yākūbaḥ 1
1 īśvarasya prabhō ryīśukhrīṣṭasya ca dāsō yākūb vikīrṇībhūtān dvādaśaṁ vaṁśān prati namaskr̥tya patraṁ likhati|
This letter comes from James, servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is sent to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. Best wishes to you!
2 hē mama bhrātaraḥ, yūyaṁ yadā bahuvidhaparīkṣāṣu nipatata tadā tat pūrṇānandasya kāraṇaṁ manyadhvaṁ|
My friends, choose to stay happy even when all kinds of troubles come your way,
3 yatō yuṣmākaṁ viśvāsasya parīkṣitatvēna dhairyyaṁ sampādyata iti jānītha|
because you know that endurance comes from dealing with challenges to your trust in God.
4 tacca dhairyyaṁ siddhaphalaṁ bhavatu tēna yūyaṁ siddhāḥ sampūrṇāśca bhaviṣyatha kasyāpi guṇasyābhāvaśca yuṣmākaṁ na bhaviṣyati|
Let your endurance become as strong as possible, so that you will be completely mature, without any shortcomings.
5 yuṣmākaṁ kasyāpi jñānābhāvō yadi bhavēt tarhi ya īśvaraḥ saralabhāvēna tiraskārañca vinā sarvvēbhyō dadāti tataḥ sa yācatāṁ tatastasmai dāyiṣyatē|
If any of you need wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to everyone without holding back.
6 kintu sa niḥsandēhaḥ san viśvāsēna yācatāṁ yataḥ sandigdhō mānavō vāyunā cālitasyōtplavamānasya ca samudrataraṅgasya sadr̥śō bhavati|
But when you ask, remember to trust in God—don't have any doubts. Someone who doubts is like the crashing waves of the sea, tossed about and driven by the wind.
7 tādr̥śō mānavaḥ prabhōḥ kiñcit prāpsyatīti na manyatāṁ|
Nobody like that should think they'll get anything from the Lord—
8 dvimanā lōkaḥ sarvvagatiṣu cañcalō bhavati|
their minds think every which way, and they're unstable in whatever they do.
9 yō bhrātā namraḥ sa nijōnnatyā ślāghatāṁ|
Believers who are born poor should take pride in the high position they've been given,
10 yaśca dhanavān sa nijanamratayā ślāghatāṁyataḥ sa tr̥ṇapuṣpavat kṣayaṁ gamiṣyati|
while the rich should “boast” in the humble position they now have, since they will fade away like flowers in the field.
11 yataḥ satāpēna sūryyēṇōditya tr̥ṇaṁ śōṣyatē tatpuṣpañca bhraśyati tēna tasya rūpasya saundaryyaṁ naśyati tadvad dhanilōkō'pi svīyamūḍhatayā mlāsyati|
For the sun rises along with the blistering wind and scorches the grass. The flowers fall and their beauty is marred. Everything the rich achieve will fade in just the same way.
12 yō janaḥ parīkṣāṁ sahatē sa ēva dhanyaḥ, yataḥ parīkṣitatvaṁ prāpya sa prabhunā svaprēmakāribhyaḥ pratijñātaṁ jīvanamukuṭaṁ lapsyatē|
Happy is anyone who patiently endures temptation, for when they've proved that they are trustworthy, they will receive the crown of life which God promises to those who love him.
13 īśvarō māṁ parīkṣata iti parīkṣāsamayē kō'pi na vadatu yataḥ pāpāyēśvarasya parīkṣā na bhavati sa ca kamapi na parīkṣatē|
Nobody should say when they're tempted, “I'm being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.
14 kintu yaḥ kaścit svīyamanōvāñchayākr̥ṣyatē lōbhyatē ca tasyaiva parīkṣā bhavati|
Temptations come from our own evil desires that lead us astray and entrap us.
15 tasmāt sā manōvāñchā sagarbhā bhūtvā duṣkr̥tiṁ prasūtē duṣkr̥tiśca pariṇāmaṁ gatvā mr̥tyuṁ janayati|
Such desires lead to sin, and sin, when it's fully developed, causes death.
16 hē mama priyabhrātaraḥ, yūyaṁ na bhrāmyata|
My dear friends, don't be deceived.
17 yat kiñcid uttamaṁ dānaṁ pūrṇō varaśca tat sarvvam ūrddhvād arthatō yasmin daśāntaraṁ parivarttanajātacchāyā vā nāsti tasmād dīptyākarāt pituravarōhati|
All that's good, every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down from the Father who made heaven's lights. Unlike them he doesn't change—he doesn't vary or cause shadows.
18 tasya sr̥ṣṭavastūnāṁ madhyē vayaṁ yat prathamaphalasvarūpā bhavāmastadarthaṁ sa svēcchātaḥ satyamatasya vākyēnāsmān janayāmāsa|
He chose to give us new life through the word of truth, so that out of all his creation we would be very special to him.
19 ataēva hē mama priyabhrātaraḥ, yuṣmākam ēkaikō janaḥ śravaṇē tvaritaḥ kathanē dhīraḥ krōdhē'pi dhīrō bhavatu|
Remember this, my dear friends: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak, and slow to get angry,
20 yatō mānavasya krōdha īśvarīyadharmmaṁ na sādhayati|
because human anger doesn't reflect the good character of God.
21 atō hētō ryūyaṁ sarvvām aśucikriyāṁ duṣṭatābāhulyañca nikṣipya yuṣmanmanasāṁ paritrāṇē samarthaṁ rōpitaṁ vākyaṁ namrabhāvēna gr̥hlīta|
So get rid of all that's filthy and evil. Humbly accept the word that's been implanted within you—for this is what can save you.
22 aparañca yūyaṁ kēvalam ātmavañcayitārō vākyasya śrōtārō na bhavata kintu vākyasya karmmakāriṇō bhavata|
But do what the word says—don't just listen to it and delude yourselves.
23 yatō yaḥ kaścid vākyasya karmmakārī na bhūtvā kēvalaṁ tasya śrōtā bhavati sa darpaṇē svīyaśārīrikavadanaṁ nirīkṣamāṇasya manujasya sadr̥śaḥ|
If you just listen to the word, and don't act on it, it's like staring at your own face in a mirror.
24 ātmākārē dr̥ṣṭē sa prasthāya kīdr̥śa āsīt tat tatkṣaṇād vismarati|
You see yourself, but then you leave, and immediately forget what you looked like.
25 kintu yaḥ kaścit natvā muktēḥ siddhāṁ vyavasthām ālōkya tiṣṭhati sa vismr̥tiyuktaḥ śrōtā na bhūtvā karmmakarttaiva san svakāryyē dhanyō bhaviṣyati|
But if you look to the perfect law of freedom and follow it, not as someone who just listens and then forgets, but as someone who acts on it—then you will be blessed in what you do.
26 anāyattarasanaḥ san yaḥ kaścit svamanō vañcayitvā svaṁ bhaktaṁ manyatē tasya bhakti rmudhā bhavati|
If you think you're religious, but don't control what you say, you deceive yourself—your religion is pointless.
27 klēśakālē pitr̥hīnānāṁ vidhavānāñca yad avēkṣaṇaṁ saṁsārācca niṣkalaṅkēna yad ātmarakṣaṇaṁ tadēva piturīśvarasya sākṣāt śuci rnirmmalā ca bhaktiḥ|
In the eyes of our God and Father, religion that's pure and genuine is to visit orphans and widows in their suffering, and to keep yourself from being contaminated by the world.
