James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora: Greetings.
Mimi Yakobo, mtumishi wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo, nawaandikia ninyi, makabila kumi na mawili, yaliyotawanyika ulimwenguni! Salaam!
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
Ndugu zangu, muwe na furaha mnapopatwa na majaribu mbalimbali,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
kwani mwajua kwamba imani yenu ikisha stahimili, itawapatieni uvumilivu.
4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Muwe na hakika kwamba uvumilivu wenu utawategemeza mpaka mwisho, mpate kuwa wakamilifu na watimilifu, bila kupungukiwa chochote.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without finding fault; and it will be given to 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, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
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 that person not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
Mtu wa namna hiyo, mwenye nia mbili na asiye na msimamo katika mwenendo wake wote,
8 He is a double-minded person, unstable in all his ways.
asidhani ya kwamba atapata chochote kile kutoka kwa Bwana.
9 But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;
Ndugu aliye maskini anapaswa kufurahi wakati Mungu anapomkweza,
10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away.
naye tajiri anapaswa kufurahi anaposhushwa na Mungu. Maana tajiri atatoweka kama ua la porini.
11 For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich person fade away in his pursuits.
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 one who perseveres under trial, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which he promised to those who love him.
Heri mtu anayebaki mwaminifu katika majaribu, kwani akisha stahimili atapewa tuzo la uzima ambalo Mungu aliwaahidia wale wanaompenda.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Kama mtu akijaribiwa, asiseme: “Ninajaribiwa na Mungu.” Maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na uovu, wala yeye hamjaribu mtu yeyote.
14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
Lakini mtu hujaribiwa anapovutwa na kunaswa na tamaa zake mbaya.
15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.
Tamaa ikiiva huzaa dhambi; nayo dhambi ikikomaa huzaa kifo.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
Ndugu zangu wapenzi, msidanganyike!
17 All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.
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 he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits 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 This you know, my beloved brothers. But let every person be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
Ndugu zangu wapenzi, kumbukeni jambo hili! Kila mtu na awe mwepesi wa kusikia lakini asiwe mwepesi wa kusema wala mwepesi wa kukasirika.
20 for human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.
Mwenye hasira hawezi kutimiza matakwa ya Mungu yaliyo ya haki.
21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted 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 doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
Msijidanganye wenyewe kwa kusikiliza tu neno lake, bali litekelezeni kwa vitendo.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his natural face in a mirror;
Yeyote anayesikiliza hilo neno lakini halitekelezi, huyo ni kama mtu anayejiangalia sura yake mwenyewe katika kioo.
24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
Hujiangalia mwenyewe, kisha huenda zake, na mara husahau jinsi alivyo.
25 But he who looks into the perfect Law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this person will be blessed in what he does.
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 anyone thinks himself to be religious while he does not control his tongue, but deceives his heart, this one's religion is worthless.
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 our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by 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.
