Semantic Analysis — James (Yakuba) 1–5

Original Koine Greek → Fulfulde | Language Package Extension

Curriculum: James (Ἰάκωβος) Core passage: James 2:14–26 (Faith and Works) Baseline dependency: This document extends, and never contradicts, the Romans translation_memory.json, bible_term_registry.json, and doctrine_risk_registry.json. Every term already fixed in the Romans package (πίστις/gomɗinal, ἁμαρτία/bakkaatu, δικαιοσύνη/peewal, δικαίωσις/waɗugol peewal, νόμος/sariya, χάρις/Arjunde, δόξα/manaango, κύριος/Joom, θεός/Alla, βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ/laamu Alla, ἐκκλησία/kawtal, προφήτης/annabi, εἰρήνη/jam, etc.) is reused exactly and flagged [REUSE — Romans TM] below.

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Preliminary Naming Note: “James” is “Yakuba”

The Greek title Ἰάκωβος (Iakōbos) is the same name rendered “Jacob” for the patriarch and “Ya’qub” in the Qur’an. English tradition renders it “James” (via Latin Iacomus), but this is a historical accident of English Bible tradition, not a separate name. This curriculum should title the book “Yakuba,” not a transliteration of “James,” matching existing Fulfulde/Pular renderings of the patriarch Jacob and creating a genuine point of shared recognition with the Qur’anic Ya’qub. [Risk: Medium — flag for theologian confirmation of exact regional NT convention, since James/Yakuba as an Epistle has even thinner existing Fulfulde translation attestation than the Romans corpus this package is built from.]

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PART 1 — Core Passage: James 2:14–26, Verse by Verse

James 2:14

Τί τὸ ὄφελος, ἀδελφοί μου, ἐὰν πίστιν λέγῃ τις ἔχειν, ἔργα δὲ μὴ ἔχῃ; μὴ δύναται ἡ πίστις σῶσαι αὐτόν;

This verse opens the passage with the diagnostic question of the entire book: professed faith without accompanying works.

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
ὄφελος	ophelos	profit, benefit, gain	that which is useful/advantageous	”good,” “profit,” “use”	Rhetorical: a claimed faith yielding no benefit is functionally worthless	nafaa (“benefit/profit”). Risk: Low. Standard vocabulary, no doctrinal collision.
ἀδελφοί μου	adelphoi mou	my brothers	kinship term extended to the believing community	”brothers,” “brothers and sisters,” “brethren”	Corporate address to the whole believing community, not literal blood-kin	musiɓɓe am / banndiraaɓe am. Risk: High. Pulaaku kinship (banndiraaɓe = blood-siblings/clan-kin) is one of the strongest identity categories in Fulani society; readers may hear this as literal ethnic/clan kinship language rather than a spiritual-family metaphor spanning ethnic lines. Must be glossed explicitly as the whole gathered people of God (kawtal), consistent with the church_as_gods_people doctrine already flagged Medium in the Romans registry.
πίστις	pistis	faith, trust, belief, faithfulness	trust in a person; intellectual assent; fidelity	”faith,” “belief,” “trust”	The central disputed term of the passage: a merely professed/claimed faith (πίστιν λέγῃ τις ἔχειν, “faith someone claims to have”)	gomɗinal. [REUSE — Romans TM, High risk retained]. James’s argument depends on distinguishing claimed faith from saving faith using the identical word — this distinction must be made explicit in teaching notes, not left to the word alone.
ἔργα	erga	works, deeds, actions	moral/religious acts; visible conduct	”works,” “deeds,” “actions”	The visible fruit that must accompany genuine faith; NOT a means of earning righteousness (cf. Romans 4:4-5, 11:5-6)	golle. Risk: Critical (new term, not in Romans TM). golle is the standard Fulfulde word for both ordinary “work” and Islamic “good deeds” (cf. Arabic-influenced *amal*), which in regional Islamic soteriology are actively weighed by Allah for paradise-entry. James 2's "faith without works is dead" risks being read by Fulfulde speakers with Islamic formation as confirmation of a deeds-weighing salvation model — directly undermining the Romans package's carefully guarded grace/salvation` entries. This tension must be resolved explicitly in every occurrence: James’s ἔργα are the fruit and evidence of a faith already resting on Christ’s finished work, not the basis of standing before God. Human theologian review required on every occurrence in this book.
σῶσαι (< σῴζω)	sōsai (sōzō)	to save, rescue, deliver	physical rescue; eschatological salvation	”save,” “deliver,” “rescue”	Rhetorical: can claimed faith without works save? (Expected answer: no)	hisde (verb; paired noun kisal, [REUSE — Romans TM noun form]). Risk: High. No attested verb form exists in the Romans TM (only the noun kisal); hisde is a provisional derivation from the same root and requires native-speaker confirmation before use as the standard verb “to save” throughout this curriculum.

James 2:15

ἐὰν ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἀδελφὴ γυμνοὶ ὑπάρχωσιν καὶ λειπόμενοι τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς,

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
γυμνοί	gymnoi	naked	literally unclothed; also “poorly/inadequately clothed"	"naked,” “ill-clad,” “without clothes”	Concrete material need, not merely spiritual metaphor	bolɓe (“without clothing/poorly clothed”). Risk: Low.
ἐφήμερος τροφή	ephēmeros trophē	daily/for-the-day food	food sufficient for a single day; subsistence food	”daily food,” “food for the day”	Basic subsistence need — echoes the pastoralist reality of day-to-day provision	ñaametee ñalawma (“food of the day”). Risk: Low-Medium. Resonates naturally with pastoralist subsistence life; a point of natural cultural contact rather than risk.

James 2:16

εἴπῃ δέ τις αὐτοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν, Ὑπάγετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ, θερμαίνεσθε καὶ χορτάζεσθε, μὴ δῶτε δὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐπιτήδεια τοῦ σώματος, τί τὸ ὄφελος;

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
ὑπάγετε ἐν εἰρήνῃ	hypagete en eirēnē	go in peace	a dismissal formula	”go in peace,” “go well”	Empty pious speech substituting for real material help — a hollow blessing	jooɗo e jam / yaha e jam. εἰρήνη here = jam [REUSE — Romans TM]. Risk: Medium. jam is the everyday Sahelian greeting/farewell word; the verse’s irony (a fine-sounding blessing given instead of real help) depends on readers recognizing this as the ordinary greeting register — the exact register distinction already flagged for peace_with_god in the Romans registry, now working in the opposite rhetorical direction (exposing empty piety rather than affirming true peace with God).
θερμαίνεσθε καὶ χορτάζεσθε	thermainesthe kai chortazesthe	be warmed and be filled	physical comfort/satisfaction	”keep warm and well fed,” “be warmed and filled”	Words without corresponding material action	wulaa (nyalla) hakkiliji terɗe, ñaamon haa yiɗon — descriptive rendering “be warmed, be fed.” Risk: Low.
τὰ ἐπιτήδεια τοῦ σώματος	ta epitēdeia tou sōmatos	the necessities of the body	material/bodily needs	”bodily needs,” “what the body needs”	Concrete material provision, contrasted with hollow verbal blessing	haajuuji ɓalndu (“needs of the body”). Risk: Low.

James 2:17

οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις, ἐὰν μὴ ἔχῃ ἔργα, νεκρά ἐστιν καθ᾽ ἑαυτήν.

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
νεκρά	nekra	dead	lifeless; inert; without vital force	”dead,” “lifeless”	Faith without works is not “weak” but categorically dead — the thesis statement of the passage	maayɗi (dead, agreeing with gomɗinal, a feminine/abstract-class noun). Risk: High. The doctrinal weight is not in the word itself (ordinary “dead”) but in its pairing with gomɗinal — this exact collocation (“faith… dead”) must be rendered identically at every occurrence (2:17, 2:20, 2:26) per the Theological Consistency Rules established in the Romans package.
καθ᾽ ἑαυτήν	kath’ heautēn	by itself, in itself	isolated, considered alone	”by itself,” “in itself,” “alone”	Faith considered in isolation from its necessary fruit	e hoore mum tan (“by itself alone”). Risk: Low.

