< Yakobo 2 >

1 Achalongo achinjangu, iŵaga nkwakulupilila Ambuje ŵetu Che Yesu Kilisito, Ambuje ŵa ukulu, nkakola lusagu kwa ŵandu kwa kwalola ku meeso.
My fellow believers, [because] you trust our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who is glorious/wonderful, stop honoring some people more than others.
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.
[For example], suppose that a person who wears gold rings and fine clothes enters your meeting place. Then suppose that a poor person who wears shabby/ragged clothes also comes in.
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 [suppose] that you (show special attention to/treat better) the one who is dressed in fine clothes by saying, “Sit here in this good seat!” and you say to the poor one, “Stand there or sit on the floor [MTY]!”
4 ana lwele ngaŵa lusagu ni kulamula ko ngakukuika ni nganisyo syangalumbana?
Then you have obviously [RHQ] caused divisions in the congregation (OR, you are clearly treating one better than the others, and you are using evil [motives/reasons] to ([evaluate people/decide whether people are important or not])).
5 Mpilikanile achalongo achinjangu ŵakunonyelwa! Ana Akunnungu nganiŵasagula ŵakulaga ŵa pachilambo kuti aŵe ŵachipanje mu chikulupi ni kupochela umwenye uŵalanjile aŵala ŵakwanonyela?
Listen [to me], my fellow believers whom I love: God has chosen [RHQ] poor people whom [unbelievers consider to] possess nothing of value, [so that he might bless them] greatly [because] they trust [in him], and in order that they will enter the place where [he] will rule [MET] [forever]. That is what he has promised to those who love him.
6 Nambo ŵanyamwe nkunnyosya jwausauchi. Ana ngaŵa ŵachipanje ŵakunliŵatilanga ni kunjausyanga pa nkungulu?
But you dishonor the poor people. Think about it! (It is rich people, [not poor people], who are causing you to suffer!/Isn’t it rich people, [not poor people], who are oppressing you?) [RHQ] (It is [the rich people] who forcibly take you to court [to accuse you in front of judges]!/Is it not [the rich people] who forcibly take you to court [to accuse you in front of judges]?) [RHQ]
7 Ana ngaŵa ŵanyawo ni ŵakulitukana alila liina lyambone lya Ambuje, jwati ŵanyamwe nli ŵandu ŵakwe?
(And they are the ones who say evil things about Jesus Christ, the one who is worthy [of praise], to whom you belong!/Are they not the ones who say evil things about Jesus Christ, the one who is worthy [of praise], to whom you belong?) [RHQ]
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.
In the Scriptures [God has commanded] each of you to love other people like you love yourself. That commandment was [also given] by [Jesus our] King [MTY]. If you [are loving others], you are doing what is right.
9 Nambo iŵaga nkutenda lusagu kwa ŵandu kwa kwalola ku meeso nkutenda sambi ni malajisyo ga Akunnungu gakulosya kuti nganingajitichisya.
But if you honor some people more than others, you are (doing wrong/sinning). And because you [do not do what God commanded us to do], he condemns you [PRS] because you disobey his laws.
10 Pakuŵa mundu jwangakujitichisya likanyo limo mmalajisyo gose ga Akunnungu, chaaŵe ngakugajitichisya malajisyo gose.
Do not forget that those who disobey only one of God’s laws, even if they obey all [his other] laws, [God considers them] to be [as guilty as anyone who has disobeyed] all [of] God’s [laws].
11 Pakuŵa jwelejo juŵatite, “Nkatenda chikululu,” ni jujojo juŵatite, “Nkaulaga.” Iŵaga ngankutenda chigwagwa nambo nkuulaga, nkutema malajisyo.
For example, [God] said, “Do not commit adultery,” but he also said, “Do not murder anyone.” [So] if you [(sg)] do not commit adultery but you [(sg)] murder someone, you [(sg)] have become a person who disobeys [God’s] laws.
12 Nipele mmecheteje ni kupanganya mpela ŵandu ŵachalamulikwe malinga ni malajisyo gagakutuŵika ŵalechelelwe.
Continually speak and act [toward others] as people should who will be judged {whom [God] will judge} by the law that frees us [from being punished] {[God punishing us]} [for our sins].
13 Pakuŵa Akunnungu ngaalosya chanasa pachiŵalamule ŵandu ŵangalosya chanasa. Nambo ŵaali ni chanasa ngasajogopa kulamulikwa ko.
[Speak and act like that], because when [God] judges us, he will not act mercifully toward those who do not act mercifully toward others. But when we [are] merciful [to others, we can rejoice], because [our being] merciful [shows] that [we are acting like people whom God] has mercifully saved from being judged (OR, [we can rejoice] because [God] will judge us mercifully).
14 Achalongo achinjangu, ana mundu akukola chichi asalaga kuti ngwete chikulupi nambo ngakuchilosya kwa ipanganyo yambone? Ana chikulupi cho chichikombole kwakulupusya?
