1 Iacobus, Dei et Domini Iesu Christi servus, duodecim tribu bus, quae suntin dispersione, salutem.
| 1 James the servant of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. |
2 Omne gaudium existimate, fratres mei, cum in tentationibus variis incideritis, | 2 My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations; |
3 scientes quod probatio fidei vestrae patientiam operatur; | 3 Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience. |
4 patientia autemopus perfectum habeat, ut sitis perfecti et integri, in nullo deficientes.
| 4 And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing. |
5 Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo, qui dat omnibusaffluenter et non improperat, et dabitur ei. | 5 But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. |
6 Postulet autem in fide nihilhaesitans; qui enim haesitat, similis est fluctui maris, qui a vento movetur etcircumfertur. | 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind. |
7 Non ergo aestimet homo ille quod accipiat aliquid a Domino, | 7 Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. |
8 vir duplex animo, inconstans in omnibus viis suis.
| 8 A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways. |
9 Glorietur autem frater humilis in exaltatione sua, | 9 But let the brother of low condition glory in his exaltation: |
10 dives autem inhumilitate sua, quoniam sicut flos feni transibit. | 10 And the rich, in his being low; because as the flower of the grass shall he pass away. |
11 Exortus est enim sol cumardore et arefecit fenum, et flos eius decidit, et decor vultus eius deperiit;ita et dives in itineribus suis marcescet. | 11 For the sun rose with a burning heat, and parched the grass, and the flower thereof fell off, and the beauty of the shape thereof perished: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. |
12 Beatus vir, qui sufferttentationem, quia, cum probatus fuerit, accipiet coronam vitae, quam repromisitDeus diligentibus se.
| 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been proved, he shall receive a crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him. |
13 Nemo, cum tentatur, dicat: “ A Deo tentor ”; Deus enim non tentaturmalis, ipse autem neminem tentat. | 13 Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted by God. For God is not a tempter of evils, and he tempteth no man. |
14 Unusquisque vero tentatur a concupiscentiasua abstractus et illectus; | 14 But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being drawn away and allured. |
15 dein concupiscentia, cum conceperit, paritpeccatum; peccatum vero, cum consummatum fuerit, generat mortem.
| 15 Then when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death. |
16 Nolite errare, fratres mei dilectissimi. | 16 Do not err, therefore, my dearest brethren. |
17 Omne datum optimum et omne donumperfectum de sursum est, descendens a Patre luminum, apud quem non esttransmutatio nec vicissitudinis obumbratio. | 17 Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration. |
18 Voluntarie genuit nos verboveritatis, ut simus primitiae quaedam creaturae eius. | 18 For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creatures. |
19 Scitis, fratres meidilecti. Sit autem omnis homo velox ad audiendum, tardus autem ad loquendum ettardus ad iram; | 19 You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger. |
20 ira enim viri iustitiam Dei non operatur. | 20 For the anger of man worketh not the justice of God. |
21 Propter quodabicientes omnem immunditiam et abundantiam malitiae, in mansuetudine suscipiteinsitum verbum, quod potest salvare animas vestras. | 21 Wherefore casting away all uncleanness, and abundance of naughtiness, with meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls. |
22 Estote autem factoresverbi et non auditores tantum fallentes vosmetipsos. | 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. |
23 Quia si quis auditor estverbi et non factor, hic comparabitur viro consideranti vultum nativitatis suaein speculo; | 23 For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass. |
24 consideravit enim se et abiit, et statim oblitus est qualisfuerit. | 24 For he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was. |
25 Qui autem perspexerit in lege perfecta libertatis et permanserit, nonauditor obliviosus factus sed factor operis, hic beatus in facto suo erit.
| 25 But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; this man shall be blessed in his deed. |
26 Si quis putat se religiosum esse, non freno circumducens linguam suam sedseducens cor suum, huius vana est religio. | 26 And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain. |
27 Religio munda et immaculata apudDeum et Patrem haec est: visitare pupillos et viduas in tribulatione eorum,immaculatum se custodire ab hoc saeculo.
| 27 Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation: and to keep one's self unspotted from this world. |