Iacobi 4
1 Unde bella, et lites in vobis? Nonne ex concupiscentiis vestris, quae militant in membris vestris?
Where do the fights and quarrels you're having come from? Aren't they due to the sensual passions that are in conflict within you?
2 Concupiscitis, et non habetis: occiditis, et zelatis: et non potestis adipisci: litigatis, et belligeratis, et non habetis, propter quod non postulatis.
You burn with desire, but don't get what you want. You kill for what you lust after, but don't get what you're looking for. You argue and you fight, but you don't get anything, because you don't pray for it.
3 Petitis, et non accipitis: eo quod male petatis: ut in concupiscentiis vestris insumatis.
You pray, but don't receive anything, because you ask with a wrong motive, wanting to spend what you'd receive on your selfish pleasures.
4 Adulteri nescitis quia amicitia huius mundi, inimica est Dei? Quicumque ergo voluerit amicus esse saeculi huius, inimicus Dei constituitur.
You adulterous people! Don't you realize that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Those who want to be friends of the world make themselves enemies of God.
5 An putatis quia inaniter Scriptura dicat: Ad invidiam concupiscit spiritus, qui habitat in vobis?
Do you think Scripture doesn't mean what it says: that the spirit that he put in us is very jealous?
6 Maiorem autem dat gratiam. Propter quod dicit: Deus superbis resistit, humilibus autem dat gratiam.
But God gives us even more grace, as Scripture says: “God is against those who are arrogant, but gives grace to those who are humble.”
7 Subditi ergo estote Deo, resistite autem diabolo, et fugiet a vobis.
So place yourself under God's direction. Confront the devil, and he will run away from you.
8 Appropinquate Deo, et appropinquabit vobis. Emundate manus, peccatores: et purificate corda, duplices animo.
Come close to God and he will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Purify your way of thinking, you people with divided loyalties.
9 Miseri estote, et lugete, et plorate: risus vester in luctum convertatur, et gaudium in moerorem.
Show some remorse, cry and weep! Turn your laughter into mourning, and your joy to sadness.
10 Humiliamini in conspectu Domini, et exaltabit vos.
Be humble before the Lord and he will lift you up.
11 Nolite detrahere alterutrum fratres mei. Qui detrahit fratri, aut qui iudicat fratrem suum, detrahit legi, et iudicat legem. Si autem iudicas legem: non es factor legis, sed iudex.
Friends, don't speak badly of one another. Anyone who criticizes a fellow-believer and condemns them, criticizes and condemns the law. If you condemn the law you're not someone who keeps the law, because you're sitting in judgment of it.
12 Unus est enim legislator, et iudex, qui potest perdere, et liberare.
There's only one lawgiver and judge—the one who can either save or destroy you—so who are you to judge your neighbor?
13 Tu autem quis es, qui iudicas proximum? Ecce nunc qui dicitis: Hodie, aut crastino ibimus in illam civitatem, et faciemus ibi quidem annum, et mercabimur, et lucrum faciemus:
Come on now!—you people who say, “Either today or tomorrow we'll go to such-and-such a city, spend a year in business there, and make a profit.”
14 qui ignoratis quid erit in crastinum.
You have no idea what will happen tomorrow! What's your life like? It's just a mist that appears for a little while, and then is gone.
15 Quae est enim vita vestra? vapor est ad modicum parens, et deinceps exterminabitur; pro eo ut dicatis: Si Dominus voluerit. Et: Si vixerimus, faciemus hoc, aut illud.
What you should say is, “If it's the Lord's will, we'll live like this and plan to do that.”
16 Nunc autem exultatis in superbiis vestris. Omnis exultatio talis, maligna est.
But right now you're caught up in your vain ideas. All this boasting is evil.
17 Scienti igitur bonum facere, et non facienti, peccatum est illi.
For it is a sin if you know to do what's right but don't do it.
