9983. Good that is truly good must be done from a love of good, thus must be done for its own sake. People governed by that love detest merit, for they love to do it and derive feelings of delight out of doing it. On the other hand they are saddened if there is any thought that it is done for some selfish reason. The situation with them is very much like that with people who do good to a friend for friendship's sake, to a brother for brotherhood's sake, to wife and children for wife and children's sake, or to their country for their country's sake, thus people who act for reasons of friendship and love. Those who are sound in their thinking also say emphatically that they do good not for their own but other people's benefit.