James 1
1 James, bondman of God and of [the] Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which [are] in the dispersion, greeting.
Mimi Yakobo, mtumishi wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo, nawaandikia ninyi, makabila kumi na mawili, yaliyotawanyika ulimwenguni! Salaam!
2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various temptations,
Ndugu zangu, muwe na furaha mnapopatwa na majaribu mbalimbali,
3 knowing that the proving of your faith works endurance.
kwani mwajua kwamba imani yenu ikisha stahimili, itawapatieni uvumilivu.
4 But let endurance have [its] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Muwe na hakika kwamba uvumilivu wenu utawategemeza mpaka mwisho, mpate kuwa wakamilifu na watimilifu, bila kupungukiwa chochote.
5 But if any one of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all freely and reproaches not, and it shall be given to him:
Lakini kama mmoja wenu ametindikiwa hekima, basi, anapaswa kumwomba Mungu ambaye atampatia; kwani Mungu huwapa wote kwa wingi na kwa ukarimu.
6 but let him ask in faith, nothing doubting. For he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed about;
Lakini anapaswa kuomba kwa imani bila mashaka yoyote. Mtu aliye na mashaka ni kama mawimbi ya bahari ambayo husukumwa na kutupwatupwa na upepo.
7 for let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord;
Mtu wa namna hiyo, mwenye nia mbili na asiye na msimamo katika mwenendo wake wote,
8 [he is] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
asidhani ya kwamba atapata chochote kile kutoka kwa Bwana.
9 But let the brother of low degree glory in his elevation,
Ndugu aliye maskini anapaswa kufurahi wakati Mungu anapomkweza,
10 and the rich in his humiliation, because as [the] grass's flower he will pass away.
naye tajiri anapaswa kufurahi anaposhushwa na Mungu. Maana tajiri atatoweka kama ua la porini.
11 For the sun has risen with its burning heat, and has withered the grass, and its flower has fallen, and the comeliness of its look has perished: thus the rich also shall wither in his goings.
Jua huchomoza na kwa joto lake kali hukausha mimea, nayo maua yake huanguka, na uzuri wake wote huharibika. Vivyo hivyo, tajiri ataangamizwa katika shughuli zake.
12 Blessed [is the] man who endures temptation; for, having been proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which He has promised to them that love him.
Heri mtu anayebaki mwaminifu katika majaribu, kwani akisha stahimili atapewa tuzo la uzima ambalo Mungu aliwaahidia wale wanaompenda.
13 Let no man, being tempted, say, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted by evil things, and himself tempts no one.
Kama mtu akijaribiwa, asiseme: “Ninajaribiwa na Mungu.” Maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na uovu, wala yeye hamjaribu mtu yeyote.
14 But every one is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own lust;
Lakini mtu hujaribiwa anapovutwa na kunaswa na tamaa zake mbaya.
15 then lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin; but sin fully completed brings forth death.
Tamaa ikiiva huzaa dhambi; nayo dhambi ikikomaa huzaa kifo.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Ndugu zangu wapenzi, msidanganyike!
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning.
Kila kipaji chema na kila zawadi kamilifu hutoka mbinguni; hutoka kwa Baba, Muumba wa mianga, ambaye habadiliki wala hana alama yoyote ya ugeugeu.
18 According to his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a certain first-fruits of his creatures.
Kwa kupenda kwake mwenyewe alituzaa kwa neno lake la ukweli, ili tuwe namna ya matunda ya kwanza miongoni mwa viumbe vyake.
19 So that, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
Ndugu zangu wapenzi, kumbukeni jambo hili! Kila mtu na awe mwepesi wa kusikia lakini asiwe mwepesi wa kusema wala mwepesi wa kukasirika.
20 for man's wrath does not work God's righteousness.
Mwenye hasira hawezi kutimiza matakwa ya Mungu yaliyo ya haki.
21 Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness and abounding of wickedness, accept with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Kwa hiyo, tupilieni mbali mwenendo mchafu na tabia zote mbovu; jiwekeni chini ya Mungu na kupokea ule ujumbe uliopandwa mioyoni mwenu, ambao waweza kuziokoa nafsi zenu.
22 But be ye doers of [the] word and not hearers only, beguiling yourselves.
Msijidanganye wenyewe kwa kusikiliza tu neno lake, bali litekelezeni kwa vitendo.
23 For if any man be a hearer of [the] word and not a doer, he is like to a man considering his natural face in a mirror:
Yeyote anayesikiliza hilo neno lakini halitekelezi, huyo ni kama mtu anayejiangalia sura yake mwenyewe katika kioo.
24 for he has considered himself and is gone away, and straightway he has forgotten what he was like.
Hujiangalia mwenyewe, kisha huenda zake, na mara husahau jinsi alivyo.
25 But he that fixes his view on [the] perfect law, that of liberty, and abides in [it], being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of [the] work, he shall be blessed in his doing.
Lakini mtu anayeangalia kwa makini sheria kamilifu ambayo huwapa watu uhuru, mtu anayeendelea kuizingatia, na si kuisikia tu na kuisahau baadaye, bali anaitekeleza, mtu huyo atabarikiwa katika kila kitu anachofanya.
26 If any one think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, this man's religion is vain.
Kama mtu akijiona kuwa ni mtu mwenye dini, lakini hawezi kuutawala ulimi wake, dini yake haifai kitu, na anajidanganya mwenyewe.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Dini iliyo safi na isiyo na hitilafu mbele ya Mungu Baba ni hii: Kuwasaidia yatima na wajane katika shida zao, na kujilinda mwenyewe usichafuliwe na ulimwengu huu.