My fellow believers, [there are some people who say], “I believe [in the Lord Jesus Christ],” but they do not do good things [for other people]. (Their saying that will certainly not do them any good!/What good will their saying that do for them?) [RHQ] [God] will certainly not save [people like that who say that they believe, but do not do good things]! [RHQ]
15 Tujileje, jwakukulupilila njetu jwannume pane jwankongwe nganakola chakuwala pane yakulya.
[To illustrate], suppose that fellow believers, either men or women, don’t have enough clothing or food for each day.
16 Mundu jumo jwenu ŵaasalilaga, “Njaulanje kwa chitendewele nkajotele mooto ni kwikuta,” pangaapa iyasoŵile mu kutama ana chakole chichi?
And suppose that one of you says to them, “May [God] bless you and supply the clothing and food that you need!” but you [(sg)] do not give them the things that they need. (That would be no help [to them]!/What help is that [to them]?) [RHQ]
17 Iyoyo peyo chikulupi pe iŵaga changali ipanganyo chiwile.
Similarly, [those who do] not do good things [to help others, what they have said about] their believing [in Christ] is [as useless] [MET] [as] a dead person [is useless]. They do not [really believe in Christ].
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.”
But someone may say [to me], “[God saves] some people only [because] they trust [in him], and [he saves] others [because] they do good deeds [to people].” [I would answer that person], “[You(sg) cannot] prove to me that people truly trust [in God if] they do not do good things [for others]. But by doing good things [for others] I will prove to you that I truly trust [in God”]
19 Mmwejo nkukulupilila kuti Akunnungu ali ŵamo, yambone. Nambo masoka nombego gakukulupilila iyoyo, nombego gakutetemela.
[Think about it]! You believe that there is only one God, and you are right [to believe that]. But the demons also believe that, but they tremble [with fear because they know that God is going to punish them].
20 Mmwe jwakuloŵela! Ana nkusaka kuloswa kuti chikulupi changali chipanganyo chiwile?
Also, you foolish person, I will [RHQ] prove to you [(sg)] that [if someone says], “I trust [in God],” but he does not do good things, [what that person says] will not benefit him.
21 Ana Atati ŵetu che Iblahimu ŵakundikwe uli ali ŵambone paujo pa Akunnungu? Ŵakundikwe kwa chipanganyo paŵantyosisye a Isaka mwanagwao pa chilisa.
(It was certainly [because of] what our [revered] ancestor Abraham did, when he [prepared to] sacrifice his son Isaac, that he was considered [by God] {that [God] considered him} to be a righteous, [obedient] person./Was it not [because of] what our [revered] ancestor Abraham did, when he [prepared to] sacrifice his son Isaac, that he was considered [by God] {that [God] considered him} to be a righteous, [obedient] person?) [RHQ]
22 Nkulola yakuti chikulupi chatesile masengo pamo ni chipanganyo chakwe ni chikulupi chatindimiswe kwa litala lya chipanganyo yakwe.
You [(sg)] can realize that he was not only trusting [in God], but he was also doing [what God told him to do], and [you(sg) can realize] that he was able to trust [in God more] completely because of having done [what God told him to do].
23 Malembelo ga Akunnungu gala gamalile gagatite, “Che Iblahimu ŵankulupilile Akunnungu ni kwayele ŵakundikwe kuŵa ŵambone paujo pao.” Nombejo ŵaŵilanjikwe ambusanga jwa Akunnungu.
And [so it happened as it is written in the] Scriptures: “Because Abraham truly trusted in God, he was considered [by God] to be {[God] considered that he was} righteous.” And [God also] said [about Abraham], “He is my friend.”
24 Nkulola kuti mundu akukundikwa kuŵa jwambone paujo pa Akunnungu kwa ipanganyo nambo ngaŵa kwa chikulupi pe.
[From the example of Abraham], you can realize that it is because people do good things that [God] considers them to be righteous, and not only because they trust [in him].
25 Iyoyo peyo che Lahabu jwakulaŵalaŵa jula, ŵakundikwe jwambone paujo pa Akunnungu kwa ipanganyo yakwe paŵapochele ŵakusosasosa ni kwakoposya paasa kwa litala line.
Similarly, it was certainly [RHQ] [because of] what Rahab did, that [God] considered her to be a righteous, [obedient] person. Rahab was [previously] a prostitute, but she cared for the Israelite men who came [to] ([spy out the land/see what that area was like]) and she [helped them to escape by] sending them home on a different road [from the one that they came on].
26 Mpela ila chiilu pangali mbumu cheewe, iyoyo peyo chikulupi pangali ipanganyo chiwile.
Remember that when our spirits [permanently leave our] bodies, [our bodies] are dead [and useless]. Similarly [SIM], [if someone says], “I trust [in God],” but does not do [things to help others, what that person says about trusting in God] is useless.

< Yakobo 2 >