99、目的会解释每个人当如何成为自己的邻舍，当如何首先照顾好自己。任何人的目的若只是为了财富，快乐或显赫等等而要比他人更富有，就是一个邪恶的目的；这样一个人并不爱邻舍，而是爱他自己。但如果任何人的目的是为了他能处于对同胞、人类社会、国家和教会有用的状态而获得财富，以及如果他为了同样的目的而获得公职，那么他就是爱邻舍。一个人行动的目的本身构成这个人；因为目的就是他的爱，每个人都以他高于一切所爱之物为首先和最后的目的。目前所说的这一切都与邻舍有关。现在我们要论述对邻舍的爱，或仁爱 。
99、这就告诉我们，应该如何待己如邻，就是先把自己的一切安顿好。如果追求财富仅仅是为了财富、或者享乐，显赫等等目地，这目地是邪恶的。 那人不爱友邻，只爱自己。但如果获得财富的目地，是供养他的同胞、服务社会、国家和教会，或者为了相同的目地而获取权位，他就是爱友邻的。行动目地展示了一个人的特性，因为目地就是他的爱。每个人的目地，从头至尾反映了他的主导爱。
上面所述都是关于谁是我们的友邻。现在谈谈什么是爱友邻或仁爱。
99. It is our goal that can tell us in what way we are being neighbors to ourselves and looking after ourselves first. If our goal is to become richer than others solely for the sake of wealth or for pleasure or eminence or anything like that, our goal is evil-we are loving ourselves, not our neighbor. If, however, our goal is to acquire wealth in order to be able to be of service to our fellow citizens, our community, our country, and the church, this is like seeking office for the same reasons, and we are loving our neighbor.
The actual goal of our actions makes us the people we are, because our goal is what we love. For all of us, our goal from start to finish is whatever we love above all else.
All this has been about who our neighbor is. Now I need to discuss what loving our neighbor is, or caring.
99. The reason we do things shows how we love ourselves and take care of ourselves first. If we want to be richer than other people just for the sake of money, pleasure, status, or anything like that, we have a bad reason for wanting wealth. We do not love other people — we love ourselves. But if we want to obtain wealth or a certain position for ourselves so that we will be able to care for our fellow citizens, human society, our country and religion, then we do love other people.
Our basic reason for doing what we do makes us the person we are, since that is what we love. Whatever we love more than anything else — that is our primary and underlying reason for doing things.
So far I have been talking about what it is in other people that we should love. Now I will talk about loving other people, or “kindness.”
99. The end in view proclaims how each person should be his own neighbour and look after himself first. If his end is to grow richer than others merely for the sake of riches, or for the sake of pleasure, or of eminence and similar reasons, his end is evil, and he does not love the neighbour but himself. But if his end is to acquire wealth so that he may be in a position to look after his fellow citizens, society at large, his country and the church; or likewise so that he may acquire high office to the same end - then he loves his neighbour. The end which motivates his actions makes the man, for his end is his love; everyone has as his first and last end what he loves above all.
So much for the neighbour, but now I must discuss love towards him, or charity.
99. The end explains how every one ought to be a neighbour to himself, and how he ought to care for himself in the first place. If any one's end is to become richer than others, solely for the sake of riches, of pleasure, or enjoying superiority over others, and the like, his end is evil; and such a man does not love his neighbour, but himself. But if any one's end is to accumulate wealth in order that he may be in a condition to be of use to his fellow-citizens, to human society, to his country, and to the Church; also, if his end is to obtain public offices for the same purpose, he loves his neighbour. The very end for the sake of which a man acts, makes the man; for the end is his love, because every one has for his first and last end what he loves above all things.
Thus far we have spoken of the neighbour: now we shall speak of love towards him, that is, Of CHARITY.
99. The end declares how everyone should be his own neighbor, and provide for himself first. If the end be to grow richer than others only for the sake of riches, or for the sake of pleasure, or for the sake of eminence, and the like, it is an evil end, and that man does not love the neighbor, but himself; but if the end be to procure himself riches, that he may be in a state of providing for his fellow-citizens, human society, his country, and the church, in like manner if he procures for himself offices for the same end, he loves the neighbor. The end itself, for the sake of which he acts, constitutes the man; for the end is his love, for everyone has for a first and ultimate end, that which he loves above all things.
What has hitherto been said is concerning the neighbor. Love towards him, or Charity, shall now be treated of.
99. Finis declarat quomodo quisque sibi proximus erit, ac sibi primum consulet; si finis sit ut ditescat prae aliis solum divitiarum causa, vel voluptatis causa, vel eminentiae causa, et similium, est finis malus, et is non proximum amat, sed semet: at si finis 1est, ut opes sibi comparet, ut in statu sit consulendi concivi, societati humanae, patriae et ecclesiae, similiter ut functiones sibi comparet ob eundem finem, is amat proximum. Ipse finis propter quem agit, facit hominem, nam finis est ejus amor; quisque enim pro fine primo et ultimo habet, quod super omnia amat. Haec dicta sunt de Proximo; nunc dicetur de Amore erga illum, seu de Charitate.
Footnotes:
.-1 "est":--sic editio princeps. In AC, Arcana Coelestia 6935, legitur "sit."