yAkUbaH 1
1 Ishvarasya prabho ryIshukhrIShTasya cha dAso yAkUb vikIrNIbhUtAn dvAdashaM vaMshAn prati namaskR^itya patraM likhati|
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, greets the twelve tribes that are living abroad.
2 he mama bhrAtaraH, yUyaM yadA bahuvidhaparIkShAShu nipatata tadA tat pUrNAnandasya kAraNaM manyadhvaM|
My friends, whatever trials you may face from time to time, always regard them as a reason for rejoicing,
3 yato yuShmAkaM vishvAsasya parIkShitatvena dhairyyaM sampAdyata iti jAnItha|
knowing, as you do, that the testing of your faith develops endurance.
4 tachcha dhairyyaM siddhaphalaM bhavatu tena yUyaM siddhAH sampUrNAshcha bhaviShyatha kasyApi guNasyAbhAvashcha yuShmAkaM na bhaviShyati|
And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be altogether perfect, and in no respect lacking.
5 yuShmAkaM kasyApi j nAnAbhAvo yadi bhavet tarhi ya IshvaraH saralabhAvena tiraskAra ncha vinA sarvvebhyo dadAti tataH sa yAchatAM tatastasmai dAyiShyate|
If any one of you lacks wisdom, they should ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to everyone without reproach, and it will be given to them.
6 kintu sa niHsandehaH san vishvAsena yAchatAM yataH sandigdho mAnavo vAyunA chAlitasyotplavamAnasya cha samudratara Ngasya sadR^isho bhavati|
But they should ask with confidence, never doubting; for the person who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven here and there at the mercy of the wind –
7 tAdR^isho mAnavaH prabhoH ki nchit prApsyatIti na manyatAM|
Such a person must not expect that they will receive anything from the Lord,
8 dvimanA lokaH sarvvagatiShu cha nchalo bhavati|
vacillating as they are, irresolute at every turn.
9 yo bhrAtA namraH sa nijonnatyA shlAghatAM|
Let a follower in humble circumstances be proud of their exalted position,
10 yashcha dhanavAn sa nijanamratayA shlAghatAMyataH sa tR^iNapuShpavat kShayaM gamiShyati|
but a rich follower of their humiliation; for the rich will pass away like a wild flower.
11 yataH satApena sUryyeNoditya tR^iNaM shoShyate tatpuShpa ncha bhrashyati tena tasya rUpasya saundaryyaM nashyati tadvad dhaniloko. api svIyamUDhatayA mlAsyati|
As the sun rises, and the hot wind blows, the plant withers, its flower fades, and all its beauty is gone. So is it with the rich. In the midst of their pursuits they will wither away.
12 yo janaH parIkShAM sahate sa eva dhanyaH, yataH parIkShitatvaM prApya sa prabhunA svapremakAribhyaH pratij nAtaM jIvanamukuTaM lapsyate|
Blessed is the person who remains firm under temptation, for, when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 Ishvaro mAM parIkShata iti parIkShAsamaye ko. api na vadatu yataH pApAyeshvarasya parIkShA na bhavati sa cha kamapi na parIkShate|
Let no one say, when they are tempted, ‘It is God who is tempting me!’ For God, who cannot be tempted to do wrong, does not himself tempt anyone.
14 kintu yaH kashchit svIyamanovA nChayAkR^iShyate lobhyate cha tasyaiva parIkShA bhavati|
A man is in every case tempted by their own passions – allured and enticed by them.
15 tasmAt sA manovA nChA sagarbhA bhUtvA duShkR^itiM prasUte duShkR^itishcha pariNAmaM gatvA mR^ityuM janayati|
Then passion conceives and gives birth to sin, and sin, on reaching maturity, brings forth death.
16 he mama priyabhrAtaraH, yUyaM na bhrAmyata|
Do not be deceived, my dear friends.
17 yat ki nchid uttamaM dAnaM pUrNo varashcha tat sarvvam UrddhvAd arthato yasmin dashAntaraM parivarttanajAtachChAyA vA nAsti tasmAd dIptyAkarAt pituravarohati|
Every good thing given us, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down to us from the Father of the lights in the heavens, who is himself never subject to change or to eclipse.
18 tasya sR^iShTavastUnAM madhye vayaM yat prathamaphalasvarUpA bhavAmastadarthaM sa svechChAtaH satyamatasya vAkyenAsmAn janayAmAsa|
Because he so willed, he gave us life, through the message of the truth, so that we should be, as it were, a kind of first fruits of his creation.
19 ataeva he mama priyabhrAtaraH, yuShmAkam ekaiko janaH shravaNe tvaritaH kathane dhIraH krodhe. api dhIro bhavatu|
Mark this, my dear friends – Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry;
20 yato mAnavasya krodha IshvarIyadharmmaM na sAdhayati|
for human anger does not forward the righteous purpose of God.
21 ato heto ryUyaM sarvvAm ashuchikriyAM duShTatAbAhulya ncha nikShipya yuShmanmanasAM paritrANe samarthaM ropitaM vAkyaM namrabhAvena gR^ihlIta|
Therefore, get rid of all filthiness and whatever wickedness still remains, and in a humble spirit receive that message which has been planted in your hearts and is able to save your souls.
22 apara ncha yUyaM kevalam Atmava nchayitAro vAkyasya shrotAro na bhavata kintu vAkyasya karmmakAriNo bhavata|
Put that message into practice, and do not merely listen to it – deceiving yourselves.
23 yato yaH kashchid vAkyasya karmmakArI na bhUtvA kevalaM tasya shrotA bhavati sa darpaNe svIyashArIrikavadanaM nirIkShamANasya manujasya sadR^ishaH|
For, when anyone listens to it and does not practice it, they are like a person looking at their own face in a mirror.
24 AtmAkAre dR^iShTe sa prasthAya kIdR^isha AsIt tat tatkShaNAd vismarati|
They look at themselves, then go on their way,
25 kintu yaH kashchit natvA mukteH siddhAM vyavasthAm Alokya tiShThati sa vismR^itiyuktaH shrotA na bhUtvA karmmakarttaiva san svakAryye dhanyo bhaviShyati|
but the person who looks carefully into the perfect Law, the Law of freedom, and continues to do so, not listening to it and then forgetting it, but putting it into practice – that person will be blessed in what they do.
26 anAyattarasanaH san yaH kashchit svamano va nchayitvA svaM bhaktaM manyate tasya bhakti rmudhA bhavati|
When a person appears to be religious, yet does not bridle their tongue, but imposes on their own conscience, that person’s religious observances are valueless.
27 kleshakAle pitR^ihInAnAM vidhavAnA ncha yad avekShaNaM saMsArAchcha niShkala Nkena yad AtmarakShaNaM tadeva piturIshvarasya sAkShAt shuchi rnirmmalA cha bhaktiH|
That religious observance which is pure and spotless in the eyes of God our Father is this – to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.
