Bible in Basic English
Be troubled, with sorrow and weeping; let your laughing be turned to sorrow and your joy to grief.
Make yourselves low in the eyes of the Lord and you will be lifted up by him.
Do not say evil against one another, my brothers. He who says evil against his brother or makes himself his brother's judge, says evil against the law and is judging the law: and in judging the law you become, not a doer of the law but a judge.
There is only one judge and law-giver, even he who has the power of salvation and of destruction; but who are you to be your neighbour's judge?
How foolish it is to say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this town, and be there for a year and do business there and get wealth:
When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone.
But the right thing to say would be, If it is the Lord's pleasure and if we are still living, we will do this and that.
But now you go on glorying in your pride: and all such glorying is evil.
The man who has knowledge of how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
— James 4:9-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. ”
“Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. He who speaks against a fellow believer or judges a fellow believer speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge. But there is only one who is lawgiver and judge– the one who is able to save and destroy. On the other hand, who are you to judge your neighbor? Come now, you who say,“Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes. You ought to say instead,“If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast about your arrogant plans. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.”
“Be afflicted and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into sorrow. Be humbled in the sight of the Lord: and he will exalt you. Detract not one another, my brethren. He that detracteth his brother, or he that judgeth his brother, detracteth the law and judgeth the law. But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge, that is able to destroy and to deliver. But who art thou that judgest thy neighbour? Behold, now you that say: To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and there we will spend a year and will traffic and make our gain. Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is a vapour which appeareth for a little while and afterwards shall vanish away. For that you should say: If the Lord will, and, If we shall live, we will do this or that. But now you rejoice in your arrogancies. All such rejoicing is wicked. To him therefore who knoweth to do good and doth it not, to him it is sin. ”
“Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. ”
But he gives more grace. So that the Writings say, God is against the men of pride, but he gives grace to those who make themselves low before him.
For this cause be ruled by God; but make war on the Evil One and he will be put to flight before you.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Make your hands clean, you evil-doers; put away deceit from your hearts, you false in mind.
Be troubled, with sorrow and weeping; let your laughing be turned to sorrow and your joy to grief.
Make yourselves low in the eyes of the Lord and you will be lifted up by him.
Do not say evil against one another, my brothers. He who says evil against his brother or makes himself his brother's judge, says evil against the law and is judging the law: and in judging the law you become, not a doer of the law but a judge.
There is only one judge and law-giver, even he who has the power of salvation and of destruction; but who are you to be your neighbour's judge?
How foolish it is to say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this town, and be there for a year and do business there and get wealth:
When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone.
But the right thing to say would be, If it is the Lord's pleasure and if we are still living, we will do this and that.
But now you go on glorying in your pride: and all such glorying is evil.
The man who has knowledge of how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.