James 3
1 ana ndi gbugbulu ba kamti tsro na mrivayimu ki toh di kpa hukunci wa a zan tsanan
My fellow believers, not many of you should [desire to] become teachers [of God’s truth, because] you know [that God] will judge us [(exc)], who teach others, more severely [than he will judge other people].
2 nakima ki ka kub zah nijon gbugbuu du ndi wa ana kub zah ni tu tre na ahi ndi wa ba mla u be ndu wa ani vu tu ni kpama wawuu
It is true that we all in many ways do things that are wrong [MET]. But those who always [LIT] control what they say will be all that God intends/wants them to be. They will be able to control all their actions [MTY].
3 inde ki lo nyu nghma di du ba huta ki yah di sarafa ikkpa ba huta ki yah di surafa ikpa ba wawuu
[To illustrate], if we put [a small metal] bit into the mouth of a horse in order to cause the horse to obey us, we can cause the horse to turn [and go where we want it to] [MET].
4 bitoh igwu u dran ma naki ba bra kpukpuri naki gwugwu u gbegbenien mami zuba nikukre job fidima ndi u tru gwua ani kam hi ni bubu wa ani so
Think also about ships. [Although] a ship may be very large and [although] it can be moved by strong winds {strong winds can move it}, by [turning] a very small (rudder/steering paddle) people can direct the ship wherever they want [it to go].
5 nakima ileme ahi vinghma kpa fi mei ani gbre san nikpie bi rigrama bika toh di vi ilu fi m i ani ri kile minji
Similarly, [although] our tongues are very small, [if we do not control them], we can [harm] many people by what we proudly say [MTY]. Think [also] about how [just] a small [flame of] fire can cause a large forest (OR, a large area of brushwood) to burn.
6 ileme me ahi ilu ni mi nghma kpa bu wawuu gbugbulu u lalitre wa ba ban you ni mi nghama ikpabu ani kpa kpa bu tieme ani du alamura rayuwa ba vulu wawu ahi ko lu wa ani shuti (Geenna g1067)
[Just like a fire damages a forest] [MET], when we say things that are evil, [we harm many people]. What we say [MTY] reveals that we are very evil. What we say contaminates/defiles everything that we think and do [PRS, MET]. [Just like a flame of fire easily] causes [the whole surrounding area] [MET] to burn, what we say [MTY] can cause [others] to want to do evil. It is the devil himself [MTY] who causes us to say evil things. (Geenna g1067)
7 nakia inanma rhjhu ba wawuu chicen nibi han ni ne ru kpie bi mi kikle nne ndi hei gbengbenlen ni yu ba
Indeed, although people are able to tame/control all kinds of wild animals, birds, reptiles and creatures that live in the water, and people have actually tamed/controlled them,
8 nitu leme nimi yan Adam ba wa ani ya vu ahi ihrji wa ana si na a gbugbulu u wu ndi
no person ([on his own/by himself]) is able to control what he says [MTY]. And when people say evil things, [it shows that] they are unstable/uncontrolled and wicked [MTY]. [As] the poison [of a snake kills people] [MTY], [we harm others] [MET] by what we say.
9 ni leme ki gbere bachi ni ti san nikima ki lah ndi wa ba tiba ni kamani riji
We use our tongue to praise God, who is our Lord and Father, but we also use our same tongue to ask God to say evil things to people. [That is very wrong]! God made people like himself, [so we should speak as respectfully to others as we speak to God].
10 ni mi nyu kima lulu ni lah ni rhu mrivayi ikpie bi yi bika na ti na.
We praise [God], but with our same mouth we also ask for evil [things to happen to others]. My fellow believers, this should not be!
11 i mah u roma ba uri ma bana iya rjhu ni bubu ri na
Surely bitter water and good water do not come out of the same spring! [RHQ]
12 ba iya? mriyah kukron baure ana iya ti zaitu na ko ani ya? ko naki irjhu inabi anti yi baure? nakima imah u ri ana ya no imah u roma na.
My fellow believers, a fig tree cannot [RHQ] produce olives. Nor can [RHQ] a grapevine produce figs. Neither can a salty spring produce good [water]. [Similarly, we should say only good things, and we should not say evil things] [MET].
13 ahi nghan hei ni hikima ni toh rii mi bi? du ndi kima tsro didi uvri ni ndu ma u hikima
If any of you thinks [RHQ] that [you are] wise and know a lot, you should always act in a good way to show people that your good actions are the result of your [being truly] wise. Being wise [helps us to act] gently [toward others].
14 aman inde bi hei ni matsanci ihwu ni meme gbrashisi ni mi suron bi bika na wur wi ni san ni ice na ni njaji
But if you are very [MET] jealous/unhappy when you see that someone else is succeeding, and always want to have what you want, regardless of what others want, you should not say [that you are wise, for by boasting like that], you are saying that ([God’s message/what God says about you]) is not true.
15 iri hikima yi ana iri wa ani grji rji ni shu na nakima ahi u gbugbulun wa ana hei ni njaji na ahi u ibrji
Those who have such [attitudes are] not wise [MTY] in the way that God [wants them to be]. Instead, they are only thinking and acting like ([ungodly people/people who do not please God]). They think and act according to their own [evil] desires. They do what the demons [want them to do] (OR, they think and act as demons [do]).
16 naki duk bubu wa ihwu ni gbranshishihei niki wa nyun nihei ni kowane iri meme kpie
[Keep in mind that] people who have such attitudes (are unruly/do not submit to authority) and [do] all kinds of evil things.
17 nakima hikma hi iri u shu, ni mumula ana tsatsra naki son si ison kamili saukiyu ahei ni loh suron kpukpo me ni gbugbu zizi wa ana die na u didi
But [when people] are wise [PRS] in the way that God [MTY] [wants them to be], they are pure in every way, which God considers to be very important. They also act peaceably towards [others], they (are considerate of/think about the rights and feelings of) others, they are willing to yield to [the wishes of] others, they act compassionately [toward others], and they do all kinds of good things [for others] [MET]. [How they treat others does] not depend on (others’ status/whether others are important or not), and they are sincere [in all they do].
18 naki mri didi wa ba shu ni mi son si ni mi bi wa ba shu tu ba bi
Those who [act] peaceably [toward others] cause [others to also] act peaceably, with the result that they all live together [acting toward each other] in a righteous way [MET].