James 2:18

Ἀλλ᾽ ἐρεῖ τις, Σὺ πίστιν ἔχεις κἀγὼ ἔργα ἔχω· δεῖξόν μοι τὴν πίστιν σου χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων, κἀγὼ σοι δείξω ἐκ τῶν ἔργων μου τὴν πίστιν.

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
δεῖξόν (< δείκνυμι)	deixon (deiknymi)	show, demonstrate, prove	make visible/evident	”show,” “demonstrate,” “prove”	Faith is invisible in itself; works are its demonstrable evidence, not its cause	hollu (“show/demonstrate”). Risk: Medium. Must be taught carefully: works evidence faith, they do not constitute or earn it — the same distinction flagged Critical for ἔργα above.
χωρὶς (τῶν ἔργων)	chōris (tōn ergōn)	apart from, without, separate from	separation, absence of	”apart from,” “without”	The impossibility of demonstrating faith with works entirely absent	ngalaa golle / hara alaa golle (“without works”). Risk: Medium, tied to ἔργα above.

James 2:19

σὺ πιστεύεις ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός, καλῶς ποιεῖς· καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια πιστεύουσιν καὶ φρίσσουσιν.

This is the single most theologically sensitive verse in the passage for a Fulfulde-speaking audience.

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
εἷς ἐστιν ὁ θεός	heis estin ho theos	God is one	monotheistic confession	”God is one,” “there is one God”	James affirms bare monotheism is true but insufficient for salvation — even demons hold it	Alla ko gooto. Risk: Critical. This phrase is a verbatim affirmation of Tawḥīd, the central pillar of Islamic theology, articulated with unusual depth and prestige in Fulani Islamic scholarship (Sokoto Caliphate reformist tradition). A Fulfulde-speaking reader may hear this verse as Scripture validating their existing confession and stop there — precisely missing James’s actual point, that correct monotheism without saving trust that produces obedient works is shared even by demons and saves no one. This verse requires the single most careful theological framing note in the entire book: it must be taught as agreeing with, then radically reframing, the Tawḥīd confession — not simply presented as shared common ground. Human theologian review mandatory on every occurrence and on all supporting teaching material.
πιστεύεις / πιστεύουσιν	pisteueis / pisteuousin	you believe / they believe	intellectual assent; also (elsewhere) saving trust	”believe,” “have faith,” “hold as true”	Here restricted to bare cognitive assent, distinct from the saving gomɗinal sense elsewhere in the book	gomɗina (verb form of gomɗinal). Risk: High. The verse deliberately uses the same verb for both saving faith and demons’ bare cognitive assent — this ironic double-use must be preserved, and the contextual note must clarify that not every occurrence of gomɗin- in Fulfulde Scripture denotes saving faith.
δαιμόνια	daimonia	demons	evil spirit beings, subordinate to Satan	”demons,” “devils,” “evil spirits”	Personal, fallen, uniformly evil spiritual beings who nonetheless hold correct theology	ruuhuuji bonɗi (“evil spirits”), deliberately avoiding jinnaaji. Risk: High. jinnaaji (jinn) names a distinct class of spirit beings in Islamic and West African folk belief that can be good, neutral, or evil, and are conceptually different from the NT category of demons (uniformly fallen, servants of Satan, defeated by Christ). Following the same logic that forbids jinna for the Holy Spirit in the Romans package, jinnaaji must not be used unqualified here either, to prevent readers mapping NT demons onto the jinn category of folk belief and amulet/marabout practice.
φρίσσουσιν	phrissousin	shudder, tremble, bristle with fear	visceral fear response	”shudder,” “tremble,” “shiver”	Demons’ correct theology produces terror, not saving faith — contrasted with the peace (jam) that genuine faith produces	rewa e kulol (“tremble in fear”). Risk: Low.

James 2:20

Θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενέ, ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν; (some manuscripts: ἀργή, “useless/barren,” rather than νεκρά)

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
ἄνθρωπε κενέ	anthrōpe kene	O empty person	foolish, empty-headed, lacking substance	”you foolish person,” “you empty person”	Direct rhetorical rebuke of the imagined objector	neɗɗo kefeeɗo (“empty/foolish person”). Risk: Low. Direct address; ensure tone remains dignified per Pulaaku’s teddungal/semteende values even in rebuke.
νεκρά / ἀργή (textual variant)	nekra / argē	dead / useless-barren	dead vs. inactive-unproductive	”dead” / “useless,” “barren,” “unproductive”	Both readings converge on the same point: faith isolated from works accomplishes nothing salvific	Render as maayɗi to match 2:17 and 2:26 for consistency; footnote the ἀργή variant. Risk: Medium — flag the textual variant for theologian awareness though it does not change the doctrinal outcome.

James 2:21

Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἀνενέγκας Ἰσαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον;

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν	Abraam ho patēr hēmōn	Abraham our father	shared covenantal ancestor	”Abraham our father”	Common covenantal ancestor claimed by James’s Jewish-background readers	Ibrahiima, baaba amen [name form REUSE — Romans package transliteration standard]. Risk: Medium. Ibrahim is also a towering shared figure in Islamic tradition; readers will bring a partially overlapping but distinct narrative memory (see Davidic covenant/Israel precedent in Romans registry) and this must be anticipated.
ἐδικαιώθη (< δικαιόω)	edikaiōthē (dikaioō)	was justified, was declared/shown righteous	forensic declaration; also demonstrative vindication	”was justified,” “was declared righteous,” “was shown righteous”	THE central interpretive crux of the passage: James says Abraham “was justified… by works” (referring to Genesis 22, the offering of Isaac) — appearing to contradict Paul’s “justified by faith apart from works” (Romans 4, citing Genesis 15:6, the same Abraham).	waɗugol peewal [REUSE — Romans TM, mandatory exact reuse]. Risk: Critical. This is the most theologically consequential term-collision in the whole curriculum. It must be explicitly taught, not left ambiguous, that James and Paul use δικαιόω in two related but distinct senses: Paul (Rom 4:1-5) describes the initial forensic crediting of righteousness at the moment of Abraham’s faith (Genesis 15:6, before Isaac was even born); James (2:21) describes the vindicating, faith-completing demonstration of that already-credited righteousness through obedient action (Genesis 22, decades later). James is not describing an alternative basis for standing before God; he is describing how genuine faith is shown to be genuine. This harmonization must appear as a mandatory teaching note wherever this verse is translated or taught.
ἀνενέγκας (< ἀναφέρω)	anenegkas (anapherō)	having offered up, having brought up	to bring an offering, especially sacrificial	”offered up,” “brought up (as an offering)“	The concrete act of obedience that demonstrated Abraham’s faith	hokkugol sadaka (“offering a sacrifice”). Risk: Medium.
θυσιαστήριον	thysiastērion	altar, place of sacrifice	sacrificial installation	”altar”	The site of the test of obedience	jeenal sadaka (“altar/place of sacrifice”). Risk: Medium-High. The Abraham/Isaac near-sacrifice narrative closely parallels the Qur’anic near-sacrifice narrative (commonly identified with Ismail rather than Isaac in mainstream Islamic interpretation, and celebrated at Eid al-Adha). This is a genuine point of shared cultural memory but also a genuine point of divergence (the identity of the son, and the covenant significance drawn from the episode) that should be addressed explicitly rather than assumed as simple common ground — a pattern directly analogous to the davidic_covenant and seed_of_david risk entries in the Romans registry.

