James 4:14

τὸ τὴς αὔριον with אKL, several versions and Fathers: τὰ τῆς αὔριν AP and some cursives. The reading τῆς αὔριον only is found in B and adopted from that great authority by Westcott and Hort.

ἐστε with B and several versions: moreover AKP have ἔσται, probably by itacism for ἐστε: ἐστιν: is read in L and is supported by the Old Latin and Vulgate (vapor est).

14. οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τὸ τῆς αὔριον κ.τ.λ. For reading see crit. notes. Qui ignoratis quid sit in crastinum; quae enim est vita vestra? Vapor est ad modicum parens &c. V., Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life?—R.V., translating the reading adopted by Westcott and Hort, ‘ye know not on the morrow what your fife shall be.’

ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστε. Psalms 102:3 ἐξέλιπον ὡσεὶ καπνὸς αἱ ἡμέραι μου.

πρὸς ὀλίγον φαινομένη. Comp. the story of Paulinus and the Pagan priest Coifi at the court of Edwin, King of Deira, c. 626, unus passerum domum citissime pervolaverit, qui cum per unum ostium ingrediens, mox per aliud exierit. Ita haec vita hominum ad modicum apparet; quid autem sequatur, quidve processerit, prorsus ignoramus, Bede, H. E. II. 13. See also Bright, Early English Church History, p. 116, and Wordsworth’s Eccl. Sonnets, No. 16.