449.那些爱别人里面的良善，即热爱公正、明智、诚实，以及由仁爱产生的慈善之人，尤其那些热爱别人对主的信与爱之人则完全不同。因为这些人爱的是人之内的事物，而非人之外的事物。因此，死后，他们若发现这个人里面没有这类事物，就会立刻从这友谊当中退出，通过主与那些具有类似良善的人相联。有人可能会说，谁能查出与自己相处和有交往之人的心智内层呢？不过，没有必要这样做，只要当心，一定要避免与任何人缔结爱的友谊。出于种种意图的外在友谊则无大碍。
449. 愛別人裡面的良善, 這類人的情形就截然不同了。例如, 這類人愛別人裡面的源自於義的公平,理智,真誠與仁慈, 特別是愛別人對主的信與愛。他們愛其他人內在的品性(獨立於外在的品性)。因此在死後, 如果他們在其他人裡面沒發現上述的品性, 就馬上撤銷他們的友誼, 由主安排與那些擁有類似良善之人相交往。
值得一提的是, 沒有人能查考出與他交際相處之人思想的內在性質如何。不過這樣的查考並無必要, 只要注意避免與任何人建立這種交心的友誼關係。為了各樣利益的外在友誼並無傷害。
449. Something completely different happens to people who love what is good in another person - people who love the justice, judgment, honesty, or benevolence that comes from goodwill in the other person, and especially people who love the other person's faith in and love for the Lord. They love these qualities inside the other person independently of that person's outer qualities. Therefore if they do not find these same qualities inside the other person after death, they immediately withdraw from the friendship, and the Lord connects them to people who have a similar kind of goodness.
It might be worth saying that it is impossible for any of us to investigate the inner qualities of mind in people with whom we socialize and interact. But this type of investigation is not necessary provided we take care not to form bonds of love with just anyone. Outward friendship formed for the sake of various benefits does no harm.
449. The case of those who love the good in another is totally different; those, for instance, who love fairness, judiciousness, sincerity and the kindness that comes from charity, and particularly those who love faith in and love to the Lord. They do so because they love what is inside a person without regard to what is outside him. If therefore they do not observe the same features in a person after death, they at once break off their friendship, and are associated by the Lord with those who share a like good. It might be said that no one can search out the interiors of the minds of those in whose company he is and with whom he has dealings. But there is no need for this; one must just take care to avoid a bosom friendship with anyone at all. Outward friendship for various purposes does no harm.
449. It is wholly different with those who love the good in another, that is, who love justice, judgment, sincerity, and benevolence arising from charity, and especially with those who love faith in the Lord and love to Him. Because these love the things within man apart from the things without, when they do not discover the same things in the person after death, they at once withdraw from the friendship and are associated by the Lord with those who are in like good. It should be said that no one is able to explore the interiors of the mind of those with whom he associates or deals; and this is not necessary; only let him guard against a friendship of love with anyone. External friendship for the sake of various uses does no harm.
449. It is quite otherwise with those who love the good in another, that is, who love righteousness, judgment, sincerity, benevolence grounded in charity, and particularly faith and love to the Lord. They love what is within a man apart from his external qualities; and if they do not perceive the same things in him after death, they at once break off all friendship with him, and they are associated by the Lord with those whose good is similar to their own. It may be objected that no one can know the interiors of the mind of those with whom he associates, or has dealings. This knowledge, however, is not essential; one must only guard against forming a friendship grounded in love with anyone indiscriminately. Mere external friendship, contracted for the sake of various uses, is not harmful.
449. Aliter prorsus fit cum illis qui amant bonum in altero, ita qui amant justitiam, judicium, sinceritatem, benevolentiam ex charitate, imprimis qui fidem et amorem in Dominum; illi amant 1 illa quae intra hominem sunt abstracte ab illis quae extra illum sunt, quare si non animadvertunt eadem in persona post mortem, illico ab amicitia recedunt, et a Domino associantur illis qui in simili bono sunt. Dici potest, quod nemo possit explorare interiora mentis illorum cum quibus in consortio et commercio est, sed hoc non necessarium est; modo caveat sibi ab amicitia amoris cum quocunque; amicitia externa propter varios usus non nocet.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: illi quia amant.