Bible (Early Wycliffe)/Þe epiſtle of James

Capitulum I.
James, þe ſeruaunt of God, and of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt, to þe twelue kinredis, þat ben in ſcatering abrood, helþe. My briþeren, geſſe ȝe, or deme, al ioye, whan ȝe ſhulen falle in to diuerſe temptaciouns, or tribulaciouns, witynge, þat þe prouyng of ȝoure feiþ werchiþ pacience; ſoþeli pacience haþ parfijt werk, þat ȝe be parfijt and hool, in no þing faylinge. Forſoþe if ony of ȝou nediþ wiſdom, axe he of God, þe which ȝiueþ to alle men largeli, and vpbraydiþ not; and it ſhal be ȝouun to him. Soþeli axe he in feiþ, no þing doutynge; forſoþe he þat doutiþ, is lijk to a wawe of þe ſe, þe which of wijnd is moued and born aboute. Þerfore geſſe not þe ilke man, þat he ſhal take ony þing of þe Lord. A man double of inwit is vnſtable in alle his weyes. Forſoþe a meke broþer glorye in his enhaunſinge, ſoþeli a riche man in his mekeneſſe; for as þe flour of hay, or graſſe, he ſhal paſſe. Soþeli þe ſunne is ſprungen vp wiþ brennynge, or heete, and driede þe hay, and þe flour of it fel doun, and þe fayrneſſe of his cheere periſchide; ſo and a riche man welewiþ in his weies. Bleſſid is þe man, þat ſuffriþ temptacioun; for whan he ſhal be proued, he ſhal receyue þe crown of lijf, þe which God aȝen bihiȝte to men louynge him. No man whan he is temptid, ſeie, for he is temptid of God; ſoþeli God is vntempter of yuel þingis, forſoþe he temptiþ no man. Soþeli ech man is temptid of his coueitinge, drawun fro reſoun, and ſnaarid, or deceyued. Þanne coueityng, whan it haþ conſeyued, bringiþ forþ ſynne; ſoþeli ſynne, whan it is fulfillid, gendriþ deeþ. And ſo, my mooſt derworþe briþeren, nyle ȝe erre. Ech beſt þing ȝouun, and al parfijt ȝift is fro aboue, comynge doun of þe fadir of liȝtis, anentis whom is not ouerchaunginge, neþer ſhadewing of whileneſſ, or tyme. Forſoþe wilfully he gendride vs wiþ þe word of treuþe, þat we be ſum bigynnyng of þe creature of him. Wite ȝe, my briþeren mooſt loued, be ech man ſwift for to here, forſoþe ſlowe for to ſpeke, and ſlowe to wraþþe; ſoþeli þe wraþ of man werchiþ not þe riȝtwiſneſſe of God. For which þing ȝe caſtinge awey al vnclenneſſe, and plente of malice, in myldeneſſe, or homelyneſſe, receyue ȝe þe word inſent, or ioyned, þat mai ſaue ȝoure ſoules. Forſoþe be ȝe doers of þe word, and not herers onely, deceyuynge ȝou ſilf. For if ony man is an herer of þe word, and not doer, þis ſhal be comparſound, or likned. to a man biholdinge þe cheere of his birþe in a myrour; ſoþeli he biheld him ſilf, and wente, and anoon he forȝat what maner he was. Forſoþe he þat ſhal parfijtly biholde in þe lawe of parfijt fredom, and ſhal dwelle in it, not maad a forȝetful herer, but a doer of werk, þis ſhal be bleſſid in his dede. Forſoþe if ony man geſſiþ hym ſilf for to be religious, not refreynynge his tunge, but deceyuynge his herte, þe religioun of him is veyn. Þis is a clene religioun, and vnwemmyd anentis God and þe fadir, for to viſite pupilles, þat is, fadirles and modirles, or boþe, and widewes in her tribulacioun, and for to kepe him ſilf vndefoulid fro þis world.

Capitulum II.
