Iacobi 1
1 Iacobus Dei, et Domini nostri Iesu Christi servus, duodecim tribubus, quae sunt in dispersione, salutem.
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: to the twelve tribes who are scattered over the world. All good wishes.
2 Omne gaudium existimate fratres mei, cum in tentationes varias incideritis:
Reckon it nothing but joy, my brethren, whenever you find yourselves hedged in by various trials.
3 scientes quod probatio fidei vestrae patientiam operatur.
Be assured that the testing of your faith leads to power of endurance.
4 Patientia autem opus perfectum habet: ut sitis perfecti et integri in nullo deficientes.
Only let endurance have perfect results so that you may become perfect and complete, deficient in nothing.
5 Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo, qui dat omnibus affluenter, et non improperat: et dabitur ei.
And if any one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives with open hand to all men, and without upbraiding; and it will be given him.
6 Postulet autem in fide nihil haesitans: qui enim haesitat, similis est fluctui maris, qui a vento movetur et circumfertur.
But let him ask in faith and have no doubts; for he who has doubts is like the surge of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed into spray.
7 non ergo aestimet homo ille quod accipiat aliquid a Domino.
A person of that sort must not expect to receive anything from the Lord--
8 Vir duplex animo inconstans est in omnibus viis suis.
such a one is a man of two minds, undecided in every step he takes.
9 Glorietur autem frater humilis in exaltatione sua:
Let a brother in humble life rejoice when raised to a higher position;
10 dives autem in humilitate sua, quoniam sicut flos foeni transibit:
but a rich man should rejoice in being brought low, for like flowers among the herbage rich men will pass away.
11 exortus est enim sol cum ardore, et arefecit foenum, et flos eius decidit, et decor vultus eius deperiit: ita et dives in itineribus suis marcescet.
The sun rises with his scorching heat and dries up the herbage, so that its flowers drop off and the beauty of its appearance perishes, and in the same way rich men with all their prosperity will fade away.
12 Beatus vir, qui suffert tentationem: quoniam cum probatus fuerit, accipiet coronam vitae, quam repromisit Deus diligentibus se.
Blessed is he who patiently endures trials; for when he has stood the test, he will gain the victor's crown--even the crown of Life--which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Nemo cum tentatur, dicat quoniam a Deo tentatur: Deus enim intentator malorum est: ipse autem neminem tentat.
Let no one say when passing through trial, "My temptation is from God;" for God is incapable of being tempted to do evil, and He Himself tempts no one.
14 Unusquisque vero tentatur a concupiscentia sua abstractus, et illectus.
But when a man is tempted, it is his own passions that carry him away and serve as a bait.
15 Deinde concupiscentia cum conceperit, parit peccatum: peccatum vero cum consummatum fuerit, generat mortem.
Then the passion conceives, and becomes the parent of sin; and sin, when fully matured, gives birth to death.
16 Nolite itaque errare fratres mei dilectissimi.
Do not be deceived, my dearly-loved brethren.
17 Omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre luminum, apud quem non est transmutatio, nec vicissitudinis obumbratio.
Every gift which is good, and every perfect boon, is from above, and comes down from the Father, who is the source of all Light. In Him there is no variation nor the slightest suggestion of change.
18 Voluntarie enim genuit nos verbo veritatis, ut simus initium aliquod creaturae eius.
In accordance with His will He made us His children through the Message of the truth, so that we might, in a sense, be the Firstfruits of the things which He has created.
19 Scitis fratres mei dilectissimi. Sit autem omnis homo velox ad audiendum: tardus autem ad loquendum, et tardus ad iram.
You know this, my dearly-loved brethren. But let every one be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to be angry.
20 Ira enim viri, iustitiam Dei non operatur.
For a man's anger does not lead to action which God regards as righteous.
21 Propter quod abiicientes omnem immunditiam, et abundantiam malitiae, in mansuetudine suscipite insitum verbum, quod potest salvare animas vestras.
Ridding yourselves, therefore, of all that is vile and of the evil influences which prevail around you, welcome in a humble spirit the Message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.
22 Estote autem factores verbi, et non auditores tantum: fallentes vosmetipsos.
But prove yourselves obedient to the Message, and do not be mere hearers of it, imposing a delusion upon yourselves.
23 Quia si quis auditor est verbi, et non factor: hic comparabitur viro consideranti vultum nativitatis suae in speculo:
For if any one listens but does not obey, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own face in a mirror.
24 consideravit enim se, et abiit, et statim oblitus est qualis fuerit.
Although he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and has immediately forgotten the sort of man he is.
25 Qui autem perspexerit in lege perfectae libertatis, et permanserit in ea, non auditor obliviosus factus, sed factor operis: hic beatus in facto suo erit.
But he who looks closely into the perfect Law--the Law of freedom--and continues looking, he, being not a hearer who forgets, but an obedient doer, will as the result of his obedience be blessed.
26 Si quis autem putat se religiosum esse, non refrenans linguam suam, sed seducens cor suum, huius vana est religio.
If a man thinks that he is scrupulously religious, although he is not curbing his tongue but is deceiving himself, his religious service is worthless.
27 Religio munda, et immaculata apud Deum et Patrem, haec est: Visitare pupillos, et viduas in tribulatione eorum, et immaculatum se custodire ab hoc saeculo.
The religious service which is pure and stainless in the sight of our God and Father is to visit fatherless children and widowed women in their time of trouble, and to keep one's own self unspotted from the world.
