OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 1:10

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ὁ δὲ πλούσιος, ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ

the and rich in the humiliation ˱of˲_him

James is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. These words can be supplied from the previous verse. Alternate translation: [but let the rich boast in his lowliness] or [but let the rich take satisfaction in his lowliness]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

ὁ & πλούσιος

the & rich

James is using the adjective rich as a noun in order to indicate a type of person. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this with an equivalent expression. It is clear in context that James is speaking of a rich “brother” or “believer,” in parallel with the “lowly brother” he describes in the previous verse. Alternate translation: [a believer who is rich]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ

the humiliation ˱of˲_him

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun lowliness with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [the low place he occupies]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ

the humiliation ˱of˲_him

James is using a spatial metaphor to describe rich believers as if they were in a low place in order to indicate that God has taught them humility. Alternate translation: [the humility that God has taught them]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ

the humiliation ˱of˲_him

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate explicitly, as UST does, that God has taught rich believers humility by showing them that their wealth does not make them better than other people.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

παρελεύσεται

˱he˲_/will_be/_passing_away

James is using a mild expression to refer to death. Alternate translation: [he will die]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου

like /a/_flower ˱of˲_/the/_grass

The point of this comparison is that just a wild flower blooms only for a short time, rich people will live on earth for the same relatively short time as anyone else, so their riches do not give them any advantage. You could explain the meaning of this figurative expression in your translation. (However, you could also reproduce the simile, as suggested in the next note.) Alternate translation: [after living for only a relatively short time]

Note 8 topic: translate-unknown

ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου παρελεύσεται

like /a/_flower ˱of˲_/the/_grass ˱he˲_/will_be/_passing_away

If you would like to use a simile in your translation but your readers would not be familiar with a flower of the grass (that is, a wildflower), you could use a different illustration. You could use something familiar to them that lasts only for a short time.