Iacobi 1
1 Iacobus Dei, et Domini nostri Iesu Christi servus, duodecim tribubus, quae sunt in dispersione, salutem.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Health.
2 Omne gaudium existimate fratres mei, cum in tentationes varias incideritis:
My brethren, count it all joy, when you fall into diverse trials;
3 scientes quod probatio fidei vestrae patientiam operatur.
knowing that the proof of your faith works out patience.
4 Patientia autem opus perfectum habet: ut sitis perfecti et integri in nullo deficientes.
Let patience, therefore, have a perfect effect, that you may be perfect and complete, deficient in nothing.
5 Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo, qui dat omnibus affluenter, et non improperat: et dabitur ei.
If any of you be deficient in wisdom, let him ask it of God: who gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not, and it shall be given to him.
6 Postulet autem in fide nihil haesitans: qui enim haesitat, similis est fluctui maris, qui a vento movetur et circumfertur.
But let him ask in faith, being not at all irresolute: for he who is irresolute, is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
7 non ergo aestimet homo ille quod accipiat aliquid a Domino.
Now let not that man think, that he shall receive anything from the Lord.
8 Vir duplex animo inconstans est in omnibus viis suis.
A man of two minds, is unstable in all his ways.
9 Glorietur autem frater humilis in exaltatione sua:
Moreover, let the brother of humble condition glory in his exaltation,
10 dives autem in humilitate sua, quoniam sicut flos foeni transibit:
and the rich in his humiliation; for as a garden flower he shall pass away.--
11 exortus est enim sol cum ardore, et arefecit foenum, et flos eius decidit, et decor vultus eius deperiit: ita et dives in itineribus suis marcescet.
For the sun rises with a burning heat, and withers the herb, and its flower falls down, and the beauty of its appearance perishes: so also shall the rich man fade in his ways.
12 Beatus vir, qui suffert tentationem: quoniam cum probatus fuerit, accipiet coronam vitae, quam repromisit Deus diligentibus se.
Blessed is the man who sustains trial, for becoming an approved person, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them who love him.
13 Nemo cum tentatur, dicat quoniam a Deo tentatur: Deus enim intentator malorum est: ipse autem neminem tentat.
Let no one who is tempted say, Certainly I am tempted by God: for God is incapable of being tempted by evil things, and he tempts no one.
14 Unusquisque vero tentatur a concupiscentia sua abstractus, et illectus.
But every one is tempted, when he is drawn away, and enticed by his own lust:
15 Deinde concupiscentia cum conceperit, parit peccatum: peccatum vero cum consummatum fuerit, generat mortem.
then lust having conceived, brings forth sin, and sin, being perfected, brings forth death.
16 Nolite itaque errare fratres mei dilectissimi.
Be not deceived, my beloved brethren;
17 Omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre luminum, apud quem non est transmutatio, nec vicissitudinis obumbratio.
every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, descended from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
18 Voluntarie enim genuit nos verbo veritatis, ut simus initium aliquod creaturae eius.
Of his own will, he begot us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of fruits of his creatures.
19 Scitis fratres mei dilectissimi. Sit autem omnis homo velox ad audiendum: tardus autem ad loquendum, et tardus ad iram.
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.
for the wrath of man works not out the righteousness of God.
21 Propter quod abiicientes omnem immunditiam, et abundantiam malitiae, in mansuetudine suscipite insitum verbum, quod potest salvare animas vestras.
Wherefore, putting away all filthiness, and overflowing of maliciousness, embrace with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 Estote autem factores verbi, et non auditores tantum: fallentes vosmetipsos.
And be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves by false reasoning.
23 Quia si quis auditor est verbi, et non factor: hic comparabitur viro consideranti vultum nativitatis suae in speculo:
For if any one be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man who views his natural face in a mirror;
24 consideravit enim se, et abiit, et statim oblitus est qualis fuerit.
for he who looks at himself and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
25 Qui autem perspexerit in lege perfectae libertatis, et permanserit in ea, non auditor obliviosus factus, sed factor operis: hic beatus in facto suo erit.
But he who looks narrowly into the perfect law of liberty, and perseveres, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of its work, shall, in so doing, be happy.
26 Si quis autem putat se religiosum esse, non refrenans linguam suam, sed seducens cor suum, huius vana est religio.
If any one among you think to be religious, who bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, the religion of this person is vain.
27 Religio munda, et immaculata apud Deum et Patrem, haec est: Visitare pupillos, et viduas in tribulatione eorum, et immaculatum se custodire ab hoc saeculo.
Pure religion, and undefiled, with God, even the Father, is this: To take care of orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep one's self unspotted from the world.
