OrthJBC - James

Chapter 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]

Chapter 2

2:1  My Achim b'Moshiach, surely you do not with your acts of maso panim (favoritism) hold to the [orthodox Jewish] emunah of the glorious Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua? [Devarim 1:17; Vayikra 19:15; Mishle 24:23]

2:2  For if there enter into your Bet HaKnesset (House of Assembly, shul, synagogue, shtibel) a man with gold rings on his fingers in expensive bekeshe and shtreimel, and there enters also an underpriviledged nebbach, a kaptzan (poor person) in shmattes (rags),

2:3  and you pay special attention to the takif [influential man] wearing the bekeshe and shtreimel and say, "You sit here in seat of kibbud (respect, honor), and to the kaptzan you say, "You stand there." Or "You sit at my feet,"

2:4  did you not among yourselves differentiate with prejudice and became shofetim (judges) with machshavot re'sha (evil thoughts)?

2:5  Hinei! My beloved Achim b'Moshiach, did not Der Oybershter make the Aniyim of the Olam Hazeh in fact Bechirim of Hashem to be rich in emunah and yoreshim of the Malchut, which Adoshem gave as a havtachah (promise) to those with Ahavas Hashem? [Iyov 34:19]

2:6  But you dishonored the ish evyon (poor man, pauper). Do not the ashirim (rich ones) oppress you and they drag you into the Batei Din (Bet Din courts)?

2:7  Do they not commit Chillul Hashem blasphemies against the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach's Shem Tov that has been named upon you?

2:8  If indeed you are shomer regarding the Dat HaMalkhut (Royal Decree), as it is written in the Kitvei Hakodesh, "V'AHAVTAH L'REI'ACHA KAMOCHA" ("And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." [VAYIKRA 19:18]) you do well.

2:9  But if you show maso panim (favoritism), you are chote'im (sinners) committing averos (transgressions) against the Torah. [Devarim 1:17]

2:10  For whoever is shomer over kol haTorah but stumbles in one mitzvah, such is condemned as ashem (guilty) of averoh (transgression) of kol mitzvot.

2:11  For the One having said, LO TINAF ("You shall not commit adultery") said also LO TIRTZACH ("You shall not murder"). Now if you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become an Over al mitzvot HaTorah (transgressor of the Torah). [Shemot 20:13,14; Devarim 5:17,18]

2:12  So let your dvarim be and your ma'asim as by the Torah HaCherut you are about to come under the Bet Din Mishpat.

2:13  For the Din (Judgment) will be without rachamim (mercy) to the one not having shown rachamim. Rachamim wins the nitzachon (victory) over haDin. EMUNAH AND MA'ASIM TOVIM ACTIVE IN AHAVAH

2:14  What is the revach (gain, profit), my Achim b'Moshiach, if anyone claims to have emunah but doe not have ma'asim (works)? Surely not such "emunah" is able to bring him to Yeshu'at Eloheinu?

2:15  If an Ach b'Moshiach or an Achot b'Moshiach is dressed in shmate (tatters) and lacking "lechem chukeinu" ("our daily bread," Mt.6:11)

2:16  and anyone of you says to them, "Go in shalom! Be warmed and fed!" but you do not give to them the physical necessities, what is the revach?

2:17  So also Emunah, if alongside it there is not in its company Ma'asim, is by itself niftar.

2:18  But someone will say, "You have emunah and I have ma'asim." You make known to me the hitgalut haSod (the revelation of the mystery) of your emunah without your ma'asim, and I'll show you, Chaver, from my ma'asim, the Emunah.

2:19  So you're impressed with yourselves that with your emunah you can recite the keri'at Shema, nu? O you do so well...why, even the shedim have your da'as and emunah! But they shudder! [Devarim 6:4]

2:20  Are you willing to have da'as, O hollow man, that Emunah unharnessed to Ma'asim, stands idle?

