44# 神性之爱的本然特质，可借由其弥漫全域的气场得以印证。这一气场充盈整个宇宙，并依各人内在状态，分别作用于每一个体。其作用在父母身上尤为鲜明：父母由衷疼爱身外的子女，渴愿与子女相融相依，更甘愿倾尽自身，使儿女蒙受福泽。
神性之爱的这一气场，无分善恶，一概临及；不仅作用于人，亦遍及飞禽走兽。母亲孕育子嗣，心中唯盼与孩子紧紧联结，尽心成全其益处；飞鸟破卵育雏，必以羽翼覆护幼鸟，衔食哺喂，如同亲昵相吻。世人皆知，即便是龙蛇毒虺，亦会顾惜自身后代。
这普遍气场，对内里承接上帝之爱的人作用至深 —— 也就是那些信靠上帝、爱人如己之人，他们内在的仁义，正是神性之爱的形像。恶人之间的相交之谊，亦会摹仿这份大爱：友人相聚，愿将佳美之物相让，彼此亲吻、抚触、握手立约，许诺互为扶持。人心生发的怜悯，以及同质同类之物彼此趋近、渴求合一的趋向，皆源于此神性气场。
同一神性气场亦作用于草木等无生命之物，只是经由自然界太阳所发的热与光施展功用。热力自外渗入植株，与之相融，使之抽芽、开花、结实；对草木而言，这番生机盎然，便等同于活物所享的福乐。热能有这般造化之功，只因它对应属灵之热，亦即神性之爱。这份爱的运化，在矿物界各类存有之中亦有显现：万物被引向合宜功用，并因这份功用而显出珍贵之质。
44# 这就是神性之爱的性质，这一点从它的气场可以得知；这个气场遍布整个宇宙，并照着各人的状态而影响各人。它尤其影响父母，是他们温柔地爱自己之外的孩子，渴望与他们合而为一，并从自己那里使他们幸福的源头。神性之爱的这个气场不仅影响善人，还影响恶人，不仅影响人，还影响各种动物和鸟类。在生育孩子时，每个母亲不都只想着与孩子合一，并照顾它吗？每只鸟从蛋中孵化幼雏时，不都只想着把它们庇护在翅膀下，用它的小嘴把食物送进它们喉咙里吗？此外，众所周知，就连蛇和毒蛇也爱自己的后代。这种普遍气场尤其影响那些在自己里面接受神的这种爱的人，如那些信神并爱邻舍的人。他们身上的仁爱就是这爱的一个形像。那些不好的人之间的友谊就模仿了这爱，因为人在席上会把更好的东西给他的朋友，亲吻他，拥抱他，握住他的手，承诺给他提供帮助和支持。这爱也是那些同质或相似的人追求结合的渴望和努力的唯一源头。这个神性气场也作用于无生命之物，如树木和植物，但它是通过这个世界的太阳及其热和光来作用的；因为这热从外面进入它们，并与它们结合，使它们发芽、开花、结果；这些类似有生命之物里面的幸福。太阳的热就具有这种作用，因为它对应于属灵之热，即爱。这爱的运作的代表在矿物王国的各种臣民中也能找到。在那里，在种类，因而价值上的不同就取决于这些矿物提炼后所提供的功用。
44. The true nature of divine love is recognizable from its sphere, which pervades the universe and affects each of us in different ways depending on our state. That sphere of divine love has a special influence on parents. Because of it, they tenderly love their children (who are outside themselves), they want to be one with them, and they want to bless them from themselves. The sphere of divine love affects not only the good but also the evil, and not only people but also animals and birds of every kind.
Surely in the course of giving birth every mother's only thought is of bonding with and caring for her offspring. Every bird hatching chicks from eggs thinks only of cherishing them under her wings and putting food in their mouths with kisses. Even poisonous snakes and vipers love their offspring, as is commonly known.
This universal sphere has a special influence on those who let God's love in - those who believe in God and love their neighbor. The goodwill that is in them is an image of God's love.
Even among people who are not good, friendship emulates this love. At her or his own table, the host will give the guest the better food. Friends will kiss, hug, and join hands, and promise each other help and support. This love is also the sole origin of alliances and the tendency for like-minded and compatible people to form partnerships.
Even in inanimate things like trees and plants that same divine sphere is at work, although in this case it operates through the sun in this world, and its heat and light. Heat comes from the outside into trees and plants and becomes a part of them, causing them to sprout and then develop flowers and fruit, which are in turn blessings to animals. Physical heat has this effect because it corresponds to spiritual heat, which is love.
In fact, even among various substances of the mineral kingdom there are representations of divine love at work. Allegories of divine love appear in the processes for refining these substances to increase their usefulness and value.
44. That this is the nature of the Divine Love is to be known from its sphere which pervades the universe, and affects every person according to his mental state. It particularly affects parents, since it is this which makes them dearly love their children, who are other than themselves, wish to be one with them, and devote themselves to their happiness. This sphere of the Divine Love affects not only the good but also the bad; and not only human beings, but also animals and birds of every kind. What has any mother in mind when she has given birth to a child but to unite herself with it and seek its good? What bird has anything in mind when it has hatched its chicks other than to warm them under its wings, and by kisses to put food into their gullets? It is well known that even snakes and vipers love their offspring. That universal sphere especially affects those who receive that love of God's into themselves, and these are those who believe in God and love the neighbour. Charity in their case is an image of that love.
