HOLY BIBLE: James 5 (original) (raw)

7 μακροθυμήσατε οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ἕως τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου. ἰδοὺ ὁ γεωργὸς ἐκδέχεται τὸν τίμιον καρπὸν τῆς γῆς, μακροθυμῶν ἐπ' αὐτῷ ἕως λάβῃ πρόϊμον καὶ ὄψιμον. 8 μακροθυμήσατε καὶ ὑμεῖς, στηρίξατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἡ παρουσία τοῦ κυρίου ἤγγικεν. 9 μὴ στενάζετε ἀδελφοί κατ' ἀλλήλων ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε: ἰδοὺ ὁ κριτὴς πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν ἕστηκεν. 10 ὑπόδειγμα λάβετε, ἀδελφοί, τῆς κακοπαθίας καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας τοὺς προφήτας, οἳ ἐλάλησαν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου. 11 ἰδοὺ μακαρίζομεν τοὺς ὑπομείναντας: τὴν ὑπομονὴν Ἰὼβ ἠκούσατε, καὶ τὸ τέλος κυρίου εἴδετε, ὅτι πολύσπλαγχνός ἐστιν ὁ κύριος καὶ οἰκτίρμων. 12 Πρὸ πάντων δέ, ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ὀμνύετε, μήτε τὸν οὐρανὸν μήτε τὴν γῆν μήτε ἄλλον τινὰ ὅρκον: ἤτω δὲ ὑμῶν τὸ ναὶ ναὶ καὶ τὸ οὒ οὔ, ἵνα μὴ ὑπὸ κρίσιν πέσητε.

7 Wait, then, brethren, in patience for the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer looks forward to the coveted returns of his land, yet waits patiently for the early and the late rains to fall before they can be brought in.[3] 8 You too must wait patiently, and take courage; the Lord’s coming is close at hand. 9 Brethren, do not bring complaints against one another; if you do, you will be judged, and the judge is already standing at your doors. 10 If you would learn by example, brethren, how to work on and wait patiently in evil times, think of the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name. 11 See how we congratulate those who have shewn endurance. You have heard of Job’s endurance; and you have read, in that story, how kind and merciful the Lord is in rewarding us.[4] 12 But above all, my brethren, do not bind yourselves by any oath, by heaven, by earth, or by any oath at all. Let your word be Yes for Yes, and No for No; if not, you will be judged for it.[5]

7 Patientes igitur estote, fratres, usque ad adventum Domini. Ecce agricola exspectat pretiosum fructum terræ, patienter ferens donec accipiat temporaneum et serotinum. 8 Patientes igitur estote et vos, et confirmate corda vestra: quoniam adventus Domini appropinquavit. 9 Nolite ingemiscere, fratres, in alterutrum, ut non judicemini. Ecce judex ante januam assistit. 10 Exemplum accipite, fratres, exitus mali, laboris, et patientiæ, prophetas qui locuti sunt in nomine Domini. 11 Ecce beatificamus eos qui sustinuerunt. Sufferentiam Job audistis, et finem Domini vidistis, quoniam misericors Dominus est, et miserator. 12 Ante omnia autem, fratres mei, nolite jurare, neque per cælum, neque per terram, neque aliud quodcumque juramentum. Sit autem sermo vester: Est, est: Non, non: ut non sub judicio decidatis.

[1] ‘Heaping up a store of retribution’; in the Greek, ‘heaping up treasure’.

[2] ‘The innocent man’; this might also be translated ‘the Just One’, and understood as a reference to our Lord; cf. Ac. 3.14; 7.52; Wis. 2.12-20.

[3] In Palestine, the rains of early autumn and late spring are especially important to the crops.

[4] ‘How kind and merciful the Lord is in rewarding us’; literally, ‘the fulfilment of the Lord, how kind and merciful he is’. Cf. Rom. 6.21; I Pet. 1.9.

[5] Cf. Mt. 5.33. It seems probable that St James had some special reason for warning the Jewish Christians against taking oaths, perhaps because he was afraid of their taking part in unlawful conspiracies.

[6] ‘Give him relief’; in the Greek, ‘raise him up’.

[7] III Kg. 17.1; 18.41.

[8] That is, probably, his own sins; cf. I Pet. 4.8.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd