Iacobi 3
1 Nolite plures magistri fieri fratres mei, scientes quoniam maius iudicium sumitis.
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].
2 In multis enim offendimus omnes. Si quis in verbo non offendit: hic perfectus est vir. potest etiam freno circumducere totum corpus.
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].
3 Si autem equis frena in ora mittimus ad consentiendum nobis, et omne corpus illorum circumferimus.
[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].
4 Et ecce naves, cum magnae sint, et a ventis validis minentur: circumferuntur autem a modico gubernaculo ubi impetus dirigentis voluerit.
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].
5 Ita et lingua modicum quidem membrum est, et magna exaltat. Ecce quantus ignis quam magnam silvam incendit!
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.
6 Et lingua ignis est, universitas iniquitatis. Lingua constituitur in membris nostris, quae maculat totum corpus, et inflammat rotam nativitatis nostrae inflammata a gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
[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)
7 Omnis enim natura bestiarum, et volucrum, et serpentium, et ceterorum domantur, et domita sunt a natura humana:
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,
8 linguam autem nullus hominum domare potest: inquietum malum, plena veneno mortifero.
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.
9 In ipsa benedicimus Deum et Patrem: et in ipsa maledicimus homines, qui ad imaginem, et similitudinem Dei facti sunt.
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].
10 Ex ipso ore procedit benedictio, et maledictio. Non oportet, fratres mei, haec ita fieri.
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!
11 Numquid fons de eodem foramine emanat dulcem, et amaram aquam?
Surely bitter water and good water do not come out of the same spring! [RHQ]
12 Numquid potest, fratres mei, ficus uvas facere, aut vitis ficus? Sic neque salsa dulcem potest facere aquam.
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].
13 Quis sapiens, et disciplinatus inter vos? Ostendat ex bona conversatione operationem suam in mansuetudine sapientiae.
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].
14 Quod si zelum amarum habetis, et contentiones sint in cordibus vestris: nolite gloriari, et mendaces esse adversus veritatem.
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.
15 non est enim ista sapientia desursum descendens: sed terrena, animalis, diabolica.
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]).
16 Ubi enim zelus et contentio: ibi inconstantia, et omne opus pravum.
[Keep in mind that] people who have such attitudes (are unruly/do not submit to authority) and [do] all kinds of evil things.
17 Quae autem desursum est sapientia, primum quidem pudica est, deinde pacifica, modesta, suadibilis, bonus consentiens, plena misericordia, et fructibus bonis, iudicans sine simulatione.
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].
18 Fructus autem iustitiae, in pace seminatur, facientibus pacem.
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].
