James 3
1 My fellow believers, not many of you should [desire to] become teachers [of God’s truth, because] you know [that God] will judge us [(exc)], who teach others, more severely [than he will judge other people].
he mama bhrAtaraH, zikSakairasmAbhi rgurutaradaNDo lapsyata iti jJAtvA yUyam aneke zikSakA mA bhavata|
2 It is true that we all in many ways do things that are wrong [MET]. But those who always [LIT] control what they say will be all that God intends/wants them to be. They will be able to control all their actions [MTY].
yataH sarvve vayaM bahuviSayeSu skhalAmaH, yaH kazcid vAkye na skhalati sa siddhapuruSaH kRtsnaM vazIkarttuM samarthazcAsti|
3 [To illustrate], if we put [a small metal] bit into the mouth of a horse in order to cause the horse to obey us, we can cause the horse to turn [and go where we want it to] [MET].
pazyata vayam azvAn vazIkarttuM teSAM vaktreSu khalInAn nidhAya teSAM kRtsnaM zarIram anuvarttayAmaH|
4 Think also about ships. [Although] a ship may be very large and [although] it can be moved by strong winds {strong winds can move it}, by [turning] a very small (rudder/steering paddle) people can direct the ship wherever they want [it to go].
pazyata ye potA atIva bRhadAkArAH pracaNDavAtaizca cAlitAste'pi karNadhArasya mano'bhimatAd atikSudreNa karNena vAJchitaM sthAnaM pratyanuvarttante|
5 Similarly, [although] our tongues are very small, [if we do not control them], we can [harm] many people by what we proudly say [MTY]. Think [also] about how [just] a small [flame of] fire can cause a large forest (OR, a large area of brushwood) to burn.
tadvad rasanApi kSudratarAGgaM santI darpavAkyAni bhASate| pazya kIdRGmahAraNyaM dahyate 'lpena vahninA|
6 [Just like a fire damages a forest] [MET], when we say things that are evil, [we harm many people]. What we say [MTY] reveals that we are very evil. What we say contaminates/defiles everything that we think and do [PRS, MET]. [Just like a flame of fire easily] causes [the whole surrounding area] [MET] to burn, what we say [MTY] can cause [others] to want to do evil. It is the devil himself [MTY] who causes us to say evil things. (Geenna g1067)
rasanApi bhaved vahniradharmmarUpapiSTape| asmadaGgeSu rasanA tAdRzaM santiSThati sA kRtsnaM dehaM kalaGkayati sRSTirathasya cakraM prajvalayati narakAnalena jvalati ca| (Geenna g1067)
7 Indeed, although people are able to tame/control all kinds of wild animals, birds, reptiles and creatures that live in the water, and people have actually tamed/controlled them,
pazupakSyurogajalacarANAM sarvveSAM svabhAvo damayituM zakyate mAnuSikasvabhAvena damayAJcakre ca|
8 no person ([on his own/by himself]) is able to control what he says [MTY]. And when people say evil things, [it shows that] they are unstable/uncontrolled and wicked [MTY]. [As] the poison [of a snake kills people] [MTY], [we harm others] [MET] by what we say.
kintu mAnavAnAM kenApi jihvA damayituM na zakyate sA na nivAryyam aniSTaM halAhalaviSeNa pUrNA ca|
9 We use our tongue to praise God, who is our Lord and Father, but we also use our same tongue to ask God to say evil things to people. [That is very wrong]! God made people like himself, [so we should speak as respectfully to others as we speak to God].
tayA vayaM pitaram IzvaraM dhanyaM vadAmaH, tayA cezvarasya sAdRzye sRSTAn mAnavAn zapAmaH|
10 We praise [God], but with our same mouth we also ask for evil [things to happen to others]. My fellow believers, this should not be!
ekasmAd vadanAd dhanyavAdazApau nirgacchataH| he mama bhrAtaraH, etAdRzaM na karttavyaM|
11 Surely bitter water and good water do not come out of the same spring! [RHQ]
prasravaNaH kim ekasmAt chidrAt miSTaM tiktaJca toyaM nirgamayati?
12 My fellow believers, a fig tree cannot [RHQ] produce olives. Nor can [RHQ] a grapevine produce figs. Neither can a salty spring produce good [water]. [Similarly, we should say only good things, and we should not say evil things] [MET].
he mama bhrAtaraH, uDumbarataruH kiM jitaphalAni drAkSAlatA vA kim uDumbaraphalAni phalituM zaknoti? tadvad ekaH prasravaNo lavaNamiSTe toye nirgamayituM na zaknoti|
13 If any of you thinks [RHQ] that [you are] wise and know a lot, you should always act in a good way to show people that your good actions are the result of your [being truly] wise. Being wise [helps us to act] gently [toward others].
yuSmAkaM madhye jJAnI subodhazca ka Aste? tasya karmmANi jJAnamUlakamRdutAyuktAnIti sadAcArAt sa pramANayatu|
14 But if you are very [MET] jealous/unhappy when you see that someone else is succeeding, and always want to have what you want, regardless of what others want, you should not say [that you are wise, for by boasting like that], you are saying that ([God’s message/what God says about you]) is not true.
kintu yuSmadantaHkaraNamadhye yadi tikterSyA vivAdecchA ca vidyate tarhi satyamatasya viruddhaM na zlAghadhvaM nacAnRtaM kathayata|
15 Those who have such [attitudes are] not wise [MTY] in the way that God [wants them to be]. Instead, they are only thinking and acting like ([ungodly people/people who do not please God]). They think and act according to their own [evil] desires. They do what the demons [want them to do] (OR, they think and act as demons [do]).
tAdRzaM jJAnam UrddhvAd AgataM nahi kintu pArthivaM zarIri bhautikaJca|
16 [Keep in mind that] people who have such attitudes (are unruly/do not submit to authority) and [do] all kinds of evil things.
yato hetorIrSyA vivAdecchA ca yatra vedyete tatraiva kalahaH sarvvaM duSkRtaJca vidyate|
17 But [when people] are wise [PRS] in the way that God [MTY] [wants them to be], they are pure in every way, which God considers to be very important. They also act peaceably towards [others], they (are considerate of/think about the rights and feelings of) others, they are willing to yield to [the wishes of] others, they act compassionately [toward others], and they do all kinds of good things [for others] [MET]. [How they treat others does] not depend on (others’ status/whether others are important or not), and they are sincere [in all they do].
kintUrddhvAd AgataM yat jJAnaM tat prathamaM zuci tataH paraM zAntaM kSAntam AzusandheyaM dayAdisatphalaiH paripUrNam asandigdhaM niSkapaTaJca bhavati|
18 Those who [act] peaceably [toward others] cause [others to also] act peaceably, with the result that they all live together [acting toward each other] in a righteous way [MET].
zAntyAcAribhiH zAntyA dharmmaphalaM ropyate|
