1 Iacobus, Dei et Domini Iesu Christi servus, duodecim tribu bus, quae suntin dispersione, salutem.
| 1 James, a servant of God and of the 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 ye fall into divers temptations; |
3 scientes quod probatio fidei vestrae patientiam operatur; | 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. |
4 patientia autemopus perfectum habeat, ut sitis perfecti et integri, in nullo deficientes.
| 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. |
5 Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo, qui dat omnibusaffluenter et non improperat, et dabitur ei. | 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, 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 driven with the wind and tossed. |
7 Non ergo aestimet homo ille quod accipiat aliquid a Domino, | 7 For 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 unstable in all his ways. |
9 Glorietur autem frater humilis in exaltatione sua, | 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: |
10 dives autem inhumilitate sua, quoniam sicut flos feni transibit. | 10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall 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 is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: 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 is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord 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 say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: |
14 Unusquisque vero tentatur a concupiscentiasua abstractus et illectus; | 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. |
15 dein concupiscentia, cum conceperit, paritpeccatum; peccatum vero, cum consummatum fuerit, generat mortem.
| 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. |
16 Nolite errare, fratres mei dilectissimi. | 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. |
17 Omne datum optimum et omne donumperfectum de sursum est, descendens a Patre luminum, apud quem non esttransmutatio nec vicissitudinis obumbratio. | 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. |
18 Voluntarie genuit nos verboveritatis, ut simus primitiae quaedam creaturae eius. | 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. |
19 Scitis, fratres meidilecti. Sit autem omnis homo velox ad audiendum, tardus autem ad loquendum ettardus ad iram; | 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: |
20 ira enim viri iustitiam Dei non operatur. | 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. |
21 Propter quodabicientes omnem immunditiam et abundantiam malitiae, in mansuetudine suscipiteinsitum verbum, quod potest salvare animas vestras. | 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted 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 any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: |
24 consideravit enim se et abiit, et statim oblitus est qualisfuerit. | 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth 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 whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not 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 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth 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 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. |