E4P50S
Scholium — Part IV
Latin
Qui recte novit omnia ex naturæ divinæ necessitate sequi et secundum æternas naturæ leges et regulas fieri, is sane nihil reperiet quod odio, risu aut contemptu dignum sit nec cujusquam miserebitur sed quantum humana fert virtus, conabitur bene agere ut aiunt et lætari. Huc accedit quod is qui commiserationis affectu facile tangitur et alterius miseria vel lacrimis movetur, sæpe aliquid agit cujus postea ipsum pœnitet tam quia ex affectu nihil agimus quod certo scimus bonum esse quam quia facile falsis lacrimis decipimur. Atque hic expresse loquor de homine qui ex ductu rationis vivit. Nam qui nec ratione nec commiseratione movetur ut aliis auxilio sit, is recte inhumanus appellatur. Nam (per propositionem 27 partis III) homini dissimilis esse videtur.
English (Elwes 1883)
He who rightly realizes, that all things follow from the necessity of the divine nature, and come to pass in accordance with the eternal laws and rules of nature, will not find anything worthy of hatred, derision, or contempt, nor will he bestow pity on anything, but to the utmost extent of human virtue he will endeavour to do well, as the saying is, and to rejoice. We may add, that he, who is easily touched with compassion, and is moved by another's sorrow or tears, often does something which he afterwards regrets; partly because we can never be sure that an action caused by emotion is good, partly because we are easily deceived by false tears. I am in this place expressly speaking of a man living under the guidance of reason. He who is moved to help others neither by reason nor by compassion, is rightly styled inhuman, for (III. xxvii.) he seems unlike a man.
Modern English
One who rightly understands that everything follows from the necessity of the divine nature and comes to pass according to the eternal laws and rules of nature will find nothing worthy of hatred, ridicule, or contempt, and will feel pity for no one. To the extent that human virtue allows, such a person will try to do well, as the saying goes, and to be joyful.
This goes further: one who is easily touched by the affect of compassion and is moved by another's misery or tears often does something that he later regrets — partly because we can do nothing from affect that we know with certainty is good, and partly because we are easily deceived by false tears.
I am speaking here expressly of one who lives under the guidance of reason. One who is moved neither by reason nor by compassion to help others is rightly called inhuman, for he seems (E3P27) unlike a human being.