James 2:22

βλέπεις ὅτι ἡ πίστις συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη,

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
συνήργει (< συνεργέω)	synērgei (synergeō)	worked together with, cooperated with	joint action, cooperation	”worked with,” “cooperated with,” “worked together”	Faith and works are not opposed but partner together — works flow organically from living faith	gollondiri e (“worked together with”). Risk: High — must not be misread as faith and works being two equal, independent co-contributors to salvation (a synergistic works-salvation reading); the contextual note must clarify faith remains primary and works are its inseparable fruit.
ἐτελειώθη (< τελειόω)	eteleiōthē (teleioō)	was perfected, was completed, was brought to maturity	to bring to completeness/full expression	”was perfected,” “was made complete,” “was fulfilled”	Faith reaches its intended, mature expression through obedient action — not “faith became more saving” but “faith was shown fully formed”	timmini (“was completed/made complete/matured”). Risk: High. Must be carefully distinguished from any sense of faith being incomplete or insufficient for salvation until supplemented by works — that reading would directly contradict the Romans grace and salvation entries. The correct sense is maturation/full demonstration, not supplementation of a deficient salvific basis.

James 2:23

καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα, Ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, καὶ φίλος θεοῦ ἐκλήθη.

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφή	eplērōthē hē graphē	the Scripture was fulfilled	prophetic/textual fulfillment	”the Scripture was fulfilled”	James treats Genesis 15:6 as authoritative, fulfilled Scripture — an implicit answer to any tahrif-style doubt about textual reliability	Deftere Senaande timmi — reuse Deftere Senaande pattern from the Romans inspiration_of_scripture doctrine entry. Risk: High, same grounds as Romans registry’s inspiration_of_scripture entry (tahrif doctrine familiarity).
ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην	elogisthē autō eis dikaiosynēn	it was credited/reckoned to him for righteousness	forensic crediting/accounting	”it was credited to him as righteousness,” “it was counted to him for righteousness”	This is the identical Greek/LXX phrase Paul quotes in Romans 4:3, citing the same Genesis 15:6.	peewal jibinaangal [REUSE — Romans TM imputed_righteousness, MANDATORY EXACT REUSE]. Risk: Critical. Because this is a verbatim citation of the same Old Testament text Paul uses for the doctrine of imputed righteousness, any deviation from the Romans TM rendering here would create the false impression that James is teaching a different doctrine from Paul, rather than citing the same event James later interprets from a complementary angle (see note at 2:21). This is the strongest possible argument in the whole book for strict translation-memory discipline across curricula.
φίλος θεοῦ ἐκλήθη	philos theou eklēthē	he was called a friend of God	title of intimate relational standing	”he was called God’s friend,” “friend of God”	Abraham’s unique covenantal intimacy with God, the fruit of his faith-obedience	noddaa jom-ɗiggal Alla or noddaa gaanuko Alla (“was called a friend of God”), reusing noddaaɗo-family verb [REUSE — Romans TM called verb root]. Risk: Medium-High, positive point of contact. Ibrahim is called Khalīlullāh (“Friend of God,” Qur’an 4:125) in Islamic tradition — a genuinely shared title. This shared vocabulary should be leveraged as a bridge, but exactly as with Almasiihu/Messiah in the Romans package, the shared title must not be assumed to carry shared theological content; James’s point (friendship with God flowing from faith that produces obedience, in a fully Trinitarian, grace-framed narrative) must be taught explicitly.

James 2:24

ὁρᾶτε ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον.

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
δικαιοῦται (< δικαιόω)	dikaioutai (dikaioō)	is justified, is shown/declared righteous	forensic and demonstrative senses (see 2:21)	“is justified,” “is shown to be righteous”	James’s summary conclusion — restates the vindicating sense established at 2:21-22	waɗugol peewal verb form, [REUSE — Romans TM]. Risk: Critical, same harmonization note as 2:21 must be repeated or cross-referenced here without exception.
ἐκ πίστεως μόνον	ek pisteōs monon	from faith alone	exclusivity qualifier	”by faith alone,” “from faith only”	James denies that a bare, unaccompanied, works-less “faith” (of the kind described in 2:14-19) can justify — NOT a denial of sola fide as historically defined (faith alone as the instrument of justification, which nonetheless always produces works)	gomɗinal tan (“faith alone/only”). Risk: Critical. This phrase, read in isolation, is the historic flashpoint of the “James vs. Paul” question in Christian theology generally, and carries amplified risk here because it can be heard by Fulfulde-speaking readers as Scripture itself endorsing a works-inclusive salvation formula compatible with Islamic deeds-weighing soteriology. The teaching note must state plainly: James is refuting a counterfeit, workless “faith” that is not the genuine gomɗinal Paul describes (which is never without fruit); he is not refuting Paul’s doctrine that justification’s legal basis is Christ’s work received by faith apart from meritorious works (Romans 3:24, 4:4-5, 11:5-6). Human theologian review mandatory.

James 2:25

ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλους καὶ ἑτέρᾳ ὁδῷ ἐκβαλοῦσα;

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη	Rhaab hē pornē	Rahab the prostitute	a specific named woman with a stated former occupation	”Rahab the prostitute,” “Rahab the harlot”	A second, deliberately contrasting example (a Gentile woman of disreputable past, alongside the patriarch Abraham) showing faith-produced works across social extremes	Raahaba, debbo jiiɗo paseeje/jarummi. Risk: Medium. Requires dignified but accurate handling consistent with Pulaaku’s semteende (modesty) register; must not be euphemized to the point of losing the deliberate social contrast James is drawing (patriarch/prostitute, honored/dishonored).
ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλους	hypodexamenē tous angelous	having received/welcomed the messengers	hospitality toward sent representatives	”received the spies,” “welcomed the messengers”	Note: the Greek word here is literally “messengers” (ἄγγελοι), rendered “spies” in most English translations from context, not a distinct lexical item for espionage	jaɓi noddaaɓe/nulaaɓe ɓen (“received the sent ones/messengers”), reusing the nulaaɗo-root [partial REUSE — Romans TM apostle root nul-]. Risk: Low-Medium; note the literal-vs-contextual meaning distinction for translator awareness.
ἐδικαιώθη	edikaiōthē	was justified	(see 2:21, 2:24)	“was justified”	Same vindicating-demonstration sense, reinforcing the pattern	waɗugol peewal [REUSE]. Risk: Critical, same harmonization note applies.

James 2:26

ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος νεκρόν ἐστιν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις χωρὶς ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν.

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος	sōma chōris pneumatos	body without spirit/breath	a corpse, lifeless body	”body without the spirit,” “body without breath”	Closing illustration: as body needs spirit/breath to be alive, faith needs works to be genuinely alive	ɓalndu ngalaa fittaandu (“body without breath/spirit”). Risk: Medium. πνεῦμα here means the human life-breath/spirit, NOT the Holy Spirit — must not be rendered with Ruuhu Ceniiɗo (reserved exclusively for the Holy Spirit per the Romans TM); use a lower-case, generic fittaandu/ruuhu for human breath/spirit, keeping the two categorically distinct as the baseline package requires.
νεκρά ἐστιν	nekra estin	is dead	(see 2:17, 2:20)	“is dead”	Final restatement of the passage’s thesis — bookending 2:17	maayɗi [REUSE within this passage, consistency mandatory]. Risk: High, same as 2:17.

