39. In people love and wisdom appear as two separate attributes; but in themselves they are still in a distinct combination one, since the wisdom in a person accords with his love, and the love in him accords with his wisdom. Wisdom that is not united with its love appears as though it were wisdom, and yet it is not. And love that is not united with its wisdom appears as though it were the love proper to wisdom, even though it is not. For each must take its essence and its life from the other in a reciprocal exchange.

Love and wisdom in a person appear as two separate attributes for the reason that the faculty of understanding in him can be raised into the light of heaven, but not the faculty of loving except to the extent that the person does as he understands. Consequently, any measure of apparent wisdom that is not united with the love proper to wisdom sinks back to the love with which it is united, which may be a love of something other than wisdom, even a love of insanity. For a person may know from wisdom that he ought to do this or that, and still not do it, because he does not love it. However, to the extent that he does do from love what wisdom teaches, to the same extent he is an image of God.