Jakob 4
1 Hvoraf kommer det, at den er Krige og Stridigheder iblandt eder? mon ikke deraf, af eders Lyster, som stride i eders Lemmer?
Where do the fights and quarrels you're having come from? Aren't they due to the sensual passions that are in conflict within you?
2 I begære og have ikke; I myrde og misunde og kunne ikke få; I føre Strid og Krig. Og I have ikke, fordi I ikke bede;
You burn with desire, but don't get what you want. You kill for what you lust after, but don't get what you're looking for. You argue and you fight, but you don't get anything, because you don't pray for it.
3 I bede og få ikke, fordi I bede ilde, for at øde det i eders Lyster.
You pray, but don't receive anything, because you ask with a wrong motive, wanting to spend what you'd receive on your selfish pleasures.
4 I utro! vide I ikke, at Venskab med Verden er Fjendskab imod Gud? Derfor, den, som vil være Verdens Ven, bliver Guds Fjende.
You adulterous people! Don't you realize that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Those who want to be friends of the world make themselves enemies of God.
5 Eller mene I, at Skriftens Ord ere tomme Ord? Med Nidkærhed længes han efter den Ånd, han har givet Bolig i os, men han skænker desto større Nåde.
Do you think Scripture doesn't mean what it says: that the spirit that he put in us is very jealous?
6 Derfor siger Skriften: "Gud står de hoffærdige imod, men de ydmyge giver han Nåde."
But God gives us even more grace, as Scripture says: “God is against those who are arrogant, but gives grace to those who are humble.”
7 Underordner eder derfor under Gud; men står Djævelen imod, så skal han fly fra eder;
So place yourself under God's direction. Confront the devil, and he will run away from you.
8 holder eder nær til Gud, så skal han holde sig nær til eder! Renser Hænderne, I Syndere! og lutrer Hjerterne, I tvesindede!
Come close to God and he will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Purify your way of thinking, you people with divided loyalties.
9 Jamrer og sørger og græder; eders Latter vende sig til Sorg og Glæden til Bedrøvelse!
Show some remorse, cry and weep! Turn your laughter into mourning, and your joy to sadness.
10 Ydmyger eder for Herren, så skal han ophøje eder.
Be humble before the Lord and he will lift you up.
11 Taler ikke ilde om hverandre, Brødre! Den, som taler ilde om sin Broder eller dømmer sin Broder, taler ilde om Loven og dømmer Loven; men dømmer du Loven, da er du ikke Lovens Gører, men dens Dommer.
Friends, don't speak badly of one another. Anyone who criticizes a fellow-believer and condemns them, criticizes and condemns the law. If you condemn the law you're not someone who keeps the law, because you're sitting in judgment of it.
12 Een er Lovgiveren og Dommeren, han, som kan frelse og fordærve; men hvem er du, som dømmer din Næste?
There's only one lawgiver and judge—the one who can either save or destroy you—so who are you to judge your neighbor?
13 Og nu I, som sige: I Dag eller i Morgen ville vi gå til den eller den By og blive der et År og købslå og vinde,
Come on now!—you people who say, “Either today or tomorrow we'll go to such-and-such a city, spend a year in business there, and make a profit.”
14 I, som ikke vide, hvad der skal ske i Morgen; thi hvordan er eders Liv? I ere jo en Damp, som er til Syne en liden Tid, men derefter forsvinder;
You have no idea what will happen tomorrow! What's your life like? It's just a mist that appears for a little while, and then is gone.
15 i Stedet for at I skulle sige: Dersom Herren vil, og vi leve, da ville vi gøre dette eller hint.
What you should say is, “If it's the Lord's will, we'll live like this and plan to do that.”
16 Men nu rose I eder i eders Overmod; al sådan Ros er ond.
But right now you're caught up in your vain ideas. All this boasting is evil.
17 Derfor, den som ved at handle ret og ikke gør det, for ham er det Synd.
For it is a sin if you know to do what's right but don't do it.
