OrthJBC - James - 1

1:1  Ya'akov, eved (servant) of Hashem and of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua; To the Shneym Asar haShevatim (Twelve Tribes) in the Golus, Shalom! [Devarim 32:26] EMUNAH AND CHOCHMAH

1:2  Consider it all simcha, my Achim b'Moshiach, whenever you fall into various nisayonot (tests, trials).

1:3  because you have da'as that the emunah you have, when it is tested, produces savlanut (patient endurance).

1:4  And let savlanut be shleimah in its po'al (work) al menat (in order that) you may be mevugarim (mature, grown up) and complete, lacking in nothing.

1:5  But if anyone of you is lacking chochmah (wisdom), let him direct tefillah (prayer) and techinotot (petitions) to Hashem, the One whose matanot (gifts) are given generously and without grudging. And chochmah will be given to him. [Melachim Alef 3:9,10; Mishle 2:3-6; Tehillim 51:6; Daniel 1:17; 2:21]

1:6  But let the tefillah be offered with much bittachon in emunah (faith), in no way doubting. AD MATAY ATEM POSKHIM AL SHTEY HAS'IFIM? [MELACHIM ALEF 18:21] For the doubtful man, wavering in emunah, is like a wave of the yam (sea) being tossed by the wind.

1:7  Let not such a one presume that he will receive anything from Adoneinu.

1:8  He is an ish (man) of double mind, in all his drakhim (ways), mesupak (uncertain) and unstable. [Tehillim 119:113] ONI (POVERTY) AND OSHER (RICHES)

1:9  But let the Ach b'Moshiach of shiflut (lowliness) glory in the da'as that Hashem will exalt him.

1:10  And let the Ach b'Moshiach who has osher (riches) glory in his bizyoinos (humiliation), in the da'as that Hashem will bring him low, because KOL HABASAR KHATZIR ("All flesh is grass," Yeshayah 40:6,7) and so he likewise will vanish. [Iyov 14:2; Tehillim 103:15,16]

1:11  For the shemesh (sun) rises with its burning heat and dried the grass and its TZITZ NAVEL ("flower blossom falls"--Yeshayah 40:6-8) and the beauty of its appearance perished, so also the ashir (rich) in his goings will fade away. [Tehillim 102:4,11] STANDING FIRM IN THE SHA'AT HANISAYON (HOUR OF TRIAL) WITH THE DA'AS THAT HASHEM IS NOT THE TEMPTER OF ANYONE TO EVIL

1:12  Ashrey is the one who stands up under nisayon (trial), because, having become approved, that one will be given the ateret haChayyim (crown of Life), which Hashem gave as a havtachah (promise) to those having Ahavas Hashem. [Bereshis 22:1]

1:13  However, let no one say, when he is tempted, "from Hashem I am being tempted," for Hashem cannot be tempted to crave ra'ah (evil), and he himself trips up no one with nisayon (temptation).

1:14  But each one is tempted by his own ta'avah (lust), being dragged off by it and being allured. [Mishle 19:3]

1:15  Then after her conception Ta'avah gives birth to Averah (Transgression) and Averah, once she has fully developed, gives birth to Mavet. [Bereshis 3:6; Iyov 15:35; Tehillim 7:14; Yeshayah 59:4] THE IMMUTABILITY OF HASHEM

1:16  Do not fall under a delusion, my beloved Achim b'Moshiach.

1:17  Every good endowment and every matanah shleimah (complete gift) is from above, coming down from Avi HaOhrot (the Father of Lights) with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. [Tehillim 85:12; Bereshis 1:16; Tehillim 136:7; Daniel 2:22; Bamidbar 23:19; Tehillim 102:27; Malachi 3:6]

1:18  Birtzon Hashem (by the will of G-d), he gave birth to us and brought us alive by the Dvar HaEmes, that we might be a kind of bikkurim (firstfruits) of his yetzurim (creatures). [Yirmeyah 2:3] THE SHOMEI HATORAH (HEARERS OF THE LAW OF MOSHE RABBEINU) AND THE SHOMREI HATORAH (KEEPERS OF THE LAW OF MOSHE RABBEINU)

1:19  Have da'as of this, my beloved Achim b'Moshiach. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to ka'as (anger).[Mishle 10:19]

1:20  For the ka'as haBnei Adam does not accomplish the Tzikat Hashem.

1:21  Therefore, having put away all filthiness and what remains of resha (wickedness) in shiflut (lowliness) and meekness receive the implanted Dvar Hashem being able to save your nefashot

1:22  Now be Shomrei HaDavar Hashem and not Shomei HaDavar only, thereby causing yourselves to fall under remiyah (deceit, deception).

1:23  Because if anyone is Shomei HaDavar and not Shomrei HaDavar, this one is like a man looking at his ponum in a mirror,

1:24  for he observed himself and has gone away and immediately forgot what he looked like.

1:25  But the one having peered into the Torah haShleimah, the Torah HaCherut, and there remaining entranced, not as a forgetful listener but one who is shomer mitzvot and goes into action--this one will have a beracha on his head in all his acts. [Tehillim 19:7]

1:26  If anyone considers himself to be one of the Charedim (Orthodox, G-d-fearing Jewish religious ones), yet has lashon hora and does not bridle his tongue but instead causes his lev to fall under remiyah (deceit), this one's piety is worthless. [Tehillim 34:13; 39:1; 141:3]

1:27  Avodas Kodesh that is tehorah (pure) and tamimah (unblemished) before Elohim HaAv is this: to visit yetomim (orphans) and almanot (widows) in their tzoros and to be shomer against the defilement of the Olam Hazeh. [Devarim 14:29; Iyov 31:16,17,21; Tehillim 146:9; Yeshayah 1:17,23]