1:1  Iacobus Dei et Domini nostri Iesu       1.  James, a servant of God and of the
Christi servus duodecim tribubus quae        Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes
sunt in dispersione salutem                  which are scattered abroad, greeting.

1:2  omne gaudium existimate fratres         2.  My brethren, count it all joy when
mei cum in temptationibus variis             ye fall into divers temptations;
incideritis

1:3  scientes quod probatio fidei            3.  Knowing this, that the trying of
vestrae patientiam operatur                  your faith worketh patience.

1:4  patientia autem opus perfectum          4.  But let patience have her perfect
habeat ut sitis perfecti et integri in       work, that ye may be perfect and
nullo deficientes                            entire, wanting nothing.

1:5  si quis autem vestrum indiget           5.  If any of you lack wisdom, let him
sapientiam postulet a Deo qui dat            ask of God, that giveth to all men
omnibus affluenter et non inproperat et      liberally, and upbraideth not; and it
dabitur ei                                   shall be given him.

1:6  postulet autem in fide nihil            6.  But let him ask in faith, nothing
haesitans qui enim haesitat similis est      wavering. For he that wavereth is like
fluctui maris qui a vento movetur et         a wave of the sea driven with the wind
circumfertur                                 and tossed.

1:7  non ergo aestimet homo ille quod        7.  For let not that man think that he
accipiat aliquid a Domino                    shall receive any thing of the Lord.

1:8  vir duplex animo inconstans in          8.  A double minded man is unstable in
omnibus viis suis                            all his ways.

1:9  glorietur autem frater humilis in       9.  Let the brother of low degree
exaltatione sua                              rejoice in that he is exalted:

1:10  dives autem in humilitate sua          10.  But the rich, in that he is made
quoniam sicut flos faeni transibit           low: because as the flower of the grass
                                             he shall pass away.

1:11  exortus est enim sol cum ardore        11.  For the sun is no sooner risen
et arefecit faenum et flos eius decidit      with a burning heat, but it withereth
et decor vultus eius deperiit ita et         the grass, and the flower thereof
dives in itineribus suis marcescet           falleth, and the grace of the fashion
                                             of it perisheth: so also shall the rich
                                             man fade away in his ways.

1:12  beatus vir qui suffert                 12.  Blessed is the man that endureth
temptationem quia cum probatus fuerit        temptation: for when he is tried, he
accipiet coronam vitae quam repromisit       shall receive the crown of life, which
Deus diligentibus se                         the Lord hath promised to them that
                                             love him.

1:13  nemo cum temptatur dicat quoniam       13.  Let no man say when he is tempted,
a Deo temptor Deus enim intemptator          I am tempted of God: for God cannot be
malorum est ipse autem neminem temptat       tempted with evil, neither tempteth he
                                             any man:

1:14  unusquisque vero temptatur a           14.  But every man is tempted, when he
concupiscentia sua abstractus et             is drawn away of his own lust, and
inlectus                                     enticed.

1:15  dein concupiscentia cum                15.  Then when lust hath conceived, it
conceperit parit peccatum peccatum vero      bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is
cum consummatum fuerit generat mortem        finished, bringeth forth death.

1:16  nolite itaque errare fratres mei       16.  Do not err, my beloved brethren.
dilectissimi

1:17  omne datum optimum et omne donum       17.  Every good gift and every perfect
perfectum desursum est descendens a          gift is from above, and cometh down
Patre luminum apud quem non est              from the Father of lights, with whom is
transmutatio nec vicissitudinis              no variableness, neither shadow of
obumbratio                                   turning.

1:18  voluntarie genuit nos verbo            18.  Of his own will begat he us with
veritatis ut simus initium aliquod           the word of truth, that we should be a
creaturae eius                               kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

1:19  scitis fratres mei dilecti sit         19.  Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
autem omnis homo velox ad audiendum          let every man be swift to hear, slow to
tardus autem ad loquendum et tardus ad       speak, slow to wrath:
iram

1:20  ira enim viri iustitiam Dei non        20.  For the wrath of man worketh not
operatur                                     the righteousness of God.

1:21  propter quod abicientes omnem          21.  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness
inmunditiam et abundantiam malitiae in       and superfluity of naughtiness, and
mansuetudine suscipite insitum verbum        receive with meekness the engrafted
quod potest salvare animas vestras           word, which is able to save your souls.

1:22  estote autem factores verbi et         22.  But be ye doers of the word, and
non auditores tantum fallentes vosmet        not hearers only, deceiving your own
ipsos                                        selves.

1:23  quia si quis auditor est verbi et      23.  For if any be a hearer of the
non factor hic conparabitur viro             word, and not a doer, he is like unto a
consideranti vultum nativitatis suae in      man beholding his natural face in a
speculo                                      glass:

1:24  consideravit enim se et abiit et       24.  For he beholdeth himself, and
statim oblitus est qualis fuerit             goeth his way, and straightway
                                             forgetteth what manner of man he was.

1:25  qui autem perspexerit in lege          25.  But whoso looketh into the perfect
perfecta libertatis et permanserit non       law of liberty, and continueth therein,
auditor obliviosus factus sed factor         he being not a forgetful hearer, but a
operis hic beatus in facto suo erit          doer of the work, this man shall be
                                             blessed in his deed.

1:26  si quis autem putat se religiosum      26.  If any man among you seem to be
esse non refrenans linguam suam sed          religious, and bridleth not his tongue,
seducens cor suum huius vana est religio     but deceiveth his own heart, this man's
                                             religion is vain.

1:27  religio munda et inmaculata apud       27.  Pure religion and undefiled before
Deum et Patrem haec est visitare             God and the Father is this, To visit
pupillos et viduas in tribulatione           the fatherless and widows in their
eorum inmaculatum se custodire ab hoc        affliction, and to keep himself
saeculo                                      unspotted from the world.