James 3
1 Mi britheren, nyle ye be maad many maistris, witynge that ye taken the more doom.
Nolite plures magistri fieri fratres mei, scientes quoniam maius iudicium sumitis.
2 For alle we offenden in many thingis. If ony man offendith not in word, this is a perfit man; for also he may lede aboute al the bodi with a bridil.
In multis enim offendimus omnes. Si quis in verbo non offendit: hic perfectus est vir. Potest etiam freno circumducere totum corpus.
3 For if we putten bridlis `in to horsis mouthis, for to consente to vs, and we leden aboute al the bodi of hem.
Si autem equis frena in ora mittimus ad consentiendum nobis, et omne corpus illorum circumferimus.
4 And lo! schippis, whanne thei ben grete, and ben dryuun of stronge wyndis, yit thei ben borun about of a litil gouernaile, where the meuyng of the gouernour wole.
Ecce et naves, cum magnæ sint, et a ventis validis minentur, circumferuntur a modico gubernaculo ubi impetus dirigentis voluerit.
5 So also the tunge is but a litil membre, and reisith grete thingis. Lo! hou litil fier brenneth a ful greet wode.
Ita et lingua modicum quidem membrum est, et magna exaltat. Ecce quantus ignis quam magnam silvam incendit!
6 And oure tunge is fier, the vniuersite of wickidnesse. The tunge is ordeyned in oure membris, which defoulith al the bodi; and it is enflawmed of helle, and enflawmeth the wheel of oure birthe. (Geenna g1067)
Et lingua ignis est, universitas iniquitatis. Lingua constituitur in membris nostris, quæ maculat totum corpus, et inflammat rotam nativitatis nostræ inflammata a Gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
7 And al the kynde of beestis, and of foulis, and of serpentis, and of othere is chastisid, and tho ben maad tame of mannus kinde; but no man mai chastise the tunge,
Omnis enim natura bestiarum, et volucrum, et serpentium, et ceterorum domantur, et domita sunt a natura humana:
8 for it is an vnpesible yuel, and ful of deedli venym.
linguam autem nullus hominum domare potest: inquietum malum, plena veneno mortifero.
9 In it we blessen God, the fadir, and in it we cursen men, that ben maad to the licnesse of God.
In ipsa benedicimus Deum et Patrem: et in ipsa maledicimus homines, qui ad similitudinem Dei facti sunt.
10 Of the same mouth passith forth blessing and cursing. My britheren, it bihoueth not that these thingis be don so.
Ex ipso ore procedit benedictio, et maledictio. Non oportet, fratres mei, hæc ita fieri.
11 Whether a welle of the same hoole bringith forth swete and salt watir?
Numquid fons de eodem foramine emanat dulcem, et amaram aquam?
12 My britheren, whether a fige tre may make grapis, ethir a vyne figus? So nethir salt watir mai make swete watir.
Numquid potest, fratres mei, ficus uvas facere, aut vitis ficus? Sic neque salsa dulcem potest facere aquam.
13 Who is wijs, and tauyt among you? schewe he of good lyuyng his worching, in myldenesse of his wisdom.
Quis sapiens, et disciplinatus inter vos? Ostendat ex bona conversatione operationem suam in mansuetudine sapientiæ.
14 That if ye han bitter enuye, and stryuyngis ben in youre hertis, nyle ye haue glorye, and be lyeris ayens the treuthe.
Quod si zelum amarum habetis, et contentiones sint in cordibus vestris: nolite gloriari, et mendaces esse adversus veritatem.
15 For this wisdom is not fro aboue comynge doun, but ertheli, and beestli, and feendli.
Non est enim ista sapientia desursum descendens: sed terrena, animalis, diabolica.
16 For where is enuye and strijf, there is vnstidfastnesse and al schrewid werk.
Ubi enim zelus et contentio: ibi inconstantia, et omne opus pravum.
17 But wisdom that is from aboue, first it is chast, aftirward pesible, mylde, able to be counseilid, consentinge to goode thingis, ful of merci and of goode fruytis, demynge with out feynyng.
Quæ autem desursum est sapientia, primum quidem pudica est, deinde pacifica, modesta, suadibilis, bonus consentiens, plena misericordia, et fructibus bonis, non iudicans, sine simulatione.
18 And the fruyt of riytwisnesse is sowun in pees, to men that maken pees.
Fructus autem iustitiæ, in pace seminatur, facientibus pacem.
