Jakob 1
1 Angraeng Jesu Kri hoi Sithaw ih tamna, Jakob mah, kalah prae ah ampraek phang acaeng hatlai hnettonawk khaeah: ban kang sin o.
This letter comes from James, servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is sent to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. Best wishes to you!
2 Nawkamyanawk, congca pacuekhaih thungah nam timh o naah, anghoehaih ah poek oh;
My friends, choose to stay happy even when all kinds of troubles come your way,
3 na tang o haih dan tanoekhaih mah palungsawkhaih tacawtsak, tito panoek oh.
because you know that endurance comes from dealing with challenges to your trust in God.
4 Toe hmuen boih ah na koep o moe, angaihaih na tawnh o han ai ah, palungsawkhaih atho to amtueng nasoe.
Let your endurance become as strong as possible, so that you will be completely mature, without any shortcomings.
5 Nangcae thung ih mi kawbaktih mah doeh palunghahaih angaih nahaeloe, paawthaih tawn ai ah kaminawk boih han paekkung, Sithaw khaeah hni o nasoe, na hnik o pongah Anih mah na zoeh mak ai, to tiah na hnik o nahaeloe na paek o tih.
If any of you need wisdom, ask God, who gives generously to everyone without holding back.
6 Toe nihcae mah palunghaenghaih tawn ai ah, tanghaih hoiah hni o nasoe. Palunghaenghaih tawn kami loe takhi mah ahnuk ahma hmuh ih tuipui ih tuiphu baktiah ni oh.
But when you ask, remember to trust in God—don't have any doubts. Someone who doubts is like the crashing waves of the sea, tossed about and driven by the wind.
7 To baktih kami loe Angraeng khae hoi tih hmuen doeh hnuk han poek hmah nasoe;
Nobody like that should think they'll get anything from the Lord—
8 poekhaih kangphae kami loe a caehhaih loklam boih ah kacakah angdoe thai ai kami ah oh.
their minds think every which way, and they're unstable in whatever they do.
9 Kami tlim ah khosah nawkamya loe kasangah tapom tahang boeh pongah anghoe nasoe.
Believers who are born poor should take pride in the high position they've been given,
10 Toe angraeng kami loe pakhrak tathuk boeh: anih loe apawk baktiah ni anghma tih.
while the rich should “boast” in the humble position they now have, since they will fade away like flowers in the field.
11 Phroh loe ni tacawt moe, bet naah azaem, apawk to angmuenh moe, a krang hoihhaih doeh anghmat: to baktih toengah long angraeng kami doeh a caehhaih loklamnawk ah anghma toeng tih.
For the sun rises along with the blistering wind and scorches the grass. The flowers fall and their beauty is marred. Everything the rich achieve will fade in just the same way.
12 Pacuekhaih pauep thaih kami loe tahamhoih: Angraeng palung kaminawk khaeah lokkamhaih paek baktih toengah, anih loe hinghaih lumuek to hnu tih.
Happy is anyone who patiently endures temptation, for when they've proved that they are trustworthy, they will receive the crown of life which God promises to those who love him.
13 Mi mah doeh pacuekhaih tong naah, Kai loe Sithaw mah ang pacuek, tiah thui hmah nasoe: Sithaw loe kasae pacaenghaih hoiah kami to pacuek thai ai, Anih mah loe mi kawbaktih doeh pacuek vai ai.
Nobody should say when they're tempted, “I'm being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.
14 Toe mi kawbaktih doeh a taksa koehhaih hoiah zoek moe, zaeh ving naah ni, zae pacuekhaih thungah amtimh.
Temptations come from our own evil desires that lead us astray and entrap us.
15 Taksa koehhaih loe zokpom moe, zaehaih to tapen: zaehaih qoeng khuek naah duekhaih to tapen.
Such desires lead to sin, and sin, when it's fully developed, causes death.
16 Kang palung o ih nawkayanawk, aling thaih koi kami ah om o hmah.
My dear friends, don't be deceived.
17 Kahoih tangqum boih hoi coek koi kaom ai tangqum boih loe ranui bang hoiah ni angzoh, aanghaih boih sahkung Ampa khae hoiah ni angzoh, anih loe amkhrai thai ai, tahlip baktiah doeh anghma ving thai ai.
All that's good, every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down from the Father who made heaven's lights. Unlike them he doesn't change—he doesn't vary or cause shadows.
18 A sak ih hmuennawk thungah athai tangsuek thingthai baktiah a oh o thai hanah, a koehhaih baktiah loktang lok hoiah ni aicae hae ang tapenh.
He chose to give us new life through the word of truth, so that out of all his creation we would be very special to him.
19 To pongah, kang palung o ih nawkamyanawk, kami boih mah lok tahngaihaih bangah rang o nasoe loe, lokthuihaih bangah amzai o nasoe.
Remember this, my dear friends: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak, and slow to get angry,
20 Kami palungphuihaih mah Sithaw toenghaih to tacawtsak ai.
because human anger doesn't reflect the good character of God.
21 To pongah panuet thok hmuennawk hoi kasae hmuen poekhaihnawk boih to toengh oh loe, nangcae ih muithla pahlong thaih, a thungah tling ih lok to kanaem palungthin hoiah talawk oh.
So get rid of all that's filthy and evil. Humbly accept the word that's been implanted within you—for this is what can save you.
22 Thuih ih lok tahngai kami khue na ai ah, thuih ih lok baktiah sah kami ah om oh, to tih ai nahaeloe, nangmah hoi nangmah angling kami ah ni na om o tih.
But do what the word says—don't just listen to it and delude yourselves.
23 Lok to a thaih, toe sah ai kami loe, hmaidan pongah angmah ih krang khen kami baktiah ni oh:
If you just listen to the word, and don't act on it, it's like staring at your own face in a mirror.
24 angmah hoi angmah to angkhet moe, a caeh ving pacoengah, anih loe kawbaktih kami maw, tito panoek ai pahnet roep kami baktiah ni oh.
You see yourself, but then you leave, and immediately forget what you looked like.
25 Toe coek koi kaom ai loihhaih kaalok khen kami loe, thuih ih lok pahnet ving kami baktih na ai, thuih ih lok baktiah sah kami ah oh, to baktih kami loe a tok sakhaih pongah tahamhoihaih hnu tih.
But if you look to the perfect law of freedom and follow it, not as someone who just listens and then forgets, but as someone who acts on it—then you will be blessed in what you do.
26 Nangcae thung ih kawbaktih kami doeh Sithaw zom parai baktiah amtueng, toe lokthuih angsum ai kami loe, angmah hoi angmah angling kami ah ni oh, to kami ih bokhaih loe azom pui ni.
If you think you're religious, but don't control what you say, you deceive yourself—your religion is pointless.
27 Raihaih tongh naqah hoi lamhmainawk khetzawnhaih, long nui hmuenmae pongah amhnong ai ah khosakhaih loe, Sithaw hoi Ampa hmaa ah kaciim bokhaih ah oh.
In the eyes of our God and Father, religion that's pure and genuine is to visit orphans and widows in their suffering, and to keep yourself from being contaminated by the world.