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PART 2 — Chapter-by-Chapter Study, Full Book

Chapter 1 — Trials, Wisdom, Hearing and Doing the Word

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
δοῦλος (1:1)	doulos	slave, bondservant	one owned by/wholly obligated to a master	”servant,” “slave,” “bondservant”	James’s self-designation of total submission to God and Christ	maccuɗo/jeyaaɗo Alla. Risk: High. Fulani society retains a historic caste memory distinguishing free-born (rimɓe) from descendants of the enslaved (maccuɓe), a live and sensitive social reality. Using “slave” as a spiritual self-designation risks being heard through this caste lens rather than as a voluntary, honorable posture of total devotion. Requires explicit teaching that this is a term of highest honor in biblical usage (cf. Moses, the prophets, Paul), not a caste marker.
πειρασμός / πειράζω (1:2, 1:12-14)	peirasmos / peirazō	trial, test / to test, to tempt	external testing circumstances (1:2-4, 1:12) vs. internal enticement to sin (1:13-14) — same word family, two senses	”trials,” “temptations,” “testing”	James distinguishes trials God permits for growth from temptation to sin, which God never causes	jarrabaare (trial-noun) / jarrabde (verb). Risk: High. Shares the Arabic-derived root with Islamic ibtilāʼ (trial from Allah); this shared vocabulary is a real point of contact but the two senses (1:2-4 growth-trial vs. 1:13-14 sin-temptation, explicitly not from God) must be disambiguated with equal care to the Romans providence entry’s warning against collapsing this into fatalistic al-qadar.
δοκίμιον (1:3)	dokimion	the testing/proving (of genuineness)	the process/means of proving authenticity	”testing,” “proving,” “genuineness”	The purifying purpose of trials — producing tested, genuine faith	etaari gomɗinal (“the testing/proving of faith”), descriptive compound. Risk: Medium.
ὑπομονή (1:3-4, 1:12)	hypomonē	patient endurance, steadfastness	active, patient perseverance under pressure	”patience,” “endurance,” “perseverance,” “steadfastness”	The mature fruit trials are meant to produce	munyal. Risk: High — dual opportunity/risk. munyal is one of the four pillars of Pulaaku, the Fulani pastoralist code of honor (alongside semteende, hakkille, teddungal), giving this term unusually strong cultural resonance and rhetorical power. This is a genuine strategic opportunity for this curriculum, but teaching must connect biblical munyal explicitly to hope in Christ’s finished work and promised return, not allow it to collapse into a purely cultural-stoic virtue independent of that hope.
τέλειος (1:4, cf. 1:17, 1:25, 3:2)	teleios	complete, mature, whole	moral/spiritual maturity, completeness (not sinless perfection)	“perfect,” “mature,” “complete,” “full-grown”	The goal of endurance under trial: a mature, well-rounded Christian character	timmuɗo (“complete/mature”). Risk: Medium-High. Must be clearly distinguished from an Islamic-framework sense of “perfect” as flawless Sharia-compliance; James’s sense is organic maturity/completeness of Christian character, not moral flawlessness.
σοφία (1:5, cf. 3:13-17)	sophia	wisdom	practical, God-given skill for righteous living, distinct from mere cleverness	”wisdom”	Wisdom to interpret and respond rightly to trials, freely given by God to those who ask	ñeeñal. Risk: High. Two near-synonym collisions require care: (1) hakkille, the Pulaaku pastoralist virtue of practical good sense/wisdom, a strong but purely human-cultural category; (2) Arabic-derived hikma, the Islamic concept of divinely granted wisdom (cf. Qur’anic al-Hikmah), which is a genuine point of contact but is not tied to the specific Christological/Trinitarian framework James assumes (“wisdom from above,” 3:17, given by the same Spirit).
δίψυχος (1:8, cf. 4:8)	dipsychos	double-souled, double-minded	inward division, wavering, inconsistency	”double-minded,” “wavering,” “of two minds”	Instability in prayerful trust as opposed to settled faith	ɓerɗe ɗiɗi (“two hearts”), descriptive compound. Risk: Medium.
πτωχός / πλούσιος (1:9-11)	ptōchos / plousios	poor / rich	socio-economic status, here inverted in spiritual significance	”poor” / “rich”	Paradoxical reversal: the poor believer’s exaltation, the rich person’s transience — anticipates the ch. 2 favoritism teaching	waasɗo/baasɗo (poor) / alɗo (rich). Risk: Medium, elevated to High in chapter 2 context (see below).
μακάριος (1:12, cf. 5:11)	makarios	blessed, happy, fortunate	a state of divine favor and flourishing, not mere emotional happiness	”blessed,” “happy”	The reward of endurance under trial	barkinaaɗo. Risk: Medium. Must be distinguished from Arjunde (grace) — blessedness here is a consequence of faithful endurance, not the unmerited favor itself; avoid conflating with barke (marabout-mediated blessing), consistent with the Romans package’s firm rejection of barke as a substitute for any grace/blessing vocabulary.
στέφανος τῆς ζωῆς (1:12)	stephanos tēs zōēs	crown of life	a victor’s/honor wreath, here eternal life itself	”crown of life”	The eschatological reward for enduring trial faithfully	laamateeri nguurndam or barkinaari nguurndam mudda — descriptive, avoiding a literal circlet-crown image unfamiliar as a royal symbol in Fulani material culture (turbans and staffs, not gold circlets, are the region’s status symbols). Risk: Low-Medium, a cultural-imagery adaptation note rather than a doctrinal risk.
ἐπιθυμία (1:14-15)	epithymia	desire, craving, lust	morally neutral term made negative by context; here, sinful desire	”desire,” “lust,” “craving”	The internal origin of sin — desire conceiving and giving birth to sin and death	tuundi/jiɗɗe bonɗe (“evil desires”). Risk: Medium.
ἁμαρτία / θάνατος (1:15)	hamartia / thanatos	sin / death	moral transgression / mortality, here personified in a birth metaphor	”sin” / “death”	Sin’s natural, deadly progeny	bakkaatu [REUSE — Romans TM] / maayde. Risk: High (bakkaatu), Low (maayde).
Πατὴρ τῶν φώτων (1:17)	Patēr tōn phōtōn	Father of lights	God as source of all good, unchanging heavenly light, contrasted with shifting celestial lights	”Father of lights,” “Father of the heavenly lights”	God’s unchanging goodness as the source of every good gift	Baaba jom annoore [REUSE Baaba — Romans TM]. Risk: Medium.
λόγος ἀληθείας / ἔμφυτος λόγος (1:18, 1:21)	logos alētheias / emphytos logos	word of truth / implanted word	God’s saving, transformative message, received and internalized	”word of truth,” “implanted word,” “word planted in you”	The generative, saving message that birthed and now sustains the believer’s new life — related to, but a distinct usage from, the specific term Linjiila (gospel)	Konngol goonga / Konngol ñiiɓuɗo e ɓernde. Risk: Medium-High. Must not simply be substituted with Linjiila [Romans TM]; James’s “word” language functions as a broader term for God’s received, internalized teaching (with the gospel as its content), and collapsing the two terms could obscure James’s specific hearing/doing argument.
ποιητὴς λόγου / ἀκροατής (1:22-25)	poiētēs logou / akroatēs	doer of the word / hearer	active practitioner vs. passive listener	”doer of the word” / “hearer only”	The central practical thesis of the whole book, previewing the ch. 2 faith-works argument	gollotooɗo Konngol / ɗowtiiɗo tan (hearer only). Risk: High — directly connects to the golle (works) risk already flagged Critical in the core passage; this is its first appearance in the book and should be flagged for the same theologian review.
νόμος τέλειος τῆς ἐλευθερίας (1:25)	nomos teleios tēs eleutherias	perfect law of liberty/freedom	the gospel-shaped moral law, internally fulfilled through grace, not external compulsion	”perfect law of liberty,” “law of freedom”	Contrasts Spirit-empowered, joyful obedience with mere external legal compliance	sariya timmuɗo jeytaare, reusing sariya [REUSE — Romans TM]. Risk: High. Given sariya’s deliberate parallel to Sharia in the Romans registry, James’s “law of liberty” (an inward, gladly-obeyed law) versus a comprehensive external life-code framework needs the same explicit distinguishing already required for law in Romans, now sharpened by the added word “liberty/freedom” (ἐλευθερία), which itself needs care not to be heard as license.
θρησκεία (1:26-27)	thrēskeia	religion, religious observance	outward religious practice/cultus	”religion,” “religious observance”	James redefines “pure and undefiled religion” away from ritual correctness toward practical love (orphans/widows) and personal purity	diine. Risk: High. diine (Arabic-derived “religion”) carries strong Islamic institutional-religion connotations (comprehensive religious system, ritual observance, communal identity). James’s redefinition of “true religion” as practical compassion and moral purity — not ritual correctness — must be taught as a direct, explicit contrast, not assumed to be self-evident.
ὀρφανός / χήρα (1:27)	orphanos / chēra	orphan / widow	socially vulnerable dependents	”orphans” / “widows”	The paradigm case of practical, “pure” religion	wonduɓe (orphans) / kaddiraaɓe (widows). Risk: Medium, positive point of contact — care for the vulnerable resonates with both Pulaaku hospitality ethics and Islamic zakat obligation, but James’s call is to personal, relational involvement (“visit,” ἐπισκέπτομαι), not a ritualized almsgiving transaction; this distinction should be taught explicitly.
ἄσπιλος ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου (1:27)	aspilos apo tou kosmou	unstained from the world	moral purity maintained against corrupting external influence	”unstained from the world,” “keeping oneself unspotted from the world”	Anticipates the ch. 4 worldliness/friendship-with-God teaching	daɗndaaɗo e aduna, using aduna (see ch. 4 below for full risk note). Risk: High.

