1 ¶ ¿De dónde vienen las guerras, y los pleitos entre vosotros? De aquí, es decir de vuestras concupiscencias, las cuales batallan en vuestros miembros.

What leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members?

2 C odiciáis, y no tenéis; matáis y tenéis envidia, y no podéis alcanzar; combatís y guerreáis, y no tenéis lo que deseáis, porque no pedís.

You are jealous and covet and your desires go unfulfilled; you become murderers. You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain, so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask.

3 P edís, y no recibís; porque pedís mal, para gastar en vuestros deleites.

you do ask and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is to spend it in sensual pleasures.

4 A dúlteros, y adúlteras, ¿no sabéis que la amistad del mundo es enemistad con Dios? Cualquiera pues que quisiere ser amigo del mundo, se constituye en enemigo de Dios.

You unfaithful wives! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.

5 ¿ Pensáis que la Escritura lo dice sin causa, el Espíritu que mora en vosotros codicia para envidia?

Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit with a jealous love?

6 M as él da mayor gracia. Por esto él dice: Dios resiste a los soberbios, y da la gracia a los humildes.

But He gives us more and more grace ( power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).

7 E stad pues sujetos a Dios; resistid al diablo, y huirá de vosotros.

So be subject to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 A llegaos a Dios, y él se allegará a vosotros. Pecadores, limpiad las manos; y vosotros los de doble ánimo, purificad los corazones.

Come close to God and He will come close to you. sinners, get your soiled hands clean; wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts.

9 A fligíos, y lamentad, y llorad. Vuestra risa se convierta en lloro, y vuestro gozo en tristeza.

be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame.

10 H umillaos delante de la presencia del Señor, y él os ensalzará.

Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

11 ¶ Hermanos, no murmuréis los unos de los otros; el que murmura del hermano, y juzga a su hermano, este tal murmura de la Ley, y juzga a la Ley; y si tú juzgas a la Ley, no eres guardador de la Ley, sino juez.

brethren, do not speak evil about or accuse one another. He that maligns a brother or judges his brother is maligning and criticizing the Law and judging the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a practicer of the Law but a censor and judge.

12 U no es el dador de la Ley, que puede salvar y perder, ¿quién eres tú que juzgas a otro?

One only is the Lawgiver and Judge Who is able to save and to destroy. who are you that pass judgment on your neighbor?

13 E a, ahora, los que decís: Vamos hoy y mañana a tal ciudad, y estaremos allá un año y compraremos mercadería, y ganaremos;

Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make money.

14 y no sabéis lo que será mañana. Porque ¿qué es vuestra vida? Ciertamente es un vapor que se aparece por un poco de tiempo, y después se desvanece.

Yet you do not know about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears.

15 E n lugar de lo cual deberíais decir: Si el Señor quisiere, y si viviéremos, haremos esto, o aquello.

You ought instead to say, If the Lord is willing, we shall live and we shall do this or that.

16 M as ahora os gloriáis en vuestras soberbias. Toda gloria semejante es mala.

But as it is, you boast in your presumption and your self-conceit. All such boasting is wrong.

17 E l pecado pues está todavía en aquel que sabe hacer lo bueno, y no lo hace.

So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.