< James 2 >
1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.
Bazalwane bami, kungeyisikho ngokubandlulula abantu libe lokholo lweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, iNkosi yenkazimulo.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
Ngoba uba kungena emhlanganweni wenu indoda elendandatho yegolide lesembatho esikhazimulayo, besekungena longumyanga olesembatho esingcolileyo,
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
beselinanzelela ogqoke isembatho esikhazimulayo beselisithi kuye: Wena hlala lapha kuhle; beselisithi kongumyanga: Wena mana lapho, loba: Hlala lapha ngaphansi kwesenabelo senyawo zami;
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
pho, kalibandlululi phakathi kwenu, njalo laba ngabahluleli abalemicabango emibi yini?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Zwanini, bazalwane bami abathandekayo. UNkulunkulu kabakhethanga yini abayanga balumhlaba, benothile ekholweni, njalo bezindlalifa zombuso awuthembisayo kwabamthandayo?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Kodwa lina libadumazile abayanga. Abanothileyo kabalicindezeli yini, njalo akusibo yini abalidonsela ekwahlulelweni?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
Bona kabalihlambazi yini ibizo elihle elibizwa ngalo?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Uba liphelelisa umlayo wobukhosi, ngokombhaloothi: Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena, lenza kuhle;
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
kodwa uba libandlulula abantu, lenza isono, lilahlwa ngumlayo njengabaweqayo.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.
Ngoba loba ngubani ogcina umlayo wonke, kodwa akhubeke kokukodwa, uba lecala kuyo yonke.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Ngoba owathi: Ungafebi; wathi futhi: Ungabulali; uba-ke ungafebi, kodwa ubulala, usungumeqi womlayo.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Khulumani ngokunjalo lenze njalo, njengabazakwahlulelwa ngomlayo wenkululeko.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Ngoba ukwahlulelwa okungelasihawu kungokwalowo ongenzanga isihawu; njalo isihawu sizincoma kukho ukwahlulela.
14 What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Kusizani, bazalwane bami, uba umuntu esithi ulokholo, kodwa engelamisebenzi? Lolokholo lungamsindisa yini?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Uba-ke umzalwane loba umzalwanekazi behambaze njalo beswela ukudla kwensuku ngensuku,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye] warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit?
omunye wenu abesesithi kubo: Hambani ngokuthula, likhudumale lisuthe; kodwa lingabaniki izinto ezidingwa ngumzimba, lokho kusizani?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Kunjalo lokholo, uba lungelamisebenzi, lufile ngokwalo.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Kodwa omunye uzakuthi: Wena ulokholo, mina-ke ngilemisebenzi; ngitshengisa ukholo lwakho ngaphandle kwemisebenzi yakho, lami emisebenzini yami ngizakutshengisa ukholo lwami.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Wena uyakholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu munye; wenza kuhle; lamadimoni ayakholwa, njalo athuthumele.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Kodwa uyathanda ukwazi yini, O siphukuphuku, ukuthi ukholo olungelamisebenzi lufile?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
UAbrahama ubaba wethu kalungisiswanga yini ngemisebenzi, esenikele indodana yakhe uIsaka phezu kwelathi?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Uyabona ukuthi ukholo lwalusebenza kanye lemisebenzi yakhe, lokuthi ukholo lwapheleliswa ngemisebenzi,
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
kwasekugcwaliswa umbhalo othi: LoAbrahama wakholwa uNkulunkulu, kwasekubalelwa kuye ukuthi kuyikulunga, wasebizwa ngokuthi ngumngane kaNkulunkulu.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Ngakho-ke liyabona ukuthi umuntu uyalungisiswa ngemisebenzi, futhi kungesikuthi ngokholo kuphela.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them] out another way?
Ngokunjalo-ke loRahabi isifebe kalungisiswanga ngemisebenzi yini, esezemukele izithunywa, eseziphumise ngenye indlela?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Ngoba njengalokhu umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, ngokunjalo lokholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi lufile.