Chapter 2 (verses 1–13, 27) — Favoritism and the Poor; the Royal Law

(Verses 14–26 are the core passage, treated fully in Part 1 above.)

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
προσωπολημψία (2:1, 2:9)	prosōpolēmpsia	receiving/regarding a face; favoritism	partiality shown on the basis of external status	”favoritism,” “partiality,” “respect of persons”	Forbidden discrimination between rich and poor within the gathered community	suɓaare yimɓe (“favoring/selecting among people”), descriptive compound. Risk: Critical. Beyond the generic risk of social favoritism, Fulani society carries its own internal social stratification (the historic rimɓe free-noble / maccuɓe descendant-of-slave caste distinction, and pastoralist/farmer tensions already flagged in the Romans registry’s unity_of_jews_and_gentiles and mission_to_nations entries). Teaching this doctrine requires explicit, sensitive engagement with these live internal social categories, not only generic “rich versus poor” language.
δόξα (2:1)	doxa	glory	divine radiance/majesty, here modifying “our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory"	"glory”	Christ’s own transcendent glory, invoked as the standard against which favoritism is judged	manaango [REUSE — Romans TM]. Risk: Medium, per existing Romans entry.
συναγωγή (2:2)	synagōgē	synagogue, assembly, gathering	a Jewish assembly-place; by extension, any gathering of believers	”assembly,” “meeting,” “synagogue”	The concrete gathered setting where favoritism was being practiced	kawtal [REUSE — Romans TM church] or diisnondiral (gathering). Risk: Medium — must not be rendered with any Islamic mosque-vocabulary (moosaale, already forbidden in Romans TM for church); reuse kawtal.
κληρονόμος (2:5)	klēronomos	heir, inheritor	one who receives an inheritance/allotted portion	”heir,” “inheritor”	The poor, chosen by God, are heirs of the kingdom	roniiɗo, connecting to the Romans adoption doctrine’s inheritance-rights emphasis. Risk: Medium.
βασιλεία (2:5)	basileia	kingdom	God’s promised reign/realm	”kingdom”	The kingdom promised to those who love God, received by the poor in this world’s eyes	laamu Alla [REUSE — Romans TM kingdom_of_god]. Risk: Medium, per existing Romans entry.
νόμος βασιλικός (2:8)	nomos basilikos	royal law	the law given supreme, kingly authority: love of neighbor	”royal law,” “kingly law”	Loving one’s neighbor as the summary, sovereign expression of the law	sariya laamu (“law of the kingdom”), reusing sariya and laamu [REUSE — Romans TM roots]. Risk: Medium.
παραβάτης (2:9, 2:11)	parabatēs	transgressor, lawbreaker	one who steps across/violates a boundary	”transgressor,” “lawbreaker”	Favoritism itself constitutes lawbreaking, not merely a lesser social fault	ɗurwuɗo sariya (“transgressor of the law”). Risk: Medium.
ἔλεος (2:13)	eleos	mercy	compassionate forbearance shown to the undeserving	”mercy”	Judgment without mercy awaits the merciless; mercy triumphs in judgment	yurmeende, per the Romans TM’s existing reservation of this term for mercy/compassion generally (as distinct from Arjunde/grace). Risk: Medium.
κρίσις (2:13)	krisis	judgment	the act/process of judging	”judgment”	The coming divine judgment, which mercy tempers for the merciful	ñaawoore. Risk: Medium.
ἐλευθερία (2:12)	eleutheria	liberty, freedom	freedom from bondage, here specifically the gospel’s liberating law (cf. 1:25)	“liberty,” “freedom”	The gospel-shaped standard of judgment, “the law of liberty”	jeytaare, reused with sariya timmuɗo jeytaare from 1:25. Risk: Medium.

Chapter 3 — Taming the Tongue; Wisdom from Above

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
διδάσκαλος / κρίμα (3:1)	didaskalos / krima	teacher / judgment	teaching office / the stricter judgment it incurs	”teacher(s)” / “judgment,” “condemnation”	Teachers bear heightened accountability for their speech	jaŋgindeteeɗo / ñaawoore mawnde. Risk: Low-Medium.
χαλιναγωγέω (3:2)	chalinagōgeō	to bridle, to hold in check (as with a horse’s bit)	control/restraint of an unruly force	”bridle,” “control,” “keep in check”	Controlling the tongue as evidence of overall self-mastery	hoolnude ɗemngal (“bridle/restrain the tongue”). Risk: Low. Vivid pastoralist-relevant imagery (horse/animal bridling) — a strong natural point of cultural contact for a herding society.
γλῶσσα (3:5-6, 3:8)	glōssa	tongue	the physical organ of speech; by extension, speech itself	”tongue”	The tongue as a small but powerfully destructive faculty	ɗemngal. Risk: Medium. ɗemngal also means “language/dialect” in Fulfulde, and Fulfulde speakers are unusually conscious of dialect-identity distinctions (Pular, Nigerian/Cameroonian Fulfulde, Maasina Fulfulde — see the baseline package’s dialect-fragmentation caveat). Teaching must ensure “taming the tongue” is clearly heard as addressing the organ/faculty of speech and its moral use, not misheard as commentary on dialect or linguistic identity.
πῦρ / γέεννα (3:6)	pyr / geenna	fire / Gehenna	destructive fire / the place/state of final judgment (from the Hinnom Valley)	“fire” / “hell,” “Gehenna”	The tongue’s destructive power likened to a fire set ablaze by hell itself	yiite (fire) / Jahannama. Risk: High. Jahannama is shared Arabic-derived vocabulary with the standard Islamic term for hell — a genuine point of contact (similar in kind to Almasiihu), but Islamic eschatology’s understanding of Jahannam (potentially temporary purgation for some, differing scope and mechanism) differs from the NT’s picture and should not be assumed identical without explicit teaching.
φύσις (3:7)	physis	nature	the inherent order/kind of a created thing	”nature,” “kind”	Every kind of animal has been tamed by human nature; the tongue resists all taming	fannu tagoodi (“nature/kind [of created things]”). Risk: Low.
ἰός (3:8)	ios	poison, venom	a toxic substance, often of serpents	”poison,” “venom”	The tongue’s capacity for deadly, restless harm	tammbi (“poison”). Risk: Low.
εὐλογέω / καταράομαι (3:9-10)	eulogeō / kataraomai	to bless / to curse	speech that invokes divine favor / speech that invokes harm	”bless” / “curse”	The tongue’s contradictory capacity: blessing God, cursing people made in His image	barkin / hõyn — barkinde (bless) / haaytude/wowlan bonɗi hakkunde (curse). Risk: Medium.
εἰκὼν Θεοῦ (3:9)	eikōn Theou	image of God	humanity’s God-given likeness/representation	”image of God,” “likeness of God”	Cursing another person is an offense against God because that person bears His image	mbaadi Alla (“likeness/form of God”), descriptive compound. Risk: Critical. Islamic theology holds a strong doctrine against tashbīh (any anthropomorphic comparison or visual/physical representation of Allah); “image of God” language risks being heard as claiming humans physically resemble Allah, a serious theological offense in that framework. This must be explicitly taught as relational and moral likeness (reason, moral agency, dominion, capacity for relationship with God) rather than any physical resemblance — a genuinely new Critical risk not paralleled in the Romans package, since Romans does not treat the imago Dei doctrine directly.
σοφία (3:13-17)	sophia	wisdom	(see 1:5)	“wisdom”	Two competing wisdoms: earthly/demonic vs. from above	ñeeñal, same risk profile as 1:5, intensified here by the explicit earthly/demonic vs. heavenly contrast. Risk: High.
ζῆλος πικρός / ἐριθεία (3:14, 3:16)	zēlos pikros / eritheia	bitter jealousy / selfish ambition, rivalry	destructive interpersonal rivalry	”bitter envy,” “selfish ambition,” “rivalry”	The fruit of earthly “wisdom” — social discord	kiiɗal saɗtungal / ɓeydateeri hoore (“bitter envy” / “self-seeking”). Risk: Medium.
ψυχική / δαιμονιώδης (3:15)	psychikē / daimoniōdēs	soulish/natural / demonic	merely human-derived / originating from evil spiritual sources	”earthly, unspiritual” / “demonic,” “of the devil”	The source-classification of false wisdom, escalating in severity	aadee-tan (“merely human”) / ummoraaɗo diabaaji/ruuhuuji bonɗi. Risk: High, connects to the δαιμόνια risk note at 2:19 — avoid jinnaaji.
ἀκαταστασία (3:16)	akatastasia	disorder, instability, confusion	social/relational chaos	”disorder,” “confusion”	The social fruit of envy and selfish ambition	jiɓre/fitina (“disorder/strife”). Risk: Low-Medium.
ἁγνή / εἰρηνική / ἐπιεικής / εὔπειθος / μεστὴ ἐλέους / ἀνυπόκριτος (3:17)	hagnē / eirēnikē / epieikēs / eupeithēs / mestē eleous / anypokritos	pure / peaceable / gentle / open to reason (compliant) / full of mercy / without hypocrisy	the seven-fold character description of wisdom from above	”pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy… without hypocrisy”	The positive counter-portrait of godly wisdom, in deliberate contrast to 3:14-16	ceniinde (pure, cf. ceniiɗo/ceniinde [REUSE — Romans TM]) / jamre [cf. jam REUSE] / newiinde (gentle) / jaɓoore (compliant/reasonable) / heewuɗe yurmeende / ngalaa fenaande (without hypocrisy). Risk: Medium — several sub-terms reuse Romans TM roots and must remain consistent with those established renderings.
καρπὸς δικαιοσύνης (3:18)	karpos dikaiosynēs	fruit of righteousness	the peaceable, righteous outcome of godly wisdom	”fruit of righteousness,” “harvest of righteousness”	The relational, communal fruit that godly wisdom-shaped living produces	ɓiɓɓe peewal / arwaaji peewal, reusing peewal [REUSE — Romans TM righteousness]. Risk: Medium.

