James 2
1 My brothers, do not hold the faith of the Lord Jesus, the Lord of Glory, in a spirit of caste.
Ndugu zangu, mkiwa mnamwamini Bwana Yesu Kristo, Bwana wa utukufu, msiwabague watu kamwe.
2 Suppose a man comes into your synagogue with a gold ring and dazzling clothes, and suppose a poor man comes in, also, in shabby clothes,
Tuseme mtu mmoja ambaye amevaa pete ya dhahabu na mavazi nadhifu anaingia katika mkutano wenu, na papo hapo akaingia mtu maskini aliyevaa mavazi machafu.
3 and you look up to him who wears the fine clothing, and say to him, "Sit here in this fine place!" and to the poor man you say, "Stand there!" or "Sit on the floor at my feet!"
Ikiwa mtamstahi zaidi yule aliyevaa mavazi ya kuvutia na kumwambia: “Keti hapa mahali pazuri,” na kumwambia yule maskini: “Wewe, simama huko,” au “Keti hapa sakafuni miguuni pangu,”
4 are you not drawing distinctions among yourselves, and have you not become judges with evil thoughts?
je, huo si ubaguzi kati yenu? Je, na huo uamuzi wenu haujatokana na fikira mbaya?
5 Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and to inherit the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?
Ndugu zangu wapenzi, sikilizeni! Mungu amechagua watu ambao ni maskini katika ulimwengu huu ili wapate kuwa matajiri katika imani na kupokea Utawala aliowaahidia wale wanaompenda.
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you to court?
Lakini ninyi mnawadharau watu maskini! Je, matajiri si ndio wanaowakandamizeni na kuwapeleka mahakamani?
7 Are they not blaspheming that glorious Name by which you are called?
Je, si haohao wanaolitukana hilo jina lenu zuri mlilopewa?
8 If you are keeping the royal law, which says, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself, you are doing well.
Kama mnaitimiza ile sheria ya Utawala kama ilivyoandikwa katika Maandiko Matakatifu: “Mpende binadamu mwenzako kama unavyojipenda wewe mwenyewe”, mtakuwa mnafanya vema kabisa.
9 If you have the spirit of caste you are committing sin, and are convicted by the Law as transgressors.
Lakini mkiwabagua watu, basi, mwatenda dhambi, nayo Sheria inawahukumu ninyi kuwa mna hatia.
10 For if a man keeps the whole of the Law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.
Anayevunja amri mojawapo ya Sheria, atakuwa na hatia ya kuivunja Sheria yote.
11 For he who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not Kill. Now if you do not commit adultery, but if you do kill, you have transgressed the Law.
Maana yuleyule aliyesema: “Usizini,” alisema pia “Usiue”. Kwa hiyo, hata ikiwa hukuzini lakini umeua, wewe umeivunja Sheria.
12 So speak and act like men who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
Basi, semeni na kutenda kama watu watakaohukumiwa kwa sheria iletayo uhuru.
13 For judgment is without mercy to the man who has showed no mercy. but mercy glories in the face of judgment.
Maana, Mungu hatakuwa na huruma atakapomhukumu mtu asiyekuwa na huruma. Lakini huruma hushinda hukumu.
14 My brothers, what good is it if any one says that he has faith, if he has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Ndugu zangu, kuna faida gani mtu kusema ana imani, lakini haonyeshi kwa vitendo? Je, hiyo imani yawezaje kumwokoa?
15 If a brother or sister be naked and in need of daily food,
Tuseme kaka au dada hana nguo au chakula.
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, find warmth and food for yourselves," but at the same time you do not give the necessaries of the body, what good would that do them?
Yafaa kitu gani ninyi kuwaambia hao: “Nendeni salama mkaote moto na kushiba,” bila kuwapatia mahitaji yao ya maisha?
17 In just the same way faith, if it have not deeds, is by itself a lifeless thing.
Vivyo hivyo, imani peke yake bila matendo imekufa.
18 Some one indeed may say, "You have faith, and I have deeds." "Then show me your faith," I answer, "apart from any deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds."
Lakini mtu anaweza kusema: “Wewe unayo imani, mimi ninayo matendo!” Haya! Nionyeshe jinsi mtu anavyoweza kuwa na imani bila matendo, nami nitakuonyesha imani yangu kwa matendo yangu.
19 You believe that God is one? You do well; even the demons believe, and they shudder.
Je, wewe unaamini kwamba yuko Mungu mmoja? Sawa! Lakini hata pepo huamini hilo, na hutetemeka kwa hofu.
20 But do you want to be convinced, O foolish man, that faith apart from deeds is barren?
Mpumbavu wee! Je, wataka kuonyeshwa kwamba imani bila matendo imekufa?
21 Was not Abraham our ancestor justified by deeds, in that he offered up Isaac, his son, upon the altar?
Je, Abrahamu baba yetu alipataje kukubalika mbele yake Mungu? Kwa matendo yake, wakati alipomtoa mwanae Isaka sadaka juu ya madhabahu.
22 You see how faith was cooperating with deeds, and faith was made perfect by deeds.
Waona basi, kwamba imani yake iliandamana na matendo yake; imani yake ilikamilishwa kwa matendo yake.
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which said, And Abraham believed God, and this was imputed to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.
Hivyo yakatimia yale Maandiko Matakatifu yasemayo: “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu na kwa imani yake akakubaliwa kuwa mtu mwadilifu; na hivyo Abrahamu akaitwa rafiki wa Mungu.”
24 You see, then, that it is by his deeds a man is justified, and not simply by his faith.
Mnaona basi, kwamba mtu hukubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa matendo yake na si kwa imani peke yake.
25 In like manner was not Rahab, the harlot, justified by her deeds, in the fact that she received the messengers and sent them forth by another way?
Ilikuwa vivyo hivyo kuhusu yule malaya Rahabu; yeye alikubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa sababu aliwapokea wale wapelelezi na kuwasaidia waende zao kwa kupitia njia nyingine.
26 So just as the body without a spirit is dead, so faith is dead without deeds.
Basi, kama vile mwili bila roho umekufa, vivyo hivyo imani bila matendo imekufa.
