James 4

1 From whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they not hence, from your concupiscences, which war in your members?

Ɔko ne akasakasa a asi mo mu yi firi he? Ɛfiri mo ara mo akɔnnɔ a ɛne mo onipadua di asie no.

2 You covet, and have not: you kill, and envy, and can not obtain. You contend and war, and you have not, because you ask not.

Morepɛ nneɛma bi nanso morentumi nnya, ɛno enti moayɛ mo adwene sɛ mobɛdi awu. Mo ani abere dendeenden repɛ nneɛma bi, nanso mo nsa nka, enti akasakasa ne ɔko nam so ba. Deɛ morehwehwɛ no, mo nsa renka ɛfiri sɛ, mommisa Onyankopɔn.

3 You ask, and receive not; because you ask amiss: that you may consume it on your concupiscences.

Na sɛ mobisa koraa nso a, mo nsa renka, ɛfiri sɛ, mowɔ adwemmɔne. Mobisa nneɛma a ɛyɛ mo akɔnnɔdeɛ.

4 Adulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God.

Nnipa a monni gyidie! Monnim sɛ, sɛ mofa ewiase adamfo a, na moyɛ Onyankopɔn atamfoɔ? Obiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ewiase adamfo no dane Onyankopɔn ɔtamfoɔ.

5 Or do you think that the scripture saith in vain: To envy doth the spirit covet which dwelleth in you?

Mosusu sɛ Atwerɛsɛm a ɛka sɛ, “Ninkunutwe ahyɛ honhom a Onyankopɔn de ahyɛ yɛn mu no ma” no wɔkaa no kwa?

6 But he giveth greater grace. Wherefore he saith: God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Nanso, adom a Onyankopɔn dom yɛn no dɔɔso yie. Na Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ, “Onyankopɔn si ahantanfoɔ kwan, na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.”

7 Be subject therefore to God, but resist the devil, and he will fly from you.

Enti, momfa mo ho nhyɛ Onyankopɔn ase. Monsi ɔbonsam kwan, na ɔbɛdwane afiri mo ho.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners: and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Mommɛn Onyankopɔn, na ɔno nso bɛbɛn mo. Monhohoro mo nsa ho, mo nnebɔneyɛfoɔ! Monte mo akoma mu, mo a mo adwene yɛ ntanta!

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into sorrow.

Monni awerɛhoɔ, monsu, na montwa agyaadwoɔ; momma mo sereɛ nnane su, na mo anigyeɛ nnane awerɛhoɔ.

10 Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Mommrɛ mo ho ase mma Awurade, na ɔbɛma mo so.

11 Detract not one another, my brethren. He that detracteth his brother, or he that judgeth his brother, detracteth the law, and judgeth the law. But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Me nuanom, monnnidi mo ho nsekuro. Obiara a ɔkasa tia ne nua anaa ɔbu no atɛn no, kasa tia Mmara no. Na sɛ wobu Mmara no atɛn a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ, afei deɛ wonni Mmara no so.

12 There is one lawgiver, and judge, that is able to destroy and to deliver.

Onyankopɔn nko na ɔma mmara na ɔbu atɛn. Ɔno nko na ɔgye nkwa na ɔsɛe. Wone hwan a wobu wo yɔnko atɛn?

13 But who art thou that judgest thy neighbour? Behold, now you that say: Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and there we will spend a year, and will traffic, and make our gain.

Mo a moka sɛ, “Ɛnnɛ anaa ɔkyena yɛbɛtu kwan akɔ kuro bi so akɔdi afe akɔyɛ adwuma, apɛ sika” no, montie me.

14 Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow.

Monnim deɛ ɛbɛto mo ɔkyena: Mote sɛ huhuro a ɛba mmerɛ tiawa bi na ayera.

15 For what is your life? It is a vapour which appeareth for a little while, and afterwards shall vanish away. For that you should say: If the Lord will, and if we shall live, we will do this or that.

Asɛm a ɛsɛ sɛ moka ne sɛ, “Sɛ Awurade pɛ a, yɛbɛyɛ yei anaa yei.”

16 But now you rejoice in your arrogancies. All such rejoicing is wicked.

Nanso, seesei mohoahoa mo ho de mo nsa si mo bo; saa ahohoahoa no nyinaa yɛ bɔne.

17 To him therefore who knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin.

Enti, deɛ ɔnim papayɛ na ɔnyɛ no, ɛyɛ bɔne ma no.