James 1
1 JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Mimi Yakobo, mtumishi wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo, nawaandikia ninyi, makabila kumi na mawili, yaliyotawanyika ulimwenguni! Salaam!
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Ndugu zangu, muwe na furaha mnapopatwa na majaribu mbalimbali,
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
kwani mwajua kwamba imani yenu ikisha stahimili, itawapatieni uvumilivu.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Muwe na hakika kwamba uvumilivu wenu utawategemeza mpaka mwisho, mpate kuwa wakamilifu na watimilifu, bila kupungukiwa chochote.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given 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 wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
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 any thing of the Lord.
Mtu wa namna hiyo, mwenye nia mbili na asiye na msimamo katika mwenendo wake wote,
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
asidhani ya kwamba atapata chochote kile kutoka kwa Bwana.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
Ndugu aliye maskini anapaswa kufurahi wakati Mungu anapomkweza,
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
naye tajiri anapaswa kufurahi anaposhushwa na Mungu. Maana tajiri atatoweka kama ua la porini.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
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 that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath 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 say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Kama mtu akijaribiwa, asiseme: “Ninajaribiwa na Mungu.” Maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na uovu, wala yeye hamjaribu mtu yeyote.
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Lakini mtu hujaribiwa anapovutwa na kunaswa na tamaa zake mbaya.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth 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 is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither 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 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits 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 Wherefore, 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 the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Mwenye hasira hawezi kutimiza matakwa ya Mungu yaliyo ya haki.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted 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, deceiving your own selves.
Msijidanganye wenyewe kwa kusikiliza tu neno lake, bali litekelezeni kwa vitendo.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Yeyote anayesikiliza hilo neno lakini halitekelezi, huyo ni kama mtu anayejiangalia sura yake mwenyewe katika kioo.
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Hujiangalia mwenyewe, kisha huenda zake, na mara husahau jinsi alivyo.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
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 man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own 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 religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself 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.
