1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting.
1Jaakobus, Jumala ja Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse sulane, saadab tervitusi kaheteistkümnele hajali asuvale suguharule.
2Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;
2Pidage seda lausa rõõmuks, mu vennad, kui te satute mitmesugustesse kiusatustesse,
3Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience.
3kuna te teate, et teie usu läbikatsumine teeb teid kannatlikuks.
4And let patience have [its] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.
4Aga kannatlikkus olgu täiuslik, et te oleksite täiuslikud ja terviklikud ega oleks teis midagi vajaka.
5But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
5Kui kellelgi teist jääb vajaka tarkust, siis ta palugu Jumalalt, kes kõigile annab heldelt ega tee etteheiteid, ja talle antakse.
6But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
6Aga ta palugu usus, ilma kahtlemata, sest kahtleja sarnaneb tuule tõstetud ja sinna-tänna paisatud merelainega.
7For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;
7Selline inimene ärgu ometi arvaku, et ta midagi saab Issandalt,
8a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.
8ta on hingelt kaksipidine mees, ebakindel kõigil oma teedel.
9But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate:
9Madal vend kiidelgu oma kõrgusest,
10and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
10rikas aga oma madalusest, sest ta kaob nagu rohu õieke.
11For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and withereth the grass: and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his goings.
11Sest päike tõuseb lõõsaga ja kuivatab ära rohu, selle õieke variseb maha ja ta palge kaunidus kaob. Nõnda närtsib ka rikas oma ettevõtmistes.
12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which [the Lord] promised to them that love him.
12Õnnis on mees, kes peab vastu kiusatuses, sest kui ta on läbi katsutud, siis ta saab pärjaks elu, mille Issand on tõotanud neile, kes teda armastavad.
13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man:
13Ärgu kiusatav öelgu: 'Jumal kiusab mind!' Sest Jumalat ei saa kiusata kurjaga, tema ise ei kiusa kedagi.
14but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
14Pigem on nii, et igaüht kiusab ta enese himu, ahvatledes ja peibutades.
15Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death.
15Kui seejärel himu on viljastunud, toob ta ilmale patu, aga täideviidud patt sünnitab surma.
16Be not deceived, my beloved brethren.
16Ärge eksige, mu armsad vennad!
17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.
17Iga hea and ja iga täiuslik kink tuleb ülalt, valguste Isalt, kelle juures ei ole muutust ega varjutuste varju.
18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
18Tema on oma tahtel meid sünnitanud tõe sõna kaudu, et me oleksime otsekui uudsevili tema loodute seas.
19Ye know [this], my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
19Teadke seda, mu armsad vennad! Iga inimene olgu aga kärmas kuulama, pikaldane rääkima, pikaldane vihastama.
20for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
20Sest mehe viha ei soeta õigust Jumala ees.
21Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
21Seepärast pange maha kõik rüvedus ja rohke kurjus ning võtke tasaduses vastu sõna, mis teisse on istutatud ja suudab päästa teie hinge.
22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.
22Aga olge sõna tegijad ja mitte üksnes kuuljad, pettes iseendid.
23For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror:
23Sest kui keegi sõna kuuleb, aga selle järgi ei tee, siis ta sarnaneb mehega, kes vaatleb oma ihulikku palet peeglist.
24for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
24Ta vaatles ennast, läks minema ja unustas varsti, missugune ta oli.
25But he that looketh into the perfect law, the [law] of liberty, and [so] continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.
25Kes on aga kummargil vaadanud vabaduse täiuslikku seadusse ja sellesse ka jääb, ei ole unustav kuulja, vaid tegude tegija - see on õnnis oma tegemises.
26If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain.
26Kui keegi arvab end Jumalat teenivat, oma keelt aga ei ohjelda, siis ta petab oma südant. Selline jumalateenistus on tühine.
27Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
27Jumala ja Isa silmis puhas ja laitmatu jumalateenistus on käia vaatamas vaeslapsi ja lesknaisi nende viletsuses ja hoida iseennast maailma poolt määrimata.