ᏥᎻ ᎤᏬᏪᎳᏅᎯ 1
1 ᏥᎻ, ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎠᎴ ᏥᏌ ᎦᎶᏁᏛ ᎬᏩᏅᏏᏛ, ᏫᏥᏲᎵᎦ ᏔᎳᏚ ᏂᏥᎳᏍᏓᎸ ᎢᏣᏗᎦᎴᏲᏨᎯ ᏥᎩ.
[I], James, am a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [I am writing this letter] to [all] the Jewish people [who trust in Christ] (OR, to all God’s people) who are scattered throughout the world. [I send my] greetings to [you all].
2 ᎢᏓᎵᏅᏟ, ᎤᏣᏘ ᎤᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗᏳ ᎢᏥᏰᎸᏎᏍᏗ, ᎢᏳᏃ ᏧᏓᎴᏅᏛ ᎢᏥᎪᎵᏰᏍᎩ ᎢᏣᎵᏩᏛᎡᎮᏍᏗ.
My fellow believers, rejoice greatly, [even] when you experience various kinds of difficulties/troubles.
3 ᎯᎠ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏥᎦᏔᎮᏍᏗ, ᎢᏦᎯᏳᏒ ᎠᎪᎵᏰᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎢᏨᏂᏗᏳ ᏂᏨᏁᎲᎢ.
[God sometimes allows you to experience difficulties in order to] test whether or not you will continue to trust [him. Whenever that happens, you need to] realize more and more that [if you continue to trust him], you will be able to bravely/patiently endure difficulties.
4 ᎠᏗᎾ ᎢᏨᏂᏗᏳ ᎨᏒ ᎤᎧᎵᏨᎯ ᏧᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎨᏒ ᏚᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎮᏍᏗ; ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏂᎯ ᎢᏥᎧᎵᏨᎯ ᎠᎴ ᎢᏥᏃᏍᏛ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ, ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏂᏥᎪᎸᎾ.
Keep on enduring difficulties [bravely/patiently by trusting God more and more firmly] [PRS], in order that you may become all that he intends you to be [DOU] (OR, [spiritually] mature and complete), not lacking (any [good quality/anything you need to conduct your lives as God wants you to]).
5 ᎢᏳᏃ ᎩᎶ ᏂᎯ ᎢᏤᎲ ᎠᎦᏙᎥᎯᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎤᏂᎬᎨᏍᏗ, ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎠᏔᏲᏎᎮᏍᏗ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎾᏂᎥ ᏄᎵᏏᏅᏛᎾ ᏗᏁᎯᏥᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᏂᏓᏍᎦᎬᎾ ᏥᎩ; ᎠᎴ ᎠᏎ ᎠᏥᏁᏗ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ.
If anyone of you does not know how to act wisely [in order to endure difficulties/trials well], he should ask God [to show him what he should do, because] God wholeheartedly/gladly helps all people [who ask] and does not scold [anyone for asking. Those who ask], God will give them wisdom to know [what they should do].
6 ᎠᏗᎾ ᎤᏬᎯᏳᎯᏳ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᎠᏔᏲᎯᎮᏍᏗ, ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏄᏜᏓᏏᏛᎡᎲᎾ; ᎤᏜᏓᏏᏛᎡᎯᏰᏃ ᎾᏍᎩᏉ ᎠᎺᏉᎯ ᏓᎵᏍᏗᎳᏁᎬ ᎤᏃᎴ ᏧᏃᎸᏔᏂᏙᎰ ᎠᎴ ᏧᎨᎯᏙᎰᎢ.
But [when you] ask [God], you should firmly trust him. You should not doubt [that he wants to help you always], because people who keep doubting God are [unstable/changeable] [SIM] like a wave of the sea that is blown back and forth by the wind {that goes back and forth when the wind blows} [DOU, SIM].
7 ᏞᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ, ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏛᎩᏁᎵ, ᏰᎵᏍᎨᏍᏗ.
