James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Greetings!
Yakobo, mtumwa wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo: Kwa makabila kumi na mawili yaliyotawanyika ulimwenguni: Salamu.
2 Count [it] all joy, my brothers, when you may fall into manifold temptations,
Ndugu zangu, hesabuni kuwa ni furaha tupu mnapopatwa na majaribu mbalimbali,
3 knowing that the proof of your faith works endurance,
kwa sababu mnajua ya kuwa kujaribiwa kwa imani yenu huleta saburi.
4 and let the endurance have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Saburi na iwe na kazi timilifu, ili mpate kuwa wakamilifu, mmekamilishwa, bila kupungukiwa na kitu chochote.
5 And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all generously, and not reproaching, and it will be given to him;
Kama mtu yeyote miongoni mwenu amepungukiwa na hekima na amwombe Mungu, yeye awapaye watu wote kwa ukarimu wala hana kinyongo, naye atapewa.
6 but let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who is doubting has been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed;
Lakini anapoomba, lazima aamini wala asiwe na shaka, kwa sababu mtu aliye na shaka ni kama wimbi la bahari, lililochukuliwa na upepo na kutupwa huku na huku.
7 for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD—
Mtu kama huyo asidhani ya kuwa atapata kitu chochote kutoka kwa Bwana.
8 a soul-split man [is] unstable in all his ways.
Yeye ni mtu mwenye nia mbili, mwenye kusitasita katika njia zake zote.
9 And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
Ndugu asiye na cheo kikubwa yampasa ajivunie hali hiyo maana ametukuzwa.
10 but the rich in his becoming low, because he will pass away as a flower of grass;
Lakini yeye aliye tajiri afurahi kwa kuwa ameshushwa, kwa sababu atatoweka kama ua la shambani.
11 for the sun rose with the burning heat, and withered the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the beauty of its appearance perished, so also the rich in his way will fade away!
Kwa maana jua kali lenye kuchoma huchomoza na kuliunguza, likayakausha majani, na ua lake likapukutika, nao uzuri wake huharibika. Vivyo hivyo tajiri naye atanyauka akiwa anaendelea na shughuli zake.
12 Blessed [is] the man who endures temptation, because, becoming approved, he will receive the garland of life, which the LORD promised to those loving Him.
Heri mtu anayevumilia wakati wa majaribu, kwa sababu akiisha kushinda hilo jaribio atapewa taji la uzima Mungu alilowaahidia wale wampendao.
13 Let no one who is being tempted say, “I am tempted from God,” for God is not tempted by evils, and Himself tempts no one,
Mtu anapojaribiwa asiseme, “Ninajaribiwa na Mungu.” Kwa maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na maovu wala yeye hamjaribu mtu yeyote.
14 but each one is tempted, being led away and enticed by his own desires;
Lakini kila mtu hujaribiwa wakati anapovutwa na kudanganywa na tamaa zake mwenyewe zilizo mbaya.
15 afterward the desire having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin having been perfected, brings forth death.
Basi ile tamaa mbaya ikishachukua mimba, huzaa dhambi, nayo ile dhambi ikikomaa, huzaa mauti.
16 Do not be led astray, my beloved brothers.
Ndugu zangu wapendwa, msidanganyike.
17 Every good giving, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;
Kila kitolewacho kilicho chema na kilicho kamili, hutoka juu, na hushuka kutoka kwa Baba wa mianga, ambaye kwake hakuna kubadilika, wala kivuli cha kugeukageuka.
18 having willed [it], He begot us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
Kwa mapenzi yake mwenyewe alituzaa kwa neno la kweli, kusudi tuwe kama mazao ya kwanza katika viumbe vyake vyote.
19 So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
Ndugu zangu wapendwa, fahamuni jambo hili: Kila mtu awe mwepesi wa kusikiliza, lakini asiwe mwepesi wa kusema wala wa kukasirika.
20 for the wrath of a man does not work the righteousness of God;
Kwa maana hasira ya mwanadamu haitendi haki ya Mungu.
21 for this reason, having put aside all filthiness and superabundance of evil, receive the implanted word in meekness, that is able to save your souls;
Kwa hiyo, ondoleeni mbali uchafu wote na uovu ambao umezidi kuwa mwingi, mkalipokee kwa unyenyekevu lile Neno lililopandwa ndani yenu ambalo laweza kuokoa nafsi zenu.
22 and become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves,
Basi kuweni watendaji wa Neno wala msiwe wasikiaji tu, huku mkijidanganya nafsi zenu.
23 because, if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one has been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,
Kwa maana kama mtu ni msikiaji tu wa Neno wala hatendi kile linachosema, yeye ni kama mtu ajitazamaye uso wake kwenye kioo
24 for he viewed himself, and has gone away, and immediately he forgot what kind of [man] he was;
na baada ya kujiona alivyo, huenda zake na mara husahau jinsi alivyo.
25 but he who looked into [the] perfect law—that of liberty, and continued there, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work—this one will be blessed in his doing.
Lakini yeye anayeangalia kwa bidii katika sheria kamilifu, ile iletayo uhuru, naye akaendelea kufanya hivyo bila kusahau alichosikia, bali akalitenda, atabarikiwa katika kile anachofanya.
26 If anyone thinks to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, the religion of this one [is] vain;
Kama mtu akidhani ya kuwa anayo dini lakini hauzuii ulimi wake kwa hatamu, hujidanganya moyoni mwake, wala dini yake mtu huyo haifai kitu.
27 religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation—to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Dini iliyo safi, isiyo na uchafu, inayokubalika mbele za Mungu Baba yetu, ndiyo hii: Kuwasaidia yatima na wajane katika dhiki zao na kujilinda usitiwe madoa na dunia.
