist that we regret our faults, and start doing good things. But as soon as we are free again, we will go right back to the same old destructive life. If we are good people, it is different.
168. Repentance is valid if done in freedom, but not if done under compulsion. Instances of compulsion are illness, depression as the result of misfortune, the imminence of death, and any fear which takes away the use of reason. An evil person, who under compulsion promises to repent and really does good, on coming into a condition of freedom reverts to his previous evil life. The good do not.
168. The repentance which is practised in a state of freedom avails; but that which is practised in a state of compulsion does not avail. States, of compulsion are a state of illness, a state of dejection of the mind caused by misfortune, a state of approaching death; and further, every state of fear which deprives a man of the use of reason. When an evil man, who under a state of compulsion, promises repentance, and also does good, regains a state of freedom, he returns to his former life of evil. The case is different with a good man.
168. The repentance which takes place in a free state is of avail, but that which takes place in a state of compulsion is of no avail. States of compulsion are states of sickness, states of dejection of mind from misfortune, states of imminent death, as also every state of fear which takes away the use of reason. He who is evil, and in a state of compulsion promises repentance, and also does good, when he comes into a free state returns to his former life of evil; it is otherwise with the good.
168. Paenitentia quae fit in statu libero valet, at quae fit in statu coacto non valet. Status coacti sunt status morbi, status dejecti animi ex infortunio, status imminentis mortis, tum omnis status timoris qui demit rationis usum. Qui malus est, et in statu coacto paenitentiam pollicetur, et quoque bonum facit, is cum venit in statum liberum, in vitam mali priorem redit: aliter bonus.