Indeed, people [who doubt] should not think that the Lord [God] will do anything [that they request him to do],
8 ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᏔᎵ ᎢᏳᏓᎢ ᎤᏓᏅᏛᎢ ᎤᏁᏟᏴᏌᏘ ᎨᏐᎢ ᏂᎦᎥ ᏚᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎲᎢ.
[because they are] people who cannot decide [whether they will commit themselves to God, and they are] unstable/undecided in everything that they do.
9 ᎢᏣᏓᏅᏟ ᎨᏒ ᎤᏲ ᎢᏳᏛᎿᎭᏕᎩ ᏩᎵᎮᎵᎩ ᎠᏥᏌᎳᏓᏅᎢ,
Believers who are poor should be happy [that God] considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them [spiritually]) [MTY].
10 ᎤᏪᎿᎭᎢᏍᎩᏂ ᎡᎳᏗ ᎾᎬᏁᎸᎢ; ᎧᏃᏍᎦᏰᏃ ᎤᏥᎸᏒ ᏥᎦᎶᏍᎪ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᏓᎦᎶᏐᏂ.
And [believers] who are rich should be happy [that] they have humbled themselves [in order to trust in Jesus Christ] (OR, but rich people [can only] take pride [in the fact that God] will humble them [when he judges everyone] [IRO]), because they [and their riches] [MTY] will pass away, just like wild flowers [wither] [SIM].
11 ᎵᎧᎸᎩᏉᏰᏃ ᏅᏙ ᎤᏗᎴᎩ, ᎿᎭᏉ ᎬᏴᏗᏍᎪ ᎧᏃᏍᎦ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏥᎸᏒ ᎦᏙᎠᏍᎪᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏬᏚᎯᏳ ᎨᏒ ᎤᏙᏢᏒ ᎠᏲᎪᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎾᏍᏉ ᎤᏪᎿᎭᎢ ᏓᎬᏴᏏ ᏚᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎲᎢ.
When the sun rises, the scorching hot wind dries plants, and their flowers fall and are no longer beautiful. Similarly, rich people will die [MET] while they are busy working, [leaving behind their riches].
12 ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ Ꮎ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎤᎪᎵᏰᏍᎩ ᏧᏱᎵᏙᎰ ᎬᏂᏗᏳ ᏥᎨᏐᎢ, ᎠᏥᎪᎵᏰᎥᎯᏰᏃ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᎬᏂᏛ ᎠᎵᏍᏚᎶ ᎠᏥᏅᏁᏗ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᏧᏚᎢᏍᏓᏁᎸᎯ ᏥᎩ ᎬᏩᎨᏳᎯ.
[God] is pleased with people who bravely/patiently endure difficulties. And when, [by bravely enduring difficulties], they have proved [that they truly trust him], he will give them [eternal] life. That is the reward [MET] that he has promised to give to those who love him.
13 ᏞᏍᏗ ᎩᎶ ᎢᏳᏃ ᎠᏥᎪᎵᏰᏍᎨᏍᏗ, ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎠᎩᎪᎵᏰᎭ ᎤᏛᏅᎩ; ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯᏰᏃ ᎥᏝ ᎦᏰᏥᎪᎵᏰᏗ ᏱᎩ ᎤᏲ ᎠᎬᏓᏁᎲᎢ, ᎥᏝ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏩᏒ ᎩᎶ ᏯᎪᎵᏰᏍᎪᎢ.
If people are tempted to do something that is evil, they should not think that it is God who is tempting them, because [God is totally/completely good]. He never tempts anyone [to do what is evil], nor can he ever be tempted to [do anything] evil.
14 ᎩᎶᏍᎩᏂ ᎠᏥᎪᎵᏰᏍᎪᎢ ᎢᏳᏃ ᎤᏩᏒ ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎬ ᏧᏘᏁᎯ ᎠᎴ ᏧᏌᏛᎥᏍᎪᎢ.
But people strongly desire to do evil [PRS] things, [and as a result] they are tempted by those desires {those desires stimulate them} to do something evil [PRS, DOU].