Mi briþeren, nyle ȝe in accepcioun, or takinge, of perſonys, haue þe feiþ of oure Lord Jheſu Criſt of glorie. Forſoþe if þer ſhal entre in to ȝoure couent, or gederinge to gydere, a man hauynge a golden ryng, and in whijt, or fayr, cloþ, forſoþe and a pore man ſhal entre in foul habite, or clooþ, and ȝe biholde in to him þat is cloþid wiþ ful cleer clooþ, and if ȝe ſhulen ſeie to him, Þou ſitte heere wel; ſoþeli to þe pore man ȝe ſeie, Stonde þou þere, or ſitte vndir þe ſtool of my feet; wher ȝe deme not anentis ȝou ſilf, and ben maad domeſmen of wickid þouȝtis? Here ȝe, my mooſt dereworþe briþeren, wher God chees not pore men in þis world, riche in feiþ, and eyris of þe kyngdom, þat God bihiȝte aȝen to men louynge him? Forſoþe ȝe han deſpiſid þe pore man. Wher riche men oppreſen not ȝou bi power, and drawen ȝou to domys? Wher þei blasfeme not þe good name, þat is inclepid on ȝou? Neþeles if ȝe performen þe kynges lawe, vp ſcriptures, Þou ſhalt loue þi neiȝebore as þi ſilf, ȝe don wel. Soþeli if ȝe taken perſones, ȝe werchen ſynne, ȝe ben repreued of þe lawe, as treſpaſſoures. Forſoþe who euer ſhal kepe al þe lawe, ſoþeli offende in oon, he is maad gylty of alle. For he þat ſeide, Þou ſhalt not do leccherie, ſeide and, Þou ſhalt not ſle; þat if þou ſhalt not do leccherie, but þou ſleeſt, þou art maad treſpaſſour of þe lawe. Þus ſpeke ȝe, and þus do ȝe, as bigynnynge for to be demyd bi lawe of parfijt fredom. Soþeli doom wiþ outen merſy to him þat doiþ not merſy; forſoþe merci aboue reiſiþ doom. Mi briþeren, what ſhal it profite, if ony man ſeie him for to haue feiþ, werkes forſoþe he haue not? wher feiþ ſhal mowe ſaue him? Forſoþe if a broþer or ſyſtir be nakid, and han nede of eche day lijflode, forſoþe ony of ȝou ſeie to hem, Go ȝe in pees, be ȝe maad hoot, and be ȝe fulfillid; ſoþeli if ȝe ſhulen not ȝiue to hem what þinges ben neceſſarie of body, what ſhal it profite to ȝou? So and feiþ, if it haþ not werkes, is deed in it ſilf. But ſum man ſhal ſeie, Þou haſt feiþ, and I haue werkes; ſhewe þou to me þi feiþ wiþ outen werkes, and I ſhal ſhewe to þee my feiþ of werkis. Þou bileueſt, for oo God is; þou doiſt wel; and deuels bileuen, and togydere tremblen. Forſoþe wolt þou wite, þou veyn man, for feiþ wiþ outen werkes is ydel? Abraham, oure fadir, wher he was not iuſtified of werkis, offringe Yſaac, his ſone, on þe auter? Þerfore þou ſeeſt, for feiþ wrouȝte wiþ his werkis, and his feiþ is fulfillid of werkis. And þe ſcripture is fulfillid, ſeiynge, Abraham bileuede to God, and it is rettid to him to riȝtwiſneſſe, and he is clepid þe frend of God. Ȝe ſeen for a man is iuſtified of werkis, and not of feiþ onely. Alſo forſoþe and Raab, hoore, wher ſhe was not iuſtified of werkis, receyuynge þe meſſageres, and bi an oþer weie doynge out, or ſendinge out? Forſoþe as a body wiþ oute ſpirit is deed, ſo and feiþ wiþ oute werkis is deed.

Capitulum III.