2:21  Avraham Avinu, was he not YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d) by his ma'asim when he performed the akedah (binding) and offered up Yitzchak Beno (Isaac his son) upon the mitzbe'ach? [Bereshis 22:9,12]

2:22  Hinei! While Avraham Avinu's Emunah was working, working right alongside was Avraham Avinu's Ma'asim, and by Ma'asim the emunah was made shleimah!

2:23  And the Kitvei Hakodesh was fulfilled, Avraham Avinu HE'EMIN BA'HASHEM VAYACHSHEVEHA LO TZDAKA ("believed Hashem and it was accounted to him for righteousness" BERESHIS 15:6). He was even called "Ohev Hashem" ("Friend of G-d") [Bereshis 15:6; Yeshayah 41:8; Divrey haYomim Bais 20:7]

2:24  You see that from Ma'asim a man is YITZDAK IM HASHEM and not from sterilely unpartnered Emunah.

2:25  And likewise also Rachav the Zonah--was she not made YITZDAK IM HASHEM from ma'asim, having received the messengers and having sent them out a different way?

2:26  For just as the guf (body) without the neshamah is niftar, so also is Emunah without Ma'asim.

Chapter 3

3:1  Not many of you, Achim b'Moshiach, should be Morim for Moshiach, als (since), as far as concerns Mishpat Hashem, you have da'as that we morim will have the chomer haDin (rigor of the Law) fall on us more severely.

3:2  For all of us stumble variously. If anyone as far as lashon hora is concerned, does not stumble, this one is an ish tamim able to bridle also the entire guf (body). [Melachim Alef 8:46; Tehillim 39:1; Mishle 10:19]

3:3  And if we put bits into the mouths of susim to bring them into mishma'at (obedience), in just this way we direct their whole gufot (bodies). [Tehillim 32:9]

3:4  Hinei! also the oniyot (ships), even though gedolot and driven by gales, are guided by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the one steering directs.

3:5  So also the lashon (tongue), an evar katon (small member) speaks of RAVREVAN ("boastful things"--Daniel 7:8,20). Hinei! an aish ketanah (small fire) and yet how great a forest it can set ablaze! [Tehillim 12:3,4; 73:8,9]

3:6  And the lashon is an Aish, the lashon is made an Olam HaAvel (World of Iniquity) among our evarim (members), defiling with a stain the kol haGuf (whole body), and setting ablaze the course of life, and is itself set on fire by Gehinnom. [Mishle 16:27]

3:7  For every species both of wild animals and bird, reptiles and marine creatures is tamed and has been tamed by the species of bnei Adam.

3:8  But the Lashon no one of bnei Adam is able to tame, an uncontrollable ra'ah (evil), full of deadly eres (poison, venom).

3:9  With this we say a berucha to Hashem, Adoneinu and Avoteynu, and with this we say a curse to bnei Adam, who have been created according to the demut Elohim [Bereshis 1:26,27f).

3:10  Out of the same PEH comes forth berakhah and also kelalah. My Achim b'Moshiach, these things ought not to be.

3:11  Surely not out of the same makor (fountain) pours forth mayim both sweet and bitter?

3:12  Surely an aitz te'enah (fig tree) cannot yield olives, my Achim b'Moshiach, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield sweet water? WHO HAS CHOCHMAH AND BINAH AMONG YOU?

3:13  Who has chochmah and binah among you? let him show by his hitnahagut hatovah (good conduct) that the ma'asim of him are of the shiflut (lowliness) of chochmah.

3:14  But if bitter kina (jealousy) you have and anochiyut (selfishness) in your levavot, do not boast and speak sheker against HaEmes.

3:15  This is not the Chochmah coming down and descending from above, but is of the Olam Hazeh, of this world and of shedim.

3:16  For where kina and anochiyut are, there is tohu vavohu (disorder, chaos) and every ra'ah.

3:17  But the chochmah from above is berishonah (in the first place) tehorah (pure), then ohevet shalom, then eidel (gentle) and considerate, then full of rachamim and p'ri tov, and without maso panim and tzevi'ut.