15 ᎿᎭᏉᏃ ᎠᏚᎸᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎠᏙᏢᎾ ᎠᏍᎦᏂ ᎦᎾᏄᎪᏫᏍᎪᎢ; ᎠᏍᎦᏂᏃ ᎠᏍᏆᏓ ᎿᎭᏉ ᎠᏲᎱᎯᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎦᎾᏄᎪᏫᏍᎪᎢ.
Then, [because] they have desired [MET] to do evil [PRS] things, they begin to [MET] do [PRS] them. And when they have become ones who [habitually] do what is evil [MET], [if they do not turn away from their sinful behavior], they will be separated from God forever.
16 ᏞᏍᏗ ᎢᏂᎵᏓᏍᏓᏅᎩ, ᎢᏨᎨᏳᎢ ᎢᏓᏓᏅᏟ;
My fellow believers whom I love, stop deceiving yourselves, [thinking that God does evil things].
17 ᏂᎦᎥ ᎣᏍᏛ ᎠᏓᏁᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᎥ ᎣᏌᏂ ᎠᏓᏁᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎦᎸᎳᏗ ᏗᏓᎴᎲᏍᎦ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏠᎠᏏᎯᎭ ᏗᏓᎴᎲᏍᎦ ᎠᎦᏴᎵᎨᏍᏛᏱ ᎢᎦᎦᏘ ᎤᏪᎯ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎬᏩᏓᏁᏟᏴᏍᏗ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎬᏩᎦᏔᎲᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᏄᏓᏴᎳᏛᏫ ᎨᏒᎢ.
[The truth is that God], our heavenly Father [MTY], does only good [DOU] things [for us, in order to help us become] all that he intends us to be. He is not like all the things [in the sky] that he created to give light, [because they] change; [that is, they do not shine the same all the time]. But God never changes. [He is always good].
18 ᎤᏩᏒ ᎤᏓᏅᏖᏛ ᎢᎩᎾᏄᎪᏫᏒ ᎤᏩᏔᏅ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎦᏰᎪᎩ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏴ ᎢᎬᏱ ᎡᎦᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎢᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗᏱ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎨᎦᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎨᏒᎢ.
[And because] he wanted [to help us], he gave us [spiritual] life as a result of our [trusting in his] true message. So now we have become the first ones of [all the people] [MET] that he created [to] ([be totally dedicated to/completely belong to]) [him].
19 ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎢᏨᎨᏳᎢ ᎢᏓᎵᏅᏟ, ᎾᏂᎥ ᎣᏏᏄᎵᏳ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ Ꮎ ᎤᏛᎪᏗᏱ, ᎤᏍᎦᏃᎵᏳ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᏁᎢᏍᏗᏱ, ᎤᏍᎦᏃᎵᏳ ᎤᏂᏔᎳᏬᎯᏍᏗᏱ.
My fellow believers whom I love, you know (OR, I want you to now) that every one of you should be eager to pay attention to [God’s true message]. Don’t speak [without thinking], nor get angry easily,
20 ᏴᏫᏰᏃ ᎤᏔᎳᏬᏍᎬᎢ ᎥᏝ ᏱᎦᎾᏄᎪᏫᏍᎪ ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎤᏤᎵᎦ.
because when any one [of you gets] angry, you will not be doing the righteous things that God [wants] you [to do].
21 ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎢᏴᏛ ᏂᏨᏁᎮᏍᏗ ᏂᎦᎥ ᎦᏓᎭ ᎨᏒᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎶᏒᏍᏔᏅᎯ ᎤᏲ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏓᏙᎵᏍᏗ ᎢᏨᏔᏅᎭ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᏨᎭ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎬᏱᏝᏅᎯ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᏰᎵᏉ ᏗᎬᏩᏍᏕᎸᏗ ᏥᎩ ᏗᏣᏓᏅᏙᎩ.
So stop doing all kinds of evil [DOU] things, and humbly obey (OR, submit to) the message that [God] put in your (inner beings/hearts), [because] he is able to save you [SYN] [if you accept his message].
