James warns the wealthy that their garments 'have become moth-eaten' (5:2), using the perfect tense to indicate a completed state of destruction. Fine clothes, a form of ancient wealth storage, prove vulnerable to moths whose larvae consume fabric. The image parallels Jesus's warning about earthly treasures that moths destroy (Matthew 6:19-20). Hoarded garments, instead of clothing the needy, rot away—a picture of squandered resources and failed stewardship. The compound adjective combines 'moth' (σής) with 'eaten' (βρωτός), creating a vivid participle of decay.