3987.“如今我什么时候才为自己的家作点儿事呢”表如今它自己的良善要由此结出果实。这从“家”的含义清楚可知，“家”是指良善（2233，2234，3128，3652节）；此处“自己的家”是指“雅各”所表示的良善。“为自己的家作点儿事”表示良善由此要结出果实，这一点从以下事实明显可知：现在所论述的主题是良善的繁殖和真理的增多，因为内层人与外在人的结合已经完成了；“约瑟”，即最后生的这一个，就表示这种繁殖（3965，3969，3971节）；接下来所论述的“羊群”，就是雅各通过拉班的羊群为自己所获得的“羊群”则描述了这种繁殖。在外在人与内在人的结合实现之前，良善不会繁殖，真理也不会增多；这一点从以下事实可以看出来：向另一个人意愿良善，由此思想良善属于内层人；而行善并由此教导良善则属于外在人。除非行善与意愿良善结合，教导良善与思想良善结合，否则人根本不会拥有良善。因为恶人能意愿邪恶，却行出良善，还能思想邪恶，却教导良善，这是众所周知的。伪君子和不敬虔的人便精于此道，并且比其他人更擅长，甚至能伪装光明天使；而事实上，他们内在却是魔鬼。这证明良善无法在任何人身上结出果实，除非行良善与意愿良善结合，教导良善与思想良善结合；也就是说，除非外在人与内在人结合。
Potts(1905-1910) 3987
3987. And now when shall I also be doing for mine own house? That this signifies that now its own good shall be made fruitful therefrom, is evident from the signification of a "house," as being good (see n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652); and here of "my house," as being the good signified by "Jacob." That "to do for this house" signifies that the good therefrom is to be made fruitful, is manifest from the subject being the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth; for by "Joseph," the last born, this fructification is signified (n. 3965, 3969, 3971); and by the "flock" that Jacob procured for himself by means of Laban's flock, as now follows, this signification is described. That good is not fructified nor truth multiplied until the conjunction of the external man with the internal has been effected, may be seen from the fact that it is of the interior man to will good to another, and thereby to think good; but of the external man to do good, and thereby to teach good. Unless doing good is conjoined with willing good, and teaching good with thinking good, there is no good in the man; for the evil can will evil and do good, and also think evil and teach good, as everybody can know. Hypocrites and profane persons are in this study and art more than others, so much so indeed that they can palm themselves off as angels of light, when yet they are devils within; from all which it is evident that good can be made fruitful with no one, unless doing good is conjoined with willing good, and teaching good with thinking good; that is, unless the external man is conjoined with the internal.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3987
3987. 'And now, when shall I, even I, provide for my own house?' means that now its own good will be made fruitful from this. This is clear from the meaning of 'house' as good, dealt with in 2231, 2233, 3128, 3652, in this case 'my own house' as the good meant by Jacob. 'Providing for his own house' means that the good from this is to be made fruitful, as is evident from the fact that the fruitfulness of good and the multiplication of truth is the subject now because the joining of the interior man to the external has taken place; for 'Joseph', the one born last, means that fruitfulness, 3965,3969, 3971, and 'the flock' which Jacob acquired to himself by means of Laban's flock, dealt with below, describes that fruitfulness. As regards good not being made fruitful nor truth being multiplied until the external man has been joined to the internal, this becomes clear from the consideration that the desire that another shall have what is good, and consequently the thought of good, belong to the interior man, whereas doing good and consequently making known what is good belong to the external man. Unless doing good has been joined to the desire for what is good, and making good known to the thought of good, a person possesses no good at all. For the wicked can desire what is evil and yet do good, and also think evil and yet declare what is good, as anyone can well know. Hypocrites and unholy persons are more bent on this and better at it than others, so much so indeed that they are able to pass themselves off as angels of light, when in fact they are devils within. This proves that good cannot be made fruitful with anyone unless doing what is good has been joined to the desire for good, and making good known to the thought of it; that is, unless the external man has been joined to the internal.
Latin(1748-1756) 3987
3987. `Et nunc quando faciam etiam ego domui meae?': quod significet quod nunc fructificabitur inde bonum suum, constat ex significatione `domus' quod sit bonum, de qua n. (x)2231, 2233, 3128, 3652, {1}hic `domus mea,' quod sit bonum quod per Jacobum {2}significatur; `huic domui facere' quod sit fructificari inde bonum, patet ex eo quod nunc de fructificatione boni et multiplicatione veri agatur quia nunc conjunctio facta est interioris hominis cum externo; per `Josephum' enim ultimo natum fructificatio illa significatur n. 3965, 3969, 3971, et per `gregem' quem sibi Jacobus per gregem Labanis comparavit, de quo sequitur, {3}fructificatio illa describitur. Quod bonum non fructificetur, nec verum multiplicetur, priusquam conjunctio facta est externi hominis cum interno, constare potest ex eo quod interioris hominis sit velle bonum alteri, et inde cogitare bonum, et externi hominis sit facere bonum, et inde docere bonum; nisi facere bonum conjunctum sit cum velle bonum, ac docere bonum cum cogitare bonum, non est bonum ei, mali enim possunt velle malum et facere bonum, tum cogitare malum et docere bonum, sicut notum potest esse unicuique; hypocritae et profani in illo studio et in illa arte sunt prae aliis, immo adeo ut mentiri possint lucis angelos, cum tamen intus sunt diaboli; inde constare potest quod bonum apud neminem fructificari possit nisi facere bonum sit conjunctum cum velle bonum, et docere bonum sit conjunctum cum cogitare bonum, hoc est, nisi externus homo conjunctus sit cum interno. @1 i 3720, possibly omitted as referring to domus Dei$ @2 repraesentatur$ @3 significatio I$