SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:15
En lugar de lo cual deberíais decir: Si el Seor quisiere, y si viviremos, haremos esto, o aquello.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - James 4:15
Verse 15. For that ye ought to say] anti toi legein umav? Instead of saying, or instead of which ye should say, If the Lord will, we shall live] I think St. James had another example from the rabbins in view, which is produced by Drusius, Gregory, Cartwright, and Schoettgen, on this clause: "The bride went up to her chamber, not knowing what was to befall her there." On which there is this comment: "No man should ever say that he will do this or that, without the condition IF GOD WILL. A certain man said, 'To-morrow shall I sit with my bride in my chamber, and there shall rejoice with her.' To which some standing by said, h rzwg a im gozer hashshem, 'If the Lord will.' To which he answered, 'Whether the Lord will or not, to-morrow will I sit with my bride in my chamber.' He did so; he went with his bride into his chamber, and at night they lay down; but they both died, antequam illam cognosceret." It is not improbable that St. James refers to this case, as he uses the same phraseology. On this subject I shall quote another passage which I read when a schoolboy, and which even then taught me a lesson of caution and of respect for the providence of God. It may be found in Lucian, in the piece entitled, carwn, h episkopountev, c. 6: epi deipnon, oimai, klhqeiv upo tinov twn filwn ev thn usteraian, malista hxw, efh? kai metaxu legontov, apo tou tegouv keramiv epipesousa, ouk oid otou kinhsantov, apekteinen auton? egelasa oun, ouk epitelesantov thn uposcesin. "A man was invited by one of his friends to come the next day to supper. I will certainly come, said he. In the mean time a tile fell from a house, I knew not who threw it, and killed him. I therefore laughed at him for not fulfilling his engagement." It is often said Fas est et ab hoste doceri, " we should learn even from our enemies." Take heed, Christian, that this heathen buffoon laugh thee not out of countenance.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. For that ye ought to say , etc.] Instead of saying we will go to such and such a place, and do this, and that, and the other thing, it should be said, if the Lord will, and we shall live, and do this and that ; the last and is left out in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions; and the passage rendered thus, if the Lord will, and we shall live, we will do this: so that here are two conditions of doing anything; the one is, if it should be agreeable to the determining will and purpose of God, by which everything in the world comes to pass, and into which the wills of men should be resolved, and resigned; and the other is, if we should live, since life is so very uncertain and precarious: and the sense is, not that this exact form of words should be always used, but what is equivalent to them, or, at least, that there should be always a sense of these things upon the mind; and there should be a view to them in all resolutions, designs, and engagements: and since the words are so short and comprehensive, it might be proper for Christians to use themselves to such a way of speaking; upon all occasions; we find it used by the Apostle Paul frequently, as in ( Acts 18:2 1 Corinthians 4:19 Romans 1:10 Hebrews 6:3), and even by Jews, Heathens, and Turks. It is a saying of Ben Syra, the Jew f39 , let a man never say he will do anything, before he says h rzwg a , if God will So Cyrus, king of Persia, when, under pretence of hunting, he designed an expedition into Armenia, upon which an hare started, and was caught by an eagle, said to his friends, this will be a good or prosperous hunting to us, hn yeov yelh , if God will f40 . And very remarkable are the words of Socrates to Alcibiades, inquiring of him how he ought to speak; says Socrates, eav yeov eyelh , if God will f41 ; and says he, in another place f42 , but I will do this, and come unto thee tomorrow, if God will.
And it is reported of the Turks f43 , that they submit everything to the divine will; as the success of war, or a journey, or anything, even of the least moment, they desire to be done; and never promise themselves, or others, anything, but under this condition, In Shallah, if God will.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-17 - Our lips must be governed by the law of kindness, as well as truth an justice. Christians are brethren. And to break God's commands, is to speak evil of them, and to judge them, as if they laid too great restraint upon us. We have the law of God, which is a rule to all; le us not presume to set up our own notions and opinions as a rule to those about us, and let us be careful that we be not condemned of the Lord. "God to now," is a call to any one to consider his conduct a being wrong. How apt worldly and contriving men are to leave God out of their plans! How vain it is to look for any thing good without God' blessing and guidance! The frailty, shortness, and uncertainty of life ought to check the vanity and presumptuous confidence of all project for futurity. We can fix the hour and minute of the sun's rising an setting to-morrow, but we cannot fix the certain time of a vapour being scattered. So short, unreal, and fading is human life, and all the prosperity or enjoyment that attends it; though bliss or woe for eve must be according to our conduct during this fleeting moment. We ar always to depend on the will of God. Our times are not in our ow hands, but at the disposal of God. Our heads may be filled with care and contrivances for ourselves, or our families, or our friends; but Providence often throws our plans into confusion. All we design, an all we do, should be with submissive dependence on God. It is foolish and it is hurtful, to boast of worldly things and aspiring projects; it will bring great disappointment, and will prove destruction in the end Omissions are sins which will be brought into judgment, as well a commissions. He that does not the good he knows should be done, as wel as he who does the evil he knows should not be done, will be condemned Oh that we were as careful not to omit prayer, and not to neglect to meditate and examine our consciences, as we are not to commit gros outward vices against light __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
αντι 473 του 3588 λεγειν 3004 5721 υμας 5209 εαν 1437 ο 3588 κυριος 2962 θεληση 2309 5661 και 2532 {1: ζησωμεν 2198 5661 και 2532 ποιησωμεν 4160 5661 } {2: ζησομεν 2198 5692 και 2532 ποιησομεν 4160 5692 } τουτο 5124 η 2228 εκεινο 1565
Vincent's NT Word Studies
15. For that ye ought to say (anti tou legein umav). Ver. 14 was parenthetical, so that at this point the thought is taken up from ver. xiii. Ye who say we will go, etc. - for that ye ought to say. The rendering in margin of Rev. is simpler: instead of your saying.
