OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 4:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ἐγγίσατε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν

near ¬the ˱to˲_God and ˱he˲_/will_be/_nearing ˱to˲_you_all

James is using the word translated and to describe a result. Alternate translation: “If you come near to God, then he will come near to you”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐγγίσατε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν

near ¬the ˱to˲_God and ˱he˲_/will_be/_nearing ˱to˲_you_all

James is using a spatial metaphor to describe two people in a good relationship as if they were near to one another. Alternate translation: “Do your part to have a good relationship with God, and you will find that God also wants to have a good relationship with you”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

καθαρίσατε χεῖρας

cleanse /your/_hands

James is using the image of washing hands to describe a person removing sin from his life. Alternate translation: “Stop sinning”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

καθαρίσατε χεῖρας

cleanse /your/_hands

James is using the word hands to mean actions, by association with the way people use their hands to do things. Alternate translation: “Stop doing things that are wrong”

ἁμαρτωλοί

sinners

James is addressing his readers in the vocative. If your language has a vocative case, it would be appropriate to use it here. If not, you could express the meaning in another way that would be natural in your language. Alternate translation: “You sinners”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἁγνίσατε καρδίας

purify /your/_hearts

James says hearts to mean people’s thoughts and desires. Alternate translation: “purify your thoughts and desires”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἁγνίσατε καρδίας

purify /your/_hearts

The term purify refers to a ceremonial cleansing that allows a person to participate in religious activities. James is speaking as if his readers’ hearts could be cleansed in this way. Alternate translation: “make sure you are not thinking or desiring anything wrong”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

δίψυχοι

double-minded

James is using the adjective double-minded as a noun to refer to a type of person. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: “double-minded people”

δίψυχοι

double-minded

James is addressing his readers in the vocative. If your language has a vocative case, it would be appropriate to use it here. If not, you could express the meaning in another way that would be natural in your language. Alternate translation: “you double-minded people”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

δίψυχοι

double-minded

See how you translated the same expression in 1:8. James is speaking of his readers as if they had two minds, with one mind deciding to do one thing and the other mind deciding to do something else. Alternate translation: “you people who cannot decide whether to obey God or not”