| | | Abbé Crampon | |
| 1 | My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. | Mes frères, qu'il n'y en ait pas tant parmi vous qui s'érigent en docteurs, sachant que nous serons jugés plus sévèrement. | Be not many [of you] teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment. |
| 2 | For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. | Car nous péchons tous en beaucoup de choses. Si quelqu'un ne pèche pas en parole, c'est un homme parfait, capable de tenir aussi tout le corps en bride. | For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. |
| 3 | Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. | Si nous mettons aux chevaux un mors dans la bouche pour nous en faire obéir, nous gouvernons aussi leur corps tout entier. | Now if we put the horses` bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. |
| 4 | Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. | Voyez encore les vaisseaux tout grands qu'ils sont et quoique poussés par des vents impétueux, ils sont conduits par un très petit gouvernail au gré du pilote qui les dirige. | Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth. |
| 5 | Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! | Ainsi la langue est un tout petit membre; mais de quelles grandes choses elle peut se vanter! Voyez, une étincelle peut embraser une grande forêt ! | So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! |
| 6 | And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. | La langue aussi est un feu, un monde d'iniquité. N'étant qu'un de nos membres, la langue est capable d'infecter tout le corps; elle enflamme le cours de notre vie, enflammée qu'elle est elle-même du feu de l'enfer. | And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell. |
| 7 | For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: | Toutes les espèces de quadrupèdes, d'oiseaux, de reptiles et d'animaux marins peuvent se dompter, et ont été domptés par l'homme. | For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind. |
| 8 | But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. | Mais la langue, aucun homme ne peut la dompter : c'est un fléau qu'on ne peut arrêter; elle est remplie d'un venin mortel. | But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] a restless evil, [it is] full of deadly poison. |
| 9 | Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. | Par elle nous bénissons le Seigneur et notre Père, et par elle nous maudissons les hommes qui ont été faits à l'image de Dieu. | Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God: |
| 10 | Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. | De la même bouche sortent la malédiction et la bénédiction ! Il ne faut pas, mes frères, qu'il en soit ainsi. | out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. |
| 11 | Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? | Est-ce que de la même ouverture, la source fait jaillir le doux et l'amer ? | Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet [water] and bitter? |
| 12 | Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. | Est-ce qu'un figuier, mes frères, peut produire des olives, ou la vigne des figues ? Ainsi une source salée ne peut donner de l'eau douce. | Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? Neither [can] salt water yield sweet. |
| 13 | Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. | Qui parmi vous est sage et intelligent ? Qu'il fasse voir à l'oeuvre dans la suite d'une bonne vie sa modération et sa sagesse. | Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom. |
| 14 | But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. | Mais si vous avez dans vos coeurs un zèle amer et un esprit de dispute, ne vous glorifiez point et ne mentez point contre la vérité. | But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. |
| 15 | This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. | Une pareille sagesse ne descend pas d'en haut; elle est terrestre, charnelle, diabolique. | This wisdom is not [a wisdom] that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. |
| 16 | For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. | Car là où il y a jalousie et esprit de contention, là est le trouble et toute action mauvaise. | For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. |
| 17 | But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. | Alors la sagesse d'en haut est premièrement pure, ensuite pacifique, condescendante, traitable, pleine de miséricorde et de bons fruits, sans partialité, sans hypocrisie. | But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. |
| 18 | And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. | Le fruit de justice se sème dans la paix par ceux qui pratiquent la paix. | And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace. |
