Iacobi 1
1 Jacobus, Dei et Domini nostri Jesu Christi servus, duodecim tribubus, quæ sunt in dispersione, salutem.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Greetings!
2 Omne gaudium existimate fratres mei, cum in tentationes varias incideritis:
Count [it] all joy, my brothers, when you may fall into manifold temptations,
3 scientes quod probatio fidei vestræ patientiam operatur.
knowing that the proof of your faith works endurance,
4 Patientia autem opus perfectum habet: ut sitis perfecti et integri in nullo deficientes.
and let the endurance have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo, qui dat omnibus affluenter, et non improperat: et dabitur ei.
And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all generously, and not reproaching, and it will be given to him;
6 Postulet autem in fide nihil hæsitans: qui enim hæsitat, similis est fluctui maris, qui a vento movetur et circumfertur:
but let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who is doubting has been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed;
7 non ergo æstimet homo ille quod accipiat aliquid a Domino.
for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD—
8 Vir duplex animo inconstans est in omnibus viis suis.
a soul-split man [is] unstable in all his ways.
9 Glorietur autem frater humilis in exaltatione sua:
And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
10 dives autem in humilitate sua, quoniam sicut flos fœni transibit;
but the rich in his becoming low, because he will pass away as a flower of grass;
11 exortus est enim sol cum ardore, et arefecit fœnum, et flos ejus decidit, et decor vultus ejus deperiit: ita et dives in itineribus suis marcescet.
for the sun rose with the burning heat, and withered the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the beauty of its appearance perished, so also the rich in his way will fade away!
12 Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem: quoniam cum probatus fuerit, accipiet coronam vitæ, quam repromisit Deus diligentibus se.
Blessed [is] the man who endures temptation, because, becoming approved, he will receive the garland of life, which the LORD promised to those loving Him.
13 Nemo cum tentatur, dicat quoniam a Deo tentatur: Deus enim intentator malorum est: ipse autem neminem tentat.
Let no one who is being tempted say, “I am tempted from God,” for God is not tempted by evils, and Himself tempts no one,
14 Unusquisque vero tentatur a concupiscentia sua abstractus, et illectus.
but each one is tempted, being led away and enticed by his own desires;
15 Deinde concupiscentia cum conceperit, parit peccatum: peccatum vero cum consummatum fuerit, generat mortem.
afterward the desire having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin having been perfected, brings forth death.
16 Nolite itaque errare, fratres mei dilectissimi.
Do not be led astray, my beloved brothers.
17 Omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre luminum, apud quem non est transmutatio, nec vicissitudinis obumbratio.
Every good giving, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;
18 Voluntarie enim genuit nos verbo veritatis, ut simus initium aliquod creaturæ ejus.
having willed [it], He begot us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
19 Scitis, fratres mei dilectissimi. Sit autem omnis homo velox ad audiendum: tardus autem ad loquendum, et tardus ad iram.
So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
20 Ira enim viri justitiam Dei non operatur.
for the wrath of a man does not work the righteousness of God;
21 Propter quod abjicientes omnem immunditiam, et abundantiam malitiæ, in mansuetudine suscipite insitum verbum, quod potest salvare animas vestras.
for this reason, having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, receive the implanted word in meekness, that is able to save your souls;
22 Estote autem factores verbi, et non auditores tantum: fallentes vosmetipsos.
and become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,
23 Quia si quis auditor est verbi, et non factor, hic comparabitur viro consideranti vultum nativitatis suæ in speculo:
because, if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one has been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,
24 consideravit enim se, et abiit, et statim oblitus est qualis fuerit.
for he viewed himself, and has gone away, and immediately he forgot what kind of [man] he was;
25 Qui autem perspexerit in legem perfectam libertatis, et permanserit in ea, non auditor obliviosus factus, sed factor operis: hic beatus in facto suo erit.
but he who looked into [the] perfect law—that of liberty, and continued there, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work—this one will be blessed in his doing.
26 Si quis autem putat se religiosum esse, non refrenans linguam suam, sed seducens cor suum, hujus vana est religio.
If anyone thinks to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, the religion of this one [is] vain;
27 Religio munda et immaculata apud Deum et Patrem, hæc est: visitare pupillos et viduas in tribulatione eorum, et immaculatum se custodire ab hoc sæculo.
religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation—to keep himself unspotted from the world.