[2] Even friendship among those who are not good apes that love. At his table a person gives his friend the best portion, embraces him, touches him and holds his hand, and promises to put himself at his friend's service. The feeling of liking and the striving of those who are alike and of the same type to be together come from the same origin. That same Divine sphere also works on inanimate things, as on trees and plants, but it does this through the sun of the world, and its heat and light. The heat penetrates them from without, links itself to them, and makes them bud, flower and fruit, which answers to happiness in an animal. This is the result of that heat, because it corresponds to spiritual heat, which is love. There are even representations of the working of this love in various things in the mineral kingdom; specimens of this are to be seen in the exaltation 1 of minerals into useful forms and the formation of gems.
Footnotes:
1. Exaltation: a term of early chemistry for the transformation of elements into different forms, e.g. the formation of diamonds from carbon.
44. That such is the nature of the Divine love is known from its sphere, which pervades the universe, and affects everyone in accordance with his state. It especially affects parents, and is the source of their tender love for their children (who are outside of themselves), and their desire to be one with them, and to render them blessed from themselves. This sphere of Divine love affects not only the good, but also the evil, and not only men but also birds and beasts of every kind. What else does a mother think about when she has brought forth her child than uniting herself with it, as it were, and providing for its good? What other concern has a bird, when she has hatched her young from the egg, than to cherish them under her wings, and through their little mouths put food into their throats? It is known that even serpents and vipers love their offspring. This universal sphere especially affects those who receive within themselves this love of God, who are such as believe in God and love their neighbor. Charity with such is an image of that love. With those who are not good, friendship simulates that love; for at his table a man gives his friend the better things, kisses him, caresses and holds his hand, and proffers him useful offices. This love is also the sole origin of the sympathies and endeavors after union of those who are homogeneous or similar. This same Divine sphere is also operative in things inanimate, as trees and plants, but by means of the sun of the world, and its heat and light; for its heat enters them from without and unites with them, causing them to germinate, bloom, and bear fruit; and these resemble blessedness in things animate. The sun's heat does this because it corresponds to spiritual heat, which is love. Representations of the operation of this love are also found in the various subjects of the mineral kingdom. Types of this are presented in the exaltation to use of these, and their consequent preciousness.
44. That this is the nature of the Divine Love may be perceived from its sphere, which pervades the universe and affects everyone according to his state. Especially does it affect parents, inspiring them with tender love towards their children, who are outside of themselves, and with the desire to be one with them, and to make them happy from themselves. This sphere of the Divine Love affects not only the good but also the evil, and not only men but also animals and birds of every kind. What does a mother think, when she has brought forth her child, but how she may, as it were, unite herself with it and provide for its welfare? What other concern has a bird, when she has hatched her young, than to cherish them under her wings, and feed them lovingly from her own mouth? Moreover, it is well known that even serpents and snakes love their offspring. This universal sphere particularly affects those who receive the Love of God, as those do who believe on God and who love their neighbor: charity with them is an image of that love. Friendship amongst those who are not good simulates that love, for every friend presses on a friend invited to his table the best he has, shows him the customary acts of favor and makes him offers of service. 1 From the same source also springs that sympathetic yearning of like-minded people for union with one another. Further, that same Divine sphere acts upon inanimate things, as trees and plants, but through the sun of this world by means of its heat and light; for heat, permeating them from without unites with them, causing them to bud, blossom and bear fruit, answering to the happiness of animate creatures. This is the function of the sun's heat because it corresponds to spiritual heat, which is love. Representations of the operation of this love are exhibited also in the various subjects of the mineral kingdom. There, differences in kind and consequently in value are determined by the uses to which the minerals can be impressed.
Footnotes:
1. This combines the separate actions indicated by osculatur, palpat et conjungit manus.
44. Quod Divinus Amor talis sit, cognoscitur ex Sphaera ejus, quae pervadit Universum, ac afficit unumquemvis secundum ejus statum; illa imprimis afficit Parentes, ex qua est quod tenere ament liberos suos, qui sunt extra illos, quod velint 1 unum cum illis esse, et quod velint beatificare illos ex se; haec Divini Amoris Sphaera non modo afficit bonos sed etiam malos, et non modo homines, sed etiam bestias et aves omnis generis; quid mater aliud cogitat dum peperit foetum, quam se illi sicut unire, et prospicere ejus bono; quid avis aliud, cum exclusit pullos ex ovis, quam fovere illos sub alis, et per oscula inferre escas in guttura illorum; quod dracones et viperae etiam suam progeniem ament, notum est. Universalis illa sphaera afficit in specie illos qui Amorem illum Dei in se recipiunt, qui sunt qui credunt in Deum, et amant proximum; charitas apud illos est imago illius amoris.
[2] Amicitia inter non bonos illum amorem etiam simulat; amicus enim ad mensam suam dat amico potiora, illum osculatur, palpat et conjungit manus, ac pollicetur officia usus. Sympathica ac nisus homogeneorum et similium ad conjunctionem non aliunde ducunt originem. Eadem illa Divina Sphaera operatur etiam in inanimata, ut in arbores et herbas, sed per Solem Mundi, et ejus calorem et lucem, calor enim intrat illas ab extra, conjungit se cum illis, et facit ut germinent, florescant, et fructificent, quae vice beatitudinis sunt in animatis; hoc facit ille calor, quia correspondet calori spirituali, qui est amor. Operationis hujus amoris repraesentationes dantur etiam in variis subjectis Regni mineralis; typica ejus sistuntur in exaltationibus illorum ad usus et inde pretiositates.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: veliat.