Mi briþeren, nyle ȝe be maad many mayſtris, witynge for ȝe taken þe more doom. Soþeli alle we offenden in many þingis. If ony man offendiþ not in word, þis is a parfijt man; forſoþe he mai wiþ a bridel lede aboute al þe body. Forſoþe if we putten to horſis bridles in to mouþis, for to conſente to vs, and we beren þer wiþ aboute al þe body of hem. And lo! ſhippes, whan þei ben greete, and ben dryuen of ſtronge wijndis, ſoþeli þei ben born aboute of a litel gouernayle, where þe bire of a man dreſſinge ſhal wole. So and þe tunge ſoþeli is a litel membre, and reyſiþ greete þinges. Lo! hou miche fijr kyndliþ hou greete a wode. And oure tunge is fijr, þe vniuerſite of wickidneſſe. Þe tunge is ordeyned in oure membris, þe which defouliþ al þe body; and it enflaumed, or ſet afijre, of helle, enflaumeþ þe wheel of oure birþe. Soþeli al þe kynde of beeſtis, and foulis, and ſerpentis, and of oþere, ben ouercome, or vndirȝokid, and ben maad taame, of mannus kynde; forſoþe noon of men mai daunte, or chaſtiſe, þe tunge, ſoþeli it is an vnquyet, or vnpeſible, yuel þing, and ful of deedly venym. In it we bleſſen God, þe fadir, and in it we curſen men, þat ben maad to þe licneſſe of God. Of þe ſame mouþ comeþ forþ bleſſyng and curſyng. My briþeren, it bihoueþ not þes þinges for to be maad ſo. Wher a welle of þe ſaame hole bringe forþ ſwete and ſalt watir? My briþeren, wher a fijge tree mai make grapes, or a vijne fyges? So neþer ſalt watir mai make ſwete watir. Who is wijſe, and diſciplined, or chaſtiſyd, among ȝou? ſhewe he of good lyuyng his werk, in myldeneſſe of wiſdom. Þat if ȝe han bitter zeel, or enuy, and ſtriuyngis ben in ȝoure hertis, nyle ȝe glorye, and be liȝers aȝens þe treuþe. Forſoþe þis wiſdom is not fro aboue comynge doun, but erþeli, beeſtly, and fendli. For wher is enuye and ſtrijf, þere vnſtedefaſtneſſe and al ſhrewid werk. Forſoþe wiſdom þat is fro aboue, firſt ſoþeli it is chaaſt, aftirward peſible, mylde, ſuadible, þat is, eſy for to treete, and to be treetid, conſentynge to goode þingis, ful of merſy and goode fruytis, demynge wiþ oute feynynge. Soþeli þe fruytes of riȝtwiſneſſe ben ſowun in pees, to men makinge pees.

Capitulum IIII.
Wherof bateyles and cheeſtes, or chidinges, a mong ȝou? Wher not of ȝoure coueytiſis, þat fiȝten in ȝoure membris? Ȝe coueyten, and ȝe han not; ȝe ſleen, and ȝe han enuye, and ȝe mowen not gete. Ȝe chijden, and maken bateyl; and ȝe han not, for which þing ȝe han not axid. Ȝe axen, and ȝe receyuen not; for þat ȝe axen yuel, as in ȝoure coueytiſe ȝe ſhewen. Auowtreres, witen not ȝe, for þe frendſchip of þis world is enemy to God? Þerfore who euer ſhal wole for to be freend of þis world, is ordeyned þe enemye of God. Wher weene ȝe, þat veynly þe ſcripture ſeiþ, Þe ſpirit þat dwelliþ in ȝou, coueytiþ to enuye? Forſoþe he ȝiueþ more grace; for which þing he ſeiþ, God wiþſtondiþ proude men, forſoþe to meke men he ȝiueþ grace. Þerfore be ȝe ſuget to God; forſoþe wiþſtonde ȝe þe deuel, and he ſhal flee fro ȝou. Neiȝe ȝe to God, and he ſhal neiȝe to ȝou. Ȝe ſynners, clenſe þe hondes, and ȝe double of inwit, or wille, purge ȝe hertes. Be ȝe wrecches, in ȝoure owne iȝen, and weyle ȝe, and wepe ȝe; ȝoure leiȝing be it turned in to wepyng, and ȝoure ioye in to ſorewe of herte. Be ȝe mekid in þe ſiȝt of þe Lord, and he ſhal enhaunſe ȝou. Mi briþeren, nyle ȝe bakbite ech oþer. He þat bakbitiþ his broþir, or þat demeþ his broþer, bakbitiþ þe lawe, and demeþ þe lawe. Forſoþe if þou demeſt þe lawe, þou art not a doere of þe lawe, but domeſman. Soþeli oon is ſpeker, or maker, of þe lawe, and iuge, þat mai leeſe, and delyuere. Forſoþe who art þou, þat demeſt þi neiȝebore? Lo! now ȝe þat ſeien, To day or to moru we ſhulen go in to þe ilke citee, and þere ſoþeli we ſhulen make a ȝeer, and we ſhulen make marchaundiſe, and we ſhulen make wynnyng; þe whiche witen not, what is to ȝou in þe morewe. Forſoþe what is ȝoure lijf? A vapour, or ſmoke, to a litil ſemynge, and afterward it ſhal be waaſtid. Þerfore þat ȝe ſeie, If þe Lord ſhal wole, and if we ſhulen lyue, we ſhulen do þis þing, or þat þing. Now forſoþe ȝe gladen in ȝoure pridis; euery ſich ioying is wickid. Þerfore to a man kunnynge for to do good, and not doynge, ſynne is to him.

