James 5:2

Ὁ πλοῦτος ὑμῶν σέσηπε, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια ὑμῶν σητόβρωτα γέγονεν·

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 3588; ho; ὁ; the; Art-NMS

Strongs 4149; ploutos; πλοῦτος; wealth; N-NMS

Strongs 4771; hymōn; ὑμῶν; of yourselves; PPro-G2P

Strongs 4595; sesēpen; σέσηπεν; has been putrefied; V-RIA-3S

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 3588; ta; τὰ; the; Art-NNP

Strongs 2440; himatia; ἱμάτια; garments; N-NNP

Strongs 4771; hymōn; ὑμῶν; of yourselves; PPro-G2P

Strongs 4598; sētobrōta; σητόβρωτα; moth-eaten; Adj-NNP

Strongs 1096; gegonen; γέγονεν; has become; V-RIA-3S

RBT Translation:

The Wealth of Yourselves has been putrefied, and the Outer Garments of yourselves has become bookworm-consumed!⁶

σήπω

Core meaning: “to cause to rot, make putrid; to corrupt, decay.” Derived from the same root as σήψ, a mythical venomous serpent whose bite causes putrefaction (cf. Latin seps)

The Bite that Putrefied the Bones

Lucan describes the fate of a Roman soldier bitten by a Seps in Book IX of Pharsalia. The soldier, Sabellus, suffers a gruesome death after a Seps, a small but deadly serpent, bites him. Lines 897–920 summarizing the event:
Sabellus is bitten by a Seps, which he tears from his skin and kills with a javelin. Despite its small size, the serpent's venom is extraordinarily potent. The poison rapidly dissolves the flesh around the wound, exposing the bone. His limbs, muscles, and vital organs liquefy into a bloody, black discharge, and his entire body melts into a formless mass. Lucan vividly describes how the venom destroys the body's structure, leaving no trace of bones or tissue, as if consumed entirely by the poison. This death is portrayed as one of the most horrific caused by the Libyan serpents, highlighting the Seps' unique and devastating effect. This account emphasizes the terrifying power of the Seps, which Lucan notes surpasses other African snakes in its destructive capability, as it not only kills but obliterates the victim's physical form (lines 925–927).

(cf. Wikipedia Seps, Lucan's Pharsalia Bk. 9, A.D 65)

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
Your riches have become corrupted, and your garments have been moth eaten;

LITV Translation:
Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten.

Footnotes

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σέτοβρωτος is a compound construct word unique to the NT. σής + βιβρώσκω follows the Hebrew of Job כבגד אכלו עש

meaning, "as an outer covering he devoured himself, a moth-worm." (Job 13:28)

The word "σής" (sēs) has a Hebrew origin:

Hebrew סָס, sas Isaiah 51:8 see Strongs #5580.

Primary Meaning: Moth.

• Example: "[χρυσὸν] οὐ σ. οὐδὲ κὶς δάπτει" (Gold neither moth nor rust consumes) - Pindar.
• Also found in Aristophanes, Strabo, Matthew 6:19, and Luke 12:33.

Metaphorical: Refers to "bookworms" or "grammarians."

• Example: "σῆτες ἀκανθοβάται" or "-λόγοι" (thorn-walkers or -speakers), referring to grammarians or bookworms in the Anthologia Palatina (Antiphanes, Philodemus).

It goes without saying that the NT uses symbolic language. What is a moth? A bookworm that attacks books and becomes a (nocturnal) winged insect. See Logeion for more info.