“You have dishonored
The poor.
Is it not the rich people
That oppress you?
Is it not they
Who drag you
Into court?”
ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠτιμάσατε τὸν πτωχόν. οὐχ οἱ πλούσιοι καταδυναστεύουσιν ὑμῶν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἕλκουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς κριτήρια;
James said, “You (ὑμεῖς) have dishonored (δὲ ἠτιμάσατε) the poor (τὸν πτωχόν). Is it not the rich people (οὐχ οἱ πλούσιοι) that oppress (καταδυναστεύουσιν) you (ὑμῶν)? Is it not they who drag (καὶ αὐτοὶ ἕλκουσιν) you (ὑμᾶς) into court (εἰς κριτήρια)?” James warned his readers not to dishonor the poor people. The rich people are actually the ones that are oppressing them. They are the ones dragging them into the civil and religious courts, not the poor people. Do you feel oppressed by anyone?