Capitulum V.
Do now, ȝe riche men, wepe ȝe, ȝoulynge in ȝoure wrecchidneſſis þat ſhulen come to ȝou. Ȝoure richeſſes ben maad rotun, and ȝoure cloþes ben eten of mouȝtis. Ȝoure gold and ſiluer haþ ruſtid, and ruſt of hem ſhal be to ȝou in to witneſſing, and ſhal ete ȝoure fleſches, as fijr. Ȝe han treſſourid to ȝou wraþ in þe laſte dayes. Lo! þe hijre of ȝoure werkmen, þat repiden ȝoure cuntrees, þat is fraudid of ȝou, crieþ; and þe cry of hem entride in to þe erys of þe Lord of hooſtis. Ȝe han ete on þe erþe, and in ȝoure leccheries ȝe han nurchid ȝoure hertes. In þe dai of ſleynge ȝe ledden to, and ſlewen þe iuſt man, and he aȝenſtode not ȝou. Þerfore, briþeren, be ȝe pacient, til to þe comyng of þe Lord. Lo! an erþe tilyer abijdiþ precious fruyt of þe erþe, paciently ſuffringe, til he receyue tymeful and lateful. And be ȝe pacient, and conferme ȝe ȝoure hertes, for þe comyng of þe Lord ſhal neiȝe. Briþeren, nyle ȝe be ſoreweful ech in to oþer, þat ȝe be not demed. Lo! þe iuſtiſe ſtondiþ niȝ bifore þe ȝat. Briþeren, take ȝe enſaumple of yuel goyng out, and of long abijdinge of trauele, and pacience, þe prophetes, þat ſpaken to ȝou in þe name of þe Lord. Lo! we bleſſen hem þat ſuffreden. Ȝe herden þe ſuffring, or pacience, of Job, and ȝe ſiȝen þe ende of þe Lord, for þe Lord is merciful, and doynge mercy. Bifore alle þingis, my briþeren, nyle ȝe ſwere, neþer bi heuene, ne bi erþe, neþir bi what euere oþer ooþ. Forſoþe be ȝoure word, Is, is, Nay, nay, þat ȝe falle not vndir doom. Soþeli ony of ȝou is ſoruful, or heuy, preye he wiþ euene inwit, and ſeie he pſalme. Ony of ȝou is ſijke, lede he in preſtis of þe chirche, and preye þei on him, anoyntinge wiþ oyle in þe name of þe Lord; and þe preier of feiþ ſhal ſaue þe ſijke, and þe Lord ſhal diſcharge, or make hym liȝt; and if he be in ſynnes, þei ſhulen be forȝiue to him. Þerfore knowleche ȝe oon to an oþere ȝoure ſynnes, and preye ȝe for ech oþere, þat ȝe be ſaued. Forſoþe þe contynuel preyer of a iuſt man is miche worþ. Helye was a man lijk to vs paſſible, or able for to ſuffre, and in preyer he preyede, þat it ſhulde not reyne on þe erþe, and it reynede not þre ȝeeres and ſixe moneþes. And eftſoone he preyede, and heuen ȝaf reyn, and þe erþe ȝaf his fruyt. Briþeren, forſoþe if ony of ȝou ſhal erre fro treuþe, and ony ſhal conuerte hym, he owiþ for to wite, for he þat ſhal make a ſynner for to be turned fro þe errour of his weie, ſhal ſaue þe ſoule of hym fro deeþ, and coueriþ þe multitude of ſynnys.

Here endiþ þe piſtlis of James, and now bigynneþ þe fyrſt piſtle of ſeynt Petre apoſtle.