Chapter 4 — Worldliness versus Friendship with God

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
πόλεμος / μάχη (4:1)	polemos / machē	wars / fights, quarrels	communal conflict, both figurative and literal	”wars,” “fights,” “quarrels”	Internal desires produce interpersonal and communal conflict	hare (war/conflict) / ñagól (quarrel). Risk: Low.
ἡδονή (4:1, 4:3)	hēdonē	pleasure	sensory/self-indulgent gratification	”pleasures,” “desires”	The self-serving cravings that fuel conflict and misdirected prayer	weltaare bonɗo/dakamme (“selfish pleasure”). Risk: Medium.
φιλία τοῦ κόσμου / ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ (4:4)	philia tou kosmou / echthra tou Theou	friendship with the world / enmity with God	relational loyalty to worldly values / hostility toward God	”friendship with the world” / “enmity with God”	The central either/or of this chapter’s doctrine — worldliness as relational, not merely material	giɗgol aduna / añal Alla. Risk: High. aduna (Arabic-derived “world/this present life”) carries deep Islamic dunyā/ākhirah (this-world/hereafter) framing, in which renouncing worldly attachment is typically understood in terms of earning greater reward in the hereafter through detachment/piety. James’s point is relational — worldliness as covenant unfaithfulness/spiritual adultery against God, echoing OT covenant-jealousy language — and this relational, marital-covenant framing must be taught explicitly rather than assumed from aduna alone.
φθόνος (4:5)	phthonos	envy, jealousy	(note: 4:5 is among the most difficult verses in the NT to translate; likely refers to a jealous yearning, either human or divine, over the human spirit)	“envy,” “jealousy,” “yearning”	A notoriously ambiguous verse; flag for theologian decision rather than resolving silently	kiiɗal. Risk: High — textual/translational ambiguity, flag explicitly for theologian review rather than silently choosing one interpretation.
χάρις (4:6)	charis	grace	unmerited divine favor	”grace”	God’s favor given to the humble, withheld from the proud	Arjunde [REUSE — Romans TM, Critical risk retained]. Risk: Critical, per existing Romans entry — must not default to a piety-responsive framework, and the grace/humility contrast here must preserve the same “apart from merit” force established for Romans.
ὑπερήφανος / ταπεινός (4:6)	hyperēphanos / tapeinos	proud / humble	arrogant self-exaltation / lowliness	”proud” / “humble”	The moral polarity on which grace is given or withheld	mawnitiiɗo (proud) / yankinaaɗo (humble). Risk: High — see ταπεινώθητε below for the fuller Pulaaku-honor risk note.
ὑποτάγητε τῷ Θεῷ / ἀντίστητε τῷ διαβόλῳ (4:7)	hypotagēte tō Theō / antistēte tō diabolō	submit to God / resist the devil	yielding authority to God / active opposition to the devil	”submit to God” / “resist the devil”	The practical posture that reverses worldly friendship	jebbilaa Alla / kaɗon Seytaane. Risk: Medium. Seytaane is shared Arabic-derived vocabulary with the Islamic Shaytan/Iblis figure — a genuine point of contact regarding the reality and hostility of the devil, but the NT’s specific framework of the devil’s defeat through Christ’s finished work has no parallel in the Iblis narrative and should be taught explicitly rather than assumed shared.
ἐγγίζω (4:8)	engizō	to draw near, approach	relational nearness/approach	”draw near”	Reciprocal nearness between God and the repentant believer	battu (“draw near”). Risk: Low.
ἁγνίζω (4:8)	hagnizō	to purify	inward moral purification	”purify,” “cleanse”	Purifying the heart, distinct from ritual/ceremonial cleansing	laaɓnude ɓernde (“purify the heart”). Risk: High, extending the Romans package’s established distinction between ceniinde (Spirit-wrought inward sanctification) and laaɓal (ritual/ceremonial purification associated with Islamic ablution/wuduu) — James 4:8’s “purify your hearts” must draw on the inward-moral side of that established distinction, not the ritual side.
δίψυχος (4:8)	dipsychos	double-minded	(see 1:8)	“double-minded”	Repeated call for undivided devotion	ɓerɗe ɗiɗi [REUSE within book]. Risk: Medium.
ταλαιπωρέω / πενθέω / κλαίω (4:9)	talaipōreō / pentheō / klaiō	to lament / to mourn / to weep	strong emotional expressions of repentance	”grieve,” “mourn,” “weep”	Genuine repentance’s emotional seriousness	wiine, sunaare, woyngo — descriptive triad. Risk: Low.
ταπεινώθητε (4:10)	tapeinōthēte	humble yourselves	self-abasement before a superior/God	”humble yourselves”	The reversal that precedes exaltation	yankinaade. Risk: High. Direct extension of the Romans package’s established manaango (God’s transcendent glory) vs. teddungal (Pulaaku’s socially-conferred human honor/dignity) distinction: “humble yourselves” before God must not be taught as requiring the abandonment of legitimate personal or social dignity (teddungal) but as reordering ultimate allegiance beneath God’s surpassing manaango, exactly parallel to how the Romans package handled glory.
καταλαλέω / κρίνω (4:11)	katalaleō / krinō	to speak against / to judge	slander/backbiting / passing critical judgment	”speak evil of,” “slander” / “judge”	Prohibited speech against fellow believers	wowlude bonɗi fii / ñaawde. Risk: Low-Medium.
νομοθέτης / κριτής (4:12)	nomothetēs / kritēs	lawgiver / judge	the one with sole authority to give and enforce law	”lawgiver” / “judge”	God alone holds this authority — a rebuke of presumptuous human judgment	jomka sariya / ñaawoowo. Risk: Low-Medium.
ἀτμίς (4:14)	atmis	vapor, mist, breath	something fleeting and insubstantial	”mist,” “vapor”	The brevity and fragility of human life	yolnde (“mist/vapor”). Risk: Low.
ἐάν ὁ Κύριος θελήσῃ (4:15)	ean ho Kyrios thelēsē	if the Lord wills	conditional submission to divine sovereignty	”if the Lord wills,” “God willing”	Humble acknowledgment of God’s sovereign providence over all plans	si Joom yiɗi, reusing Joom [REUSE — Romans TM lord]. Risk: Medium-High, positive point of contact with caution. This phrase functions almost identically to the ubiquitous Sahelian pious formula “In shā’a Allāh” (“God willing”), shared across Muslim and Christian speech alike — a strong point of natural contact. Teaching should affirm the shared piety of submitting plans to God’s will while connecting it explicitly to the Romans package’s welsindiigal Alla (providence) entry, ensuring the phrase is not used as an empty formula but tied to genuine trust in God’s personal, purposive care.
ἀλαζονεία (4:16)	alazoneia	arrogance, boastfulness	prideful self-assertion, especially about the future	”arrogance,” “boasting”	The opposite posture to 4:15’s humble submission	mawnitaare/townitaare. Risk: Low-Medium.

