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| (1) Et omne illud bene se habet et optime quod se habet secundum intentionem primi agentis, qui Deus est; et hoc est per se notum, nisi apud negantes divinam bonitatem actingere summum perfectionis. | (1) And every thing is in a good (indeed, ideal) state which is in harmony with the intention of the first mover, who is God; and this is self-evident, except to those who deny that divine goodness attains the summit of perfection. | |
| (2) De intentione Dei est ut omne causatum divinam similitudinem representet in quantum propria natura recipere potest. Propter quod dictum est: «Faciamus hominem ad ymaginem et similitudinem nostram»; quod licet 'ad ymaginem' de rebus inferioribus ab homine dici non possit, 'ad similitudinem' tamen de qualibet dici potest, cum totum universum nichil aliud sit quam vestigium quoddam divine bonitatis. Ergo humanum genus bene se habet et optime quando, secundum quod potest, Deo assimilatur. | (2) It is God's intention that every created thing should show forth His likeness in so far as its own nature can receive it. For this reason it is said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness"; for although "in our image" cannot be said of things lower than man, "after our likeness" can be said of anything, since the whole universe is simply an imprint of divine goodness. So mankind is in a good (indeed, ideal) state when, to the extent that its nature allows, it resembles God. | |
| (3) Sed genus humanum maxime Deo assimilatur quando maxime est unum: vera enim ratio unius in solo illo est; propter quod scriptum est: «Audi, Israel, Dominus Deus tuus unus est». | (3) But mankind most closely resembles God when it is most a unity, since the true measure of unity is in him alone; and for this reason it is written: "Hear, o Israel, the Lord thy God is one". | |
| (4) Sed tunc genus humanum maxime est unum, quando totum unitur in uno: quod esse non potest nisi quando uni principi totaliter subiacet, ut de se patet. | (4) But mankind is most a unity when it is drawn together to form a single entity, and this can only come about when it is ruled as one whole by one ruler, as is self-evident. | |
| (5) Ergo humanum genus uni principi subiacens maxime Deo assimilatur, et per consequens maxime est secundum divinam intentionem: quod est bene et optime se habere, ut in principio huius capituli est probatum. | (5) Therefore mankind is most like God when it is ruled by one ruler, and consequently is most in harmony with God's intention; and this is what it means to be in a good (indeed, ideal) state, as we established at the beginning of this chapter. | |