The Letter of James, Movement 2

Opera, Avant-garde gospel, experimental folk, ethereal sung word, polyphonic vocal layering, harpischord, theremin

[Instrumental]

[Verse]  
Know this, my dear brothers:  
everyone should be quick to hear,  
slow to speak,  
slow to wrath,  
for the wrath of a man  
does not accomplish  
the righteousness of God.

Therefore, put away all filth  
and evil excess  
and humbly welcome the word  
that has been planted in you  
and is able to save your souls.

[Chorus]
For the judgment is merciless  
to one who has not shown mercy;  
mercy triumphs over judgment.

[Verse]  
Be doers of the word  
and not hearers only,  
deluding yourselves.

For if anyone is a hearer  
of the word and not a doer,  
he is like a man  
who looks at his own face  
in a mirror.

He sees himself,  
then goes off  
and promptly forgets  
what he looked like.

But the one who peers  
into the perfect law of freedom  
and perseveres,  
and is not a hearer who forgets  
but a doer who acts,  
such a one shall be blessed  
in what he does.

[Chorus]
For the judgment is merciless  
to one who has not shown mercy;  
mercy triumphs over judgment.

[Verse]  
If anyone thinks he is religious  
and does not bridle his tongue  
but deceives his heart,  
his religion is vain.

Religion that is pure  
and undefiled before God  
and the Father is this:  
to care for orphans and widows  
in their affliction  
and to keep oneself unstained  
by the world.

[Chorus]
For the judgment is merciless  
to one who has not shown mercy;  
mercy triumphs over judgment.

[Verse]  
My brothers, show no partiality  
as you adhere to the faith  
in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

For if a man with gold rings  
on his fingers and in fine clothes  
comes into your assembly,  
and a poor person in shabby clothes  
also comes in,

and you pay attention  
to the one wearing fine clothes  
and say, “Sit here, please,”  
while you say to the poor one,  
“Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,”

have you not made distinctions  
among yourselves  
and become judges  
with evil designs?

[Chorus]
For the judgment is merciless  
to one who has not shown mercy;  
mercy triumphs over judgment.

[Verse]  
Listen, my beloved brothers.  
Did not God choose  
those who are poor in the world  
to be rich in faith  
and heirs of the kingdom  
that he promised  
to those who love him?

But you dishonored the poor person.  
Are not the rich oppressing you?  
And do they themselves  
not haul you off to court?

Is it not they who blaspheme  
the noble name invoked over you?

[Chorus]
For the judgment is merciless  
to one who has not shown mercy;  
mercy triumphs over judgment.

[Verse]  
However, if you fulfill  
the royal law according to the scripture,  
“You shall love your neighbor  
as yourself,” you are doing well.

But if you show partiality,  
you commit sin,  
and are convicted by the law  
as transgressors.

For whoever keeps the whole law,  
but falls short in one particular,  
has become guilty  
in respect to all of it.

For he who said,  
“You shall not commit adultery,”  
also said, “You shall not kill.”

Even if you do not commit adultery  
but kill, you have become  
a transgressor of the law.

[Pre-Chorus]  
So speak and so act  
as people who will be judged  
by the law of freedom.

[Chorus]
For the judgment is merciless  
to one who has not shown mercy;  
mercy triumphs over judgment.

[Instrumental]

[End]

[Silence]

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[Instrumental] [Verse] Know this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of a man does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. [Chorus] For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. [Verse] Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does. [Chorus] For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. [Verse] If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world. [Chorus] For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. [Verse] My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please,” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? [Chorus] For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. [Verse] Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you dishonored the poor person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name invoked over you? [Chorus] For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. [Verse] However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law, but falls short in one particular, has become guilty in respect to all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not kill.” Even if you do not commit adultery but kill, you have become a transgressor of the law. [Pre-Chorus] So speak and so act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. [Chorus] For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. [Instrumental] [End] [Silence]

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