Chapter 5 — Riches, Patience, the Lord’s Return, Prayer, Confession and Restoration

Greek term	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Semantic range	English variants	Contextual theological meaning	Fulfulde rendering & risk
πλοῦτος / σητόβρωτος / κατιόω (5:2-3)	ploutos / sētobrōtos / katioō	riches / moth-eaten / rusted/corroded	wealth’s inherent decay and futility when hoarded unjustly	”riches,” “moth-eaten,” “rusted”	The self-destructive futility of hoarded, unjustly-gained wealth	jawdi (riches) / ñaamaa ku ñaamooje (moth-eaten) / niɓɓi (rusted/corroded). Risk: Low-Medium.
μισθὸς ἐργατῶν (5:4)	misthos ergatōn	wages of the laborers	withheld just payment for labor performed	”wages of the laborers”	Injustice toward hired workers — a concrete social-justice application, connecting to golle (works/labor) theme	njoɓdi golle ɓen gollotooɓe, reusing golle [note: connects thematically, not doctrinally, to the ch. 2 ἔργα risk term]. Risk: Medium; resonates directly with real hired-herder/laborer wage-justice realities in pastoralist economies, a strong point of practical application.
Κύριος Σαβαώθ (5:4)	Kyrios Sabaōth	Lord of hosts/armies, Sabaoth	a Hebrew military-court divine title, transliterated in Greek	”Lord of hosts,” “Lord Almighty,” “Lord Sabaoth”	God’s title as the commander who hears the cries of the wronged	Joom Sabaoti (transliterated) or Joom Konuyaaji (Lord of armies), reusing Joom [REUSE — Romans TM]. Risk: Medium — no attested Fulfulde rendering exists for this rare title; flag for theologian decision rather than improvising silently, per the baseline package’s established practice for unattested forms.
τρυφάω / σπαταλάω (5:5)	tryphaō / spatalaō	to live luxuriously / to live self-indulgently	excessive, self-gratifying living	”lived in luxury,” “lived in self-indulgence”	The moral indictment of the unjust rich	wuurii e neema mo hoore mum (“lived in self-indulgent luxury”). Risk: Low.
δίκαιος (5:6)	dikaios	righteous, just	one in right standing/conduct, here the wronged innocent laborer	”the righteous,” “the innocent”	The innocent victim of the rich’s injustice, connecting to the righteousness word-family	peewɗo, from peewal [REUSE — Romans TM root]. Risk: Medium.
μακροθυμέω (5:7-8)	makrothymeō	to be patient, long-suffering	sustained, unhurried patience while awaiting an outcome	”be patient,” “wait patiently”	Patient waiting for the Lord’s return, illustrated by the farmer awaiting harvest	muñde, verb form of munyal [REUSE within book, cf. ch. 1]. Risk: High, same cultural resonance/opportunity as ὑπομονή at 1:3-4.
παρουσία τοῦ Κυρίου (5:7-8)	parousia tou Kyriou	the coming/arrival of the Lord	the Lord’s promised future appearing	”the coming of the Lord,” “the Lord’s return”	The object of patient hope — Christ’s promised, personal, visible return as judge and rewarder	ruttitagol Almasiihu / arwa Joom Yeesu, reusing Almasiihu and Joom [REUSE — Romans TM]. Risk: Critical. Islamic eschatology holds a well-developed, widely known doctrine of nuzūl ʿĪsā — the return of Isa before the Day of Judgment to defeat the Dajjal, break crosses, abolish the jizya, live a normal human life, die a natural death, and be buried near Muhammad in Medina. This is a specific, well-articulated competing eschatological narrative using the same shared figure (Isa/Yeesu) that many Fulfulde-speaking readers with Islamic scholarly formation will know explicitly — directly parallel in kind to the messianic_promise and resurrection_of_christ Critical entries in the Romans registry, but newly surfaced here since Romans does not treat the parousia at comparable length. James’s teaching on patient hope for Christ’s return as universal judge and the consummation of the gospel must be explicitly distinguished from the Islamic nuzūl ʿĪsā narrative, not assumed as shared ground. Human theologian review mandatory on every occurrence.
γεωργός / πρόϊμος / ὄψιμος (5:7)	geōrgos / proimos / opsimos	farmer / early (rain) / late (rain)	agricultural imagery of patient, season-dependent waiting	”farmer,” “early and late rains”	A vivid illustration drawn from seasonal rain-dependent agriculture	remoowo (farmer) / toɓo arwaaɗo, toɓo ɓaawɗo (early/late rain). Risk: Low, strong positive point of natural cultural contact given the region’s real dependence on seasonal Sahelian rains for both farming and pastoralist life.
στηρίζω καρδίας (5:8)	stērizō kardias	establish/strengthen the hearts	firm inward resolve	”establish your hearts,” “strengthen your hearts”	The settled confidence patience requires while awaiting the Lord’s return	tabitin ɓernde. Risk: Low-Medium.
στενάζω / κριτής ἐπὶ θύραις (5:9)	stenazō / kritēs epi thyrais	to groan/grumble / the judge is at the doors	complaining against one another / imminent judgment	”grumble against one another” / “the judge is standing at the door”	A warning against interpersonal complaint given the nearness of judgment	ŋurŋude (grumble) / ñaawoowo on ɓaawi dame (“the judge is at the door”). Risk: Medium.
ὑπόδειγμα ὑπομονῆς / προφήτης (5:10)	hypodeigma hypomonēs / prophētēs	example of patient endurance / prophet	the prophets as models of enduring suffering	”example of patience” / “prophets”	The prophets as concrete models of munyal in suffering	misal munyal / annabi [REUSE — Romans TM]. Risk: Medium.
μακάριος / ὑπομονὴ Ἰώβ (5:11)	makarios / hypomonē Iōb	blessed / the patience/endurance of Job	Job as the paradigm example of steadfast endurance	”blessed,” “the patience of Job”	Job as a named, culturally recognizable model of endurance rewarded	barkinaaɗo [REUSE within book, cf. 1:12] / munyal Ayuuba. Risk: Medium; Ayuuba/Job is also a recognized Qur’anic figure (Ayyub) — a point of shared recognition worth noting, though the theological framing of his suffering and vindication should still be taught from the biblical narrative.
πολύσπλαγχνος / οἰκτίρμων (5:11)	polysplagchnos / oiktirmōn	very compassionate / merciful	God’s abundant, tender compassion	”compassionate and merciful”	The character of God underlying the promise that endurance is rewarded	heewuɗo yurmeende, jom-newaare. Risk: Medium, reusing yurmeende established at 2:13.
ὄμνυμι / ὅρκος (5:12)	omnymi / horkos	to swear / an oath	invoking a higher authority (esp. God’s name) to guarantee truthfulness	”swear,” “oath”	James forbids oath-swearing in favor of plain, simply truthful speech	woondude / woondaare. Risk: High. Oath-swearing invoking Allah (“wallaahi”) is an extremely common, religiously-sanctioned emphatic-truth marker woven deeply into everyday Sahelian speech, including casual conversation. James’s instruction to let “yes be yes and no be no” instead of oaths risks being heard as a wholesale prohibition of an deeply ingrained, socially essential speech convention rather than (as James intends) a call to such consistent personal integrity that oaths become unnecessary. Requires careful, culturally sensitive teaching.
