雅各書 1
1 作上帝和主耶穌基督僕人的雅各請散住十二個支派之人的安。
[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 我的弟兄們，你們落在百般試煉中，都要以為大喜樂；
My fellow believers, rejoice greatly, [even] when you experience various kinds of difficulties/troubles.
3 因為知道你們的信心經過試驗，就生忍耐。
[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 但忍耐也當成功，使你們成全、完備，毫無缺欠。
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 你們中間若有缺少智慧的，應當求那厚賜與眾人、也不斥責人的上帝，主就必賜給他。
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 只要憑着信心求，一點不疑惑；因為那疑惑的人，就像海中的波浪，被風吹動翻騰。
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 這樣的人不要想從主那裏得甚麼。
Indeed, people [who doubt] should not think that the Lord [God] will do anything [that they request him to do],
8 心懷二意的人，在他一切所行的路上都沒有定見。
[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 卑微的弟兄升高，就該喜樂；
Believers who are poor should be happy [that God] considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them [spiritually]) [MTY].
10 富足的降卑，也該如此；因為他必要過去，如同草上的花一樣。
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 太陽出來，熱風颳起，草就枯乾，花也凋謝，美容就消沒了；那富足的人，在他所行的事上也要這樣衰殘。
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 忍受試探的人是有福的，因為他經過試驗以後，必得生命的冠冕；這是主應許給那些愛他之人的。
[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 人被試探，不可說：「我是被上帝試探」；因為上帝不能被惡試探，他也不試探人。
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 但各人被試探，乃是被自己的私慾牽引誘惑的。
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 私慾既懷了胎，就生出罪來；罪既長成，就生出死來。
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 我親愛的弟兄們，不要看錯了。
My fellow believers whom I love, stop deceiving yourselves, [thinking that God does evil things].
17 各樣美善的恩賜和各樣全備的賞賜都是從上頭來的，從眾光之父那裏降下來的；在他並沒有改變，也沒有轉動的影兒。
[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 他按自己的旨意，用真道生了我們，叫我們在他所造的萬物中好像初熟的果子。
[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 我親愛的弟兄們，這是你們所知道的。但你們各人要快快地聽，慢慢地說，慢慢地動怒，
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 因為人的怒氣並不成就上帝的義。
because when any one [of you gets] angry, you will not be doing the righteous things that God [wants] you [to do].
21 所以，你們要脫去一切的污穢和盈餘的邪惡，存溫柔的心領受那所栽種的道，就是能救你們靈魂的道。
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 只是你們要行道，不要單單聽道，自己欺哄自己。
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 因為聽道而不行道的，就像人對着鏡子看自己本來的面目，
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 看見，走後，隨即忘了他的相貌如何。
Although he looks at himself, he goes away [from the mirror] and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 惟有詳細察看那全備、使人自由之律法的，並且時常如此，這人既不是聽了就忘，乃是實在行出來，就在他所行的事上必然得福。
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 若有人自以為虔誠，卻不勒住他的舌頭，反欺哄自己的心，這人的虔誠是虛的。
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 在上帝我們的父面前，那清潔沒有玷污的虔誠，就是看顧在患難中的孤兒寡婦，並且保守自己不沾染世俗。
[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.
