Yakobo 2
1 Achalongo achinjangu, iŵaga nkwakulupilila Ambuje ŵetu Che Yesu Kilisito, Ambuje ŵa ukulu, nkakola lusagu kwa ŵandu kwa kwalola ku meeso.
My friends, are you really trying to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with discrimination?
2 Tujileje, mundu jumo awete pete jajikolochekwe kwa sahabu ni iwalo yakusalala, akwinjila mu nyuumba jenu ja kupopelela, nombe akwinjila mundu jwa usauchi jwana iwalo yakuwisala.
Suppose a visitor should enter your synagogue, with gold rings and in grand clothes, and suppose a poor man should come in also, in shabby clothes,
3 Iŵaga ŵanyamwe nkunchimbichisya jwelejo jwawete iwalo yakusalala ni kunsalila “Ntameje apano pa chitengu chambone,” nambo ajula jwa usauchi nkunsalila, “Mwe, njimeje pelepo, pane ntameje paasi,”
and you show more respect to the visitor who is wearing grand clothes, and say – “There is a good seat for you here,” but to the poor man – “You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool,”
4 ana lwele ngaŵa lusagu ni kulamula ko ngakukuika ni nganisyo syangalumbana?
Haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves, and used evil standards of judgement?
5 Mpilikanile achalongo achinjangu ŵakunonyelwa! Ana Akunnungu nganiŵasagula ŵakulaga ŵa pachilambo kuti aŵe ŵachipanje mu chikulupi ni kupochela umwenye uŵalanjile aŵala ŵakwanonyela?
Listen, my dear friends. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the things of this world to be rich through their faith, and to possess the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?
6 Nambo ŵanyamwe nkunnyosya jwausauchi. Ana ngaŵa ŵachipanje ŵakunliŵatilanga ni kunjausyanga pa nkungulu?
But you – you insult the poor man! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you? Isn’t it they who drag you into law courts?
7 Ana ngaŵa ŵanyawo ni ŵakulitukana alila liina lyambone lya Ambuje, jwati ŵanyamwe nli ŵandu ŵakwe?
Isn’t it they who malign that honorable name spoken over you at your baptism?
8 Naga isyene nkugajitichisya malajisyo gamakulu mu umwenye wa Akunnungu, gagali mu Malembelo ga Akunnungu gagakuti, “Munnonyele njenu jwammandichile mpela inkuti pakulinonyela mwasyene,” nkutendekanya yambone.
If you keep the royal law which runs – ‘You must love your neighbor as you love yourself,’ you are doing right;
9 Nambo iŵaga nkutenda lusagu kwa ŵandu kwa kwalola ku meeso nkutenda sambi ni malajisyo ga Akunnungu gakulosya kuti nganingajitichisya.
but, if you discriminate, you commit a sin, and stand convicted by that same law of being offenders against it.
10 Pakuŵa mundu jwangakujitichisya likanyo limo mmalajisyo gose ga Akunnungu, chaaŵe ngakugajitichisya malajisyo gose.
For a person who has laid the Law, as a whole, to heart, but has failed in one particular, is accountable for breaking all its provisions.
11 Pakuŵa jwelejo juŵatite, “Nkatenda chikululu,” ni jujojo juŵatite, “Nkaulaga.” Iŵaga ngankutenda chigwagwa nambo nkuulaga, nkutema malajisyo.
He who said ‘You must not commit adultery’ also said ‘You must not murder.’ If, then, you commit murder but not adultery, you are still an offender against the Law.
12 Nipele mmecheteje ni kupanganya mpela ŵandu ŵachalamulikwe malinga ni malajisyo gagakutuŵika ŵalechelelwe.
Therefore, speak and act as people who are to be judged by the ‘Law of freedom.’
13 Pakuŵa Akunnungu ngaalosya chanasa pachiŵalamule ŵandu ŵangalosya chanasa. Nambo ŵaali ni chanasa ngasajogopa kulamulikwa ko.
For there will be justice without mercy for the person who has not acted mercifully. Mercy triumphs over Justice.
14 Achalongo achinjangu, ana mundu akukola chichi asalaga kuti ngwete chikulupi nambo ngakuchilosya kwa ipanganyo yambone? Ana chikulupi cho chichikombole kwakulupusya?
My friends, what good is it if someone claims that they have faith, but they do not prove it by actions? Can such faith save them?
15 Tujileje, jwakukulupilila njetu jwannume pane jwankongwe nganakola chakuwala pane yakulya.
Suppose some brother or sister should be in need of clothes and of daily bread,
16 Mundu jumo jwenu ŵaasalilaga, “Njaulanje kwa chitendewele nkajotele mooto ni kwikuta,” pangaapa iyasoŵile mu kutama ana chakole chichi?
and one of you says to them – “Go, and peace be with you; keep warm and eat well!” and yet you do not actually give them the necessities of life, what good would it be to them?
17 Iyoyo peyo chikulupi pe iŵaga changali ipanganyo chiwile.
In just the same way faith, if not followed by actions, is, by itself, a lifeless thing.
18 Nambo mundu akombolaga kusala, “Mmwe nkwete chikulupi noneji ngwete ipanganyo.” Uneji chinyanje, “Munosye chikulupi chenu pangali ipanganyo noneji chinannosye chikulupi changu kwa ipanganyo yangu.”
Someone, indeed, may say – “You are a man of faith, and I am a man of action.” “Then show me your faith,” I reply, “apart from any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions.”
19 Mmwejo nkukulupilila kuti Akunnungu ali ŵamo, yambone. Nambo masoka nombego gakukulupilila iyoyo, nombego gakutetemela.
It is a part of your faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.
20 Mmwe jwakuloŵela! Ana nkusaka kuloswa kuti chikulupi changali chipanganyo chiwile?
Now do you really want to understand, fool, how it is that faith without actions leads to nothing?
21 Ana Atati ŵetu che Iblahimu ŵakundikwe uli ali ŵambone paujo pa Akunnungu? Ŵakundikwe kwa chipanganyo paŵantyosisye a Isaka mwanagwao pa chilisa.
Look at our ancestor, Abraham. Was he not justified by his actions after he had offered his son, Isaac, on the altar?
22 Nkulola yakuti chikulupi chatesile masengo pamo ni chipanganyo chakwe ni chikulupi chatindimiswe kwa litala lya chipanganyo yakwe.
You see how, in his case, faith and actions went together; that his faith was perfected as the result of his actions;
23 Malembelo ga Akunnungu gala gamalile gagatite, “Che Iblahimu ŵankulupilile Akunnungu ni kwayele ŵakundikwe kuŵa ŵambone paujo pao.” Nombejo ŵaŵilanjikwe ambusanga jwa Akunnungu.
and that in this way the words of scripture came true – “Abraham believed God, and that was regarded by God as righteousness,” and “He was called the friend of God.”
24 Nkulola kuti mundu akukundikwa kuŵa jwambone paujo pa Akunnungu kwa ipanganyo nambo ngaŵa kwa chikulupi pe.
You see, then, that a person is justified by actions, and not by faith alone.
25 Iyoyo peyo che Lahabu jwakulaŵalaŵa jula, ŵakundikwe jwambone paujo pa Akunnungu kwa ipanganyo yakwe paŵapochele ŵakusosasosa ni kwakoposya paasa kwa litala line.
Wasn’t it the same with the prostitute, Rahab? Was she not justified by her actions, after she had welcomed the messengers and helped them escape by another road?
26 Mpela ila chiilu pangali mbumu cheewe, iyoyo peyo chikulupi pangali ipanganyo chiwile.
Just as a body is dead without a spirit, so faith is dead without actions.
