James 1
1 James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.
Yakobo, mtumwa wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo: Kwa makabila kumi na mawili yaliyotawanyika ulimwenguni: Salamu.
2 My brothers, when you are beset by various temptations, count it all joy,
Ndugu zangu, hesabuni kuwa ni furaha tupu mnapopatwa na majaribu mbalimbali,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith is working out endurance.
kwa sababu mnajua ya kuwa kujaribiwa kwa imani yenu huleta saburi.
4 But let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything.
Saburi na iwe na kazi timilifu, ili mpate kuwa wakamilifu, mmekamilishwa, bila kupungukiwa na kitu chochote.
5 If any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him ask it from the God who gives to all men freely and without upbraiding; 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, without wavering; for he who wavers is like a surge of the sea, wind-driven 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 Such a man need not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
Mtu kama huyo asidhani ya kuwa atapata kitu chochote kutoka kwa Bwana.
8 double-minded as he is, unstable at every turn.
Yeye ni mtu mwenye nia mbili, mwenye kusitasita katika njia zake zote.
9 Let a brother in humble circumstances glory in his exaltation;
Ndugu asiye na cheo kikubwa yampasa ajivunie hali hiyo maana ametukuzwa.
10 but a rich brother, in his humiliation; because like the flower of the grass the rich man will pass away.
Lakini yeye aliye tajiri afurahi kwa kuwa ameshushwa, kwa sababu atatoweka kama ua la shambani.
11 For as the sun comes up with a burning heat, it withers the grass, and its flowers fall, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes; so also shall the rich man fade away amid his pursuits.
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; for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Heri mtu anayevumilia wakati wa majaribu, kwa sababu akiisha kushinda hilo jaribio atapewa taji la uzima Mungu alilowaahidia wale wampendao.
13 When he is being tempted, let no one say, "It is God who tempts me," for God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man.
Mtu anapojaribiwa asiseme, “Ninajaribiwa na Mungu.” Kwa maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na maovu wala yeye hamjaribu mtu yeyote.
14 But each man is tempted by his own lusts that allure and entice him.
Lakini kila mtu hujaribiwa wakati anapovutwa na kudanganywa na tamaa zake mwenyewe zilizo mbaya.
15 Then lust conceives and gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is mature, brings forth death.
Basi ile tamaa mbaya ikishachukua mimba, huzaa dhambi, nayo ile dhambi ikikomaa, huzaa mauti.
16 Do not be deceived, my brothers!
Ndugu zangu wapendwa, msidanganyike.
17 Every good gift and every perfect boon is from above, and is ever coming down to us from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of eclipse.
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 Because he willed, he gave us birth through the word of truth, so that we should be a kind of first-fruits among his creatures.
Kwa mapenzi yake mwenyewe alituzaa kwa neno la kweli, kusudi tuwe kama mazao ya kwanza katika viumbe vyake vyote.
19 Mark this well, my dear brothers. Let every man be swift in hearing, slow in speaking, slow in growing angry;
Ndugu zangu wapendwa, fahamuni jambo hili: Kila mtu awe mwepesi wa kusikiliza, lakini asiwe mwepesi wa kusema wala wa kukasirika.
20 for a man’s anger does not further the righteous purpose of God.
Kwa maana hasira ya mwanadamu haitendi haki ya Mungu.
21 So strip off all filthiness and superfluity of wickedness, and in meekness receive the implanted Word, which 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 merely hearers, deceiving yourselves.
Basi kuweni watendaji wa Neno wala msiwe wasikiaji tu, huku mkijidanganya nafsi zenu.
23 Because if any one is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at 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 after he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and at once forgets what he is like.
na baada ya kujiona alivyo, huenda zake na mara husahau jinsi alivyo.
25 But the man who looks closely into the perfect law - the law of liberty - and continues looking, this man will be blessed in his deed because he is not a hearer who forgets, but a doer who does.
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 a man thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own religion,
Kama mtu akidhani ya kuwa anayo dini lakini hauzuii ulimi wake kwa hatamu, hujidanganya moyoni mwake, wala dini yake mtu huyo haifai kitu.
27 and undefiled before our God and Father, to look after orphans and widows in their affliction, and ever 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.