22 ᎠᏎᏃ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᏂᎦᏪᏍᎬ ᎢᏣᏛᏁᎯ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ, ᏞᏍᏗᏃ ᎢᏣᏛᎩᏍᎩᏉ ᎤᏩᏒ ᏱᎨᏎᏍᏗ, ᎢᏨᏒ ᏱᏣᏓᎵᏓᏍᏗᏍᎨᏍᏗ.
Do [what God commands in] his message. Do not only listen [to it, because people who only listen to it and do not obey it] are wrong when they think [that God will save them].
23 ᎢᏳᏰᏃ ᎩᎶ ᎠᏛᎩᏍᎩᏉ ᏱᎩ ᎢᏯᏛᏁᎯᏃ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᏱᎩ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᏂᎦᏪᏍᎬᎢ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᏓᏤᎸ ᏣᎪᏩᏘᏍᎪ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎤᏩᏒ ᎤᎧᏛᎢ ᎠᏓᎨᏗᏱ;
Some people hear God’s message but do not do [what it says] [MET]. They are like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [SIM].
24 ᎤᏩᏒᏰᏃ ᎠᏓᎪᏩᏘᏍᎪᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎠᏓᏅᏍᎪᎢ, ᎩᎳᏉᏃ ᎢᏴᏛ ᎤᏩᎨᏫᏍᎪ ᏄᏍᏛᎢ.
Although he looks at himself, he goes away [from the mirror] and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 ᎩᎶᏍᎩᏂ ᎣᏍᏛ ᎠᎪᎵᏰᏍᎨᏍᏗ ᎠᎧᎵᎸᎯ ᏗᎧᎿᎭᏩᏛᏍᏗ ᎬᏓᎧᎲᏍᎩ ᏥᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᎦᏯᎢᏎᏍᏗ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎣᏍᏛ ᎤᏓᏅᏓᏗᏍᏗ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᏚᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎲᎢ, ᎾᏍᎩᏰᏃ ᎤᏩᎨᏫᏌᏘ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎠᏛᎩᏍᎩ, ᏧᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯᏍᎩᏂ ᏗᎦᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ.
But other people look closely at [God’s] message, which is perfect and which sets people free [to voluntarily do what God wants them to do]. And if they continue [to examine God’s message] and do not just hear it and then forget it, but do [what God tells them to do], God will bless them because of what they do.
26 ᎢᏳᏃ ᎩᎶ ᎢᏤᎲ ᏳᏓᏑᏯ ᏧᏁᎶᏗ ᏱᏅᏩᏍᏗ, ᏂᎦᎾᎯᏍᏗᏍᎬᎾᏃ ᏱᎩ ᎦᏃᎪᎢ, ᎤᏩᏒᏉᏍᎩᏂ ᎤᎾᏫ ᎦᎵᏓᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᏱᎩ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᏧᏁᎶᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎠᏎᏉᎢ.
Some people think that they worship God in the right way, but they habitually say evil things [MTY]. Those people are wrong in thinking [SYN] [that they worship God rightly]. The fact is [that they] worship God (in vain/uselessly).
27 ᎣᏍᏛ ᏗᏁᎶᏙᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎠᎴ ᎦᏓᎭ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎠᎦᏔᎲ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎠᎦᏴᎵᎨᎢ, ᎯᎠ ᏄᏍᏗ, ᏗᏩᏛᎯᏓᏍᏗᏱ ᏧᎾᏓᏂᏯᏛ ᎠᎴ ᏧᏃᏑᎶᏨᎯ ᎤᏲ ᏄᎾᏛᎾᏕᎬᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᎵᏍᏆᏂᎪᏙᏗᏱ ᎤᏩᏒ ᏄᏚᏯᏍᏛᎾ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗᏱ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎠᏁᎯ ᏄᎾᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗᏱ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ.
[One of the things that God has told us to do] is to take care of orphans and widows who suffer hardship. [Those who do that and] who do not think or act immorally like those who do not obey God [MTY] truly [DOU] worship God, [who is our] Father, and God approves of them.