ψάλλω (5:13)	psallō	to sing psalms/praise	musical praise expression	”sing psalms,” “sing praise”	The appropriate response to joy — worship, not merely private emotion	yimre (“sing praise/song”). Risk: Low.
ἀσθενέω (5:14)	astheneō	to be sick, weak	physical illness/weakness	”sick,” “weak,” “ill”	The occasion for elder-led prayer and anointing	ñawu. Risk: Low.
πρεσβύτεροι τῆς ἐκκλησίας (5:14)	presbyteroi tēs ekklēsias	elders of the church	recognized local church leadership	”elders of the church”	The proper locus of pastoral prayer ministry	mawɓe kawtal, reusing kawtal [REUSE — Romans TM church]. Risk: High. Must be clearly distinguished from Islamic religious-authority roles (imam, marabout, alfa) that carry distinct spiritual-mediation and social status in Fulani communities, to prevent the “elders” role being mapped onto a marabout-style mediating religious specialist.
ἀλείφω ἐλαίῳ (5:14)	aleiphō elaiō	to anoint with oil	a physical act accompanying prayer for healing	”anoint with oil”	A tangible, simple accompaniment to believing prayer, not a magical or merit-earning ritual	wuttude nebam. Risk: Critical. Must be explicitly and categorically distinguished from the widespread West African Islamic-Sufi practice of seeking barke (spiritual power/blessing) through marabout-blessed oils, amulets, and objects — already flagged as a forbidden substitution category throughout the Romans package for grace, power, and spiritual gifts. This anointing is a simple act of faith-filled care, not a channel of person-mediated spiritual power.
εὐχὴ τῆς πίστεως / σῴζω τὸν κάμνοντα (5:15)	euchē tēs pisteōs / sōzō ton kamnonta	prayer of faith / to save/heal the one who is sick	prayer resting on trust in God’s power and goodness	”prayer of faith,” “the prayer… will save the one who is sick”	God’s healing responsiveness to faith-filled prayer, not a formulaic guarantee or a merit-earning transaction	torgol gomɗinal, reusing torgol wonande [REUSE — Romans TM intercession] and gomɗinal [REUSE — Romans TM faith]. Risk: High.
ἐγείρω (5:15)	egeirō	to raise up	here, restoration to health (NOT resurrection from the dead)	“raise up,” “restore”	Physical restoration to health through prayer — a distinct sense from the resurrection doctrine	ɓamtu (“raise up/restore”). Risk: Medium — disambiguation required. Must not be confused with, or use the same fixed phrase as, immorde e maayde [Romans TM resurrection, Critical risk]; this is bodily healing/restoration to health, a different sense of “raising up” than resurrection from death.
ἐξομολογέομαι (τὰς ἁμαρτίας) (5:16)	exomologeomai (tas hamartias)	to confess (sins) fully/openly	open acknowledgment of sin, here to fellow believers	”confess your sins,” “openly acknowledge”	Mutual confession within the believing community as a means to healing/restoration	seedaade bakkaatu maa, reusing bakkaatu [REUSE — Romans TM sin]. Risk: Critical. Mainstream Islamic practice has no sacrament of confessing sin to fellow believers; repentance (tawba, istighfār) is directed privately to Allah. James’s call to confess sins to one another within the community is a distinctly Christian communal practice that may seem theologically unfamiliar or even inappropriate to readers formed in that framework, and in some regional Sufi contexts, confession to a spiritual guide (a shaykh/marabout) exists as a partial cultural parallel — which risks collapsing this into a marabout-mediated absolution model, a real danger given the barke dynamics already flagged throughout the Romans package. Requires explicit theological framing: mutual confession among believers as a means of grace within the priesthood of all believers, with no human mediator required for forgiveness itself.
ἴαομαι (5:16)	iaomai	to heal	restoration from sickness	”healed”	The result of righteous, faith-filled intercessory prayer	saafaa/cellina. Risk: Medium, connects to the ἐγείρω disambiguation above.
δέησις δικαίου / ἐνεργουμένη (5:16)	deēsis dikaiou / energoumenē	prayer of a righteous person / being at work, effective	the God-honored effectiveness of righteous prayer	”the prayer of a righteous person, being worked… is very powerful”	The efficacy of prayer flowing from righteous standing and living, not a formulaic incantation	torgol peewɗo, gollotoongo doole, reusing peewal [REUSE — Romans TM root]. Risk: Medium-High — must not be taught as prayer’s power being an earned/merited force analogous to barke; efficacy flows from God’s responsiveness to faith-filled, righteous-living prayer, not from ritual correctness.
ὁμοιοπαθής (5:17)	homoiopathēs	of like nature/experience	shared human frailty/experience	”a man with a nature like ours”	Elijah’s ordinary humanity underscoring that his effective prayer is a model, not an exception reserved for the extraordinary	neɗɗo wa’en (“a person like us”). Risk: Low.
ἐπιστρέφω / πλανάομαι (5:19-20)	epistrephō / planaomai	to turn back / to wander, go astray	restoration from error / straying from truth	”brings back,” “wanders from the truth”	Restoring a straying believer to the truth — the book’s closing pastoral appeal	artirde (bring back) / majjude (wander/stray). Risk: Medium.
σῴζω ψυχὴν ἐκ θανάτου (5:20)	sōzō psychēn ek thanatou	save a soul from death	rescue from spiritual ruin through restoration	”save his soul from death”	The eternal stakes of restoring a wandering believer	hisde fittaandu e maayde, reusing hisde [cf. 2:14] and maayde. Risk: High, same verb-form flag as 2:14.
καλύπτω πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν (5:20)	kalyptō plēthos hamartiōn	cover a multitude of sins	God’s gracious response of forgiveness toward the restored wanderer and the restorer’s act of love	”will cover a multitude of sins”	God’s abundant mercy responding to restorative love — NOT a merit-earning formula for the one who restores another	suddude ɗuuɗi bakkaatuuji, reusing bakkaatu [REUSE — Romans TM]. Risk: High. Must be explicitly taught as God’s gracious mercy responding to restorative love flowing from genuine faith, not as a deeds-based mechanism by which restoring a sinner earns the restorer additional merit or “credit” toward salvation — the same caution already established for the grace doctrine’s guard against a reciprocal, merit-based (barke-adjacent) framework in the Romans package.

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Summary Note on Chapter Coverage

All five chapters of James have been reviewed and contribute substantial new theological vocabulary beyond the Romans baseline; no chapter is without load-bearing terms. The core passage (2:14-26) concentrates the book’s single highest-stakes doctrinal risk — the apparent James/Paul tension over δικαιόω (justification) and the shared Genesis 15:6 citation (ἐλογίσθη… εἰς δικαιοσύνην / peewal jibinaangal) — which must be harmonized explicitly in all derived teaching materials, consistent with the mandatory reuse of Romans translation memory required by the pipeline’s hard rules.