3:18  And the p'ri haTzedek is shalom sown by the ones making shalom. [Mishle11:18; Yeshayah 32:17; Hoshea 10:12]

Chapter 4

4:1  From where do milchamot (wars) come? What is their goirem (driving force)? And from where come fights among you? Is it not from here, from the ta'avot of you warring in your evarim (members)?

4:2  You lust for something and you do not have it; you kill and you envy and you are not able to obtain. You get involved in machalokot (divisions of dissension) and fights. You do not have because you fail to daven with your request.

4:3  Or you make techinot (petitions) and you do not receive, because you ask wrongly, that on the ta'avot of you you may spend what you receive. [Tehillim 18:41; 66:18]

4:4  No'afim (Adulterers) and mena'afot (Adultresses)! Do you not have da'as that shaichus (closeness, friendship) with the Olam Hazeh is eyvah im HASHEM? Therefore, whoever chooses to make the Olam Hazeh his Chavrusa (Study Partner) is made an Oyev (Enemy) of Hashem. [Yeshayah 54:4; Yirmeyah 3:20; Hoshea 2:2-5; 3:1; 9:1]

4:5  Or do you think that in vain the Kitvei Hakodesh attests that Hashem yearns jealously over the Ruach Hakodesh He causes to dwell in us?

4:6  But He gives all the more Chen v'Chesed! Therefore it says, "Hashem LALETZIM HU YALITZ V'LA'ANAVIM YITEN CHEN ("Hashem opposes the proud mocker but gives grace to the humble" [Mishle 3:34]).

4:7  Submit yourselves in mishma'at (obedience) to Hashem. Resist Hasatan. And he will flee from you.

4:8  Draw near to Hashem and Hashem will draw near to you. Cleanse your yadayim (hands), you chote'im (sinners)! And purify your levavot, you anashim of double mind! [Tehillim 73:28; Zecharyah 1:3; Malachi 3:7; Yeshayah 1:16; Tehillim 24:4; 119:113; Yirmeyah 4:14]

4:9  Lament and mourn and weep. Let the sechok (laughter) of you be changed to avelut (mourning), and the simcha of you be turned to gloom.

4:10  Be humbled before Hashem and He will exalt you. [Iyov 5:11] YOU ARE NOT THE SHOFET OF KOL HA'ARETZ (BERESHIS 18:25) AND YOU ARE NOT THE SHOFET OF YOUR ACH B'MOSHIACH

4:11  Do not speak lashon hora against an Ach b'Moshiach. The one speaking against an Ach b'Moshiach or setting himself up as a shofet (judge) of his Ach b'Moshiach speaks against the Torah and sets himself up as shofet of the Torah. Now if the Torah you judge, you are not Shomrei HaTorah but a shofet.

4:12  One is HaMechokak (Law-Giver) and HaShofet, the One who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you, the one who has set yourself up as the shofet of your re'a (neighbor)? A WARNING FOR THE BARIMER (BOASTER)

4:13  Come now, you who say, "Hayom (today) or makhar (tomorrow) we will go into this or that city and we will do business there a year and will sell and make a revach (profit)."

4:14  Yet you do not even have da'as of what tomorrow's "yom" may bring. Look at your kiyum (existence)! For you are an ed (mist), appearing a short time, then indeed disappearing! [Iyov 7:7; Tehillim 39:5; 102:3; 144:4; Yeshayah 2:22]

4:15  Instead of this, you ought to say "Im yirtzeh Hashem" ("if the L-rd wills") "we will live, also we will do this or that."

4:16  But now you boast in your pretensions. All such ravrevanut (boastfulness) is ra'ah.

4:17  To the one having da'as, therefore, knowing to do tov and not doing it, to him is it chet.

Chapter 5

5:1  Come now, you who have osher (riches), weep, howling over your miseries coming upon you. [Yeshayah 13:6; Yechezkel 30:2]

5:2  The osher of you has rotted and your malbush has become moth-eaten. [Iyov 13:28; Tehillim 39:11; Yeshayah 50:9]

5:3  The gold of you and the silver has been corroded and the corrosion of them will be for a solemn eidus (witness) against you, and will eat the basar of you as aish. You stored up otsar (treasure) in the Acharit Hayamim.

