1Where do fightings and strivings come from among you? Do they not come from your pleasures that battle in your members?

2You desire, and do not have. You murder, and are jealous, and are unable to obtain. You strive and fight, and you do not possess, because you do not ask.

3You ask and do not receive, because you ask evilly, in order to spend it on your pleasures.

4Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with Elohim?a Whoever therefore intends to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim.

5Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the Spirit which dwells in us intensely crave unto envy?

6But He gives greater favour. Because of this He says, “Elohim resists the proud, but gives favour to the humble.”

7So then subject yourselves to Elohim. Resist the devila and he shall flee from you.

8Draw near to Elohim and He shall draw near to you. Cleanse hands, sinners. And cleanse the hearts, you double-minded!

9Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection.

10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Master, and He shall lift you up.

11Brothers, do not speak against one another. He that speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against Torah and judges Torah. And if you judge Torah, you are not a doer of Torah but a judge.

12There is one Lawgiver and Judge, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, let us go to such and such a city, spend a year there, and trade, and make a profit,”

14when you do not know of tomorrow. For what is your life? For it is a vapour that appears for a little, and then disappears –

15instead of your saying, “If the Master desires, we shall live and do this or that.”

16But now you boast in your proud speeches. All such boasting is wicked.

17To him, then, who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.