5:4  Hinei! The wages of the po'alim (workers) who cut your fields, the wages you fraudulently withheld, those wages cry out, and the cries of the harvesting po'alim have reached the ears of Adonoi Tz'vaot. [Vayikra 19:13; Yirmeyah 22:13; Malachi 3:5; Devarim 24:15]

5:5  You lived in indulgence upon ha'aretz and lolled in a life of luxury, you fattened your levavot as in a Yom Tivchah ("Day of Slaughter," Yeshayah 53:7). [Yechezkel 16:49; Amos 6:1; Yirmeyah 12:3; 25:34]

5:6  You condemned, you killed the tzaddik. He does not resist you. ZITZFLEISHCH (PATIENCE) AND TEFILLAH

5:7  Have zitzfleishch, therefore, Achim b'Moshiach until the Bias HaMoshiach, the Coming of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu. Hinei! The ikar (farmer) awaits the precious p'ri haAdamah (fruit of the earth), having zitzfleishch (patience) for it until it receives the Yoreh (first Autumn rain) and the Malkosh (Spring rain). [Devarim 11:14; Yirmeyah 5:24; Yoel 2:23]

5:8  You must also have zitzfleishch. Strengthen your levavot, because the Bias HaMoshiach, the Coming of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu, has drawn near.

5:9  Do not murmur, Achim b'Moshiach, against one another, lest you be judged. Hinei! HaShofet is standing before the delet! [Shemot 15:24; 16:2; 17:3; Bamidbar 14:2,29; 16:41; Tehillim 94:2]

5:10  Take as an example, Achim b'Moshiach, of innuyim (suffering) evil and of zitzfleisch the Nevi'im who spoke in the name of Hashem.

5:11  Hinei! We call blessed the ones having endured: the savlanut (long-suffering) of Iyov you heard of and the toitzaa (outcome) from Hashem you saw, that Hashem is full of rachamim and channun. [Iyov 1:21,22; 2:10; 42:10,12-17; Shemot 34:6; Bamidbar 14:18; Tehillim 103:8]

5:12  But, above all, my Achim b'Moshiach, do not swear shevuot (oaths) neither by Shomayim nor by ha'aretz nor any other shevu'ah but let be your "ken" be "ken," and your "lo" be "lo," for fear that you fall under HaDin.

5:13  If anyone is suffering among you, let him daven. If anyone has simcha, let his sing niggunim. [Tehillim 50:15]

5:14  Are there any cholim (sick ones) among you? Let him summon [for Bikkur Cholim (visiting the sick)] the ziknei haKehillah and let them daven tefillos over him, having applied the shemen mishchah (anointing oil), b'Shem Adoneinu. [Tehillim 23:5; Yeshayah 1:6]

5:15  And the tefillah of emunah will deliver the choleh (sick person), and Hashem will raise him up. And if he may have been committing pesha'im, he will be given selicha (forgiveness).

5:16  Therefore, make vidduy (confession) to one another, and daven tefillos on behalf of one another, so that you may have refuah sheleimah (complete healing). The tefillah of a tzaddik is powerful and effective.

5:17  Eliyahu [Hanavi] was a man of like nature to us, and with tefillah he davened for it not to rain, and it did not rain upon ha'aretz for shalosh shanim (three years) and shishah chodashim (six months); [Melachim Alef 17:1]

5:18  and again Eliyahu davened, and Shomayim gave geshem (rain) and ha'aretz caused its p'ri of it to sprout. [Melachim Alef 18:41-45]

5:19  My Achim b'Moshiach, if anyone among you wanders vait (astray) from HaEmes and someone turns a choteh (sinner) to make teshuva

5:20  you should have da'as that the one having helped a choteh (sinner) to make teshuvah from the toyus of his derech, from setiyah HaDerech Hashem (turning aside from the Way of Hashem) will save the neshamah of him from mavet and will cover a multitude of chatta'im.