James 1
1 [I], James, am a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [I am writing this letter] to [all] the Jewish people [who trust in Christ] (OR, to all God’s people) who are scattered throughout the world. [I send my] greetings to [you all].
Saa krataa yi fi me Yakobo a meyɛ Onyankopɔn ne Awurade Yesu Kristo somfo nkyɛn, Mikyia mmusuakuw dumien a wɔahwete no nyinaa.
2 My fellow believers, rejoice greatly, [even] when you experience various kinds of difficulties/troubles.
Anuanom, sɛ sɔhwɛ bi ba mo akwan mu a, momma mo ani nnye
3 [God sometimes allows you to experience difficulties in order to] test whether or not you will continue to trust [him. Whenever that happens, you need to] realize more and more that [if you continue to trust him], you will be able to bravely/patiently endure difficulties.
efisɛ sɛ mo gyidi tumi gyina sɔhwɛ no ano a, ɛno ansa na munya ntoboase.
4 Keep on enduring difficulties [bravely/patiently by trusting God more and more firmly] [PRS], in order that you may become all that he intends you to be [DOU] (OR, [spiritually] mature and complete), not lacking (any [good quality/anything you need to conduct your lives as God wants you to]).
Momma ntoboase no ntena mo mu daa nyinaa sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a mobɛyɛ pɛ a biribiara ho renhia mo.
5 If anyone of you does not know how to act wisely [in order to endure difficulties/trials well], he should ask God [to show him what he should do, because] God wholeheartedly/gladly helps all people [who ask] and does not scold [anyone for asking. Those who ask], God will give them wisdom to know [what they should do].
Sɛ nyansa ho hia mo mu bi a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbɔ mpae srɛ Onyankopɔn na ɔbɛma no bi, efisɛ Onyankopɔn fi ayamye ne adom mu ma obiara nea ehia no no kwa.
6 But [when you] ask [God], you should firmly trust him. You should not doubt [that he wants to help you always], because people who keep doubting God are [unstable/changeable] [SIM] like a wave of the sea that is blown back and forth by the wind {that goes back and forth when the wind blows} [DOU, SIM].
Na sɛ worebɔ mpae a, ɛsɛ sɛ wugye di a wunnye ho akyinnye. Obiara a ogye akyinnye no te sɛ po asorɔkye a mframa bɔ no kɔ baabiara a ɛpɛ.
7 Indeed, people [who doubt] should not think that the Lord [God] will do anything [that they request him to do],
Ɛnsɛ sɛ saa onipa no susuw sɛ obenya biribiara afi Awurade nkyɛn;
8 [because they are] people who cannot decide [whether they will commit themselves to God, and they are] unstable/undecided in everything that they do.
nʼadwene yɛ no ntanta a ontumi nsi biribiara pi.
9 Believers who are poor should be happy [that God] considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them [spiritually]) [MTY].
Sɛ Onyankopɔn ma onua hiani so a, ɛsɛ sɛ nʼani gye,
10 And [believers] who are rich should be happy [that] they have humbled themselves [in order to trust in Jesus Christ] (OR, but rich people [can only] take pride [in the fact that God] will humble them [when he judges everyone] [IRO]), because they [and their riches] [MTY] will pass away, just like wild flowers [wither] [SIM].
na adefo a wabrɛ wɔn ase no nso saa ara. Efisɛ, adefo no twam kɔ sɛ wuram afifide bi.
11 When the sun rises, the scorching hot wind dries plants, and their flowers fall and are no longer beautiful. Similarly, rich people will die [MET] while they are busy working, [leaving behind their riches].
Owia pue de ne hyew no hyew afifide no ma nʼahoɔfɛ sɛe. Saa ara na wɔbɛsɛe adefo no wɔ bere a wogu so redi wɔn nnwuma no.
12 [God] is pleased with people who bravely/patiently endure difficulties. And when, [by bravely enduring difficulties], they have proved [that they truly trust him], he will give them [eternal] life. That is the reward [MET] that he has promised to give to those who love him.
Nhyira nka onipa a onya gyidi wɔ amanehunu mu, efisɛ ɔno na obenya akyɛde a Onyankopɔn ahyɛ ho bɔ ama wɔn a wɔdɔ no no.
13 If people are tempted to do something that is evil, they should not think that it is God who is tempting them, because [God is totally/completely good]. He never tempts anyone [to do what is evil], nor can he ever be tempted to [do anything] evil.
Sɛ wɔsɔ obi hwɛ a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔka se, “Saa sɔhwɛ yi fi Onyankopɔn.” Efisɛ bɔne rentumi nsɔ Onyankopɔn nhwɛ, na ɔno Onyankopɔn nso nsɔ obi nhwɛ.
14 But people strongly desire to do evil [PRS] things, [and as a result] they are tempted by those desires {those desires stimulate them} to do something evil [PRS, DOU].
Na sɛ onipa twe ne ho na ɔno ara nʼakɔnnɔ yi no a, na ayɛ sɔhwɛ ama no.
15 Then, [because] they have desired [MET] to do evil [PRS] things, they begin to [MET] do [PRS] them. And when they have become ones who [habitually] do what is evil [MET], [if they do not turn away from their sinful behavior], they will be separated from God forever.
Na sɛ akɔnnɔ no nyinsɛn a, ɛwo bɔne, na bɔne no nyin a ɛwo owu.
16 My fellow believers whom I love, stop deceiving yourselves, [thinking that God does evil things].
Me nuanom adɔfo, mommma wɔnnnaadaa mo.
17 [The truth is that God], our heavenly Father [MTY], does only good [DOU] things [for us, in order to help us become] all that he intends us to be. He is not like all the things [in the sky] that he created to give light, [because they] change; [that is, they do not shine the same all the time]. But God never changes. [He is always good].
Akyɛde pa ne akyɛde a ɛyɛ pɛ nyinaa fi ɔsoro; efi Onyankopɔn a ɔbɔɔ ɔsoro hann no nkyɛn na ɛba. Ɔno na ɔnsesa sɛ sunsuma.
18 [And because] he wanted [to help us], he gave us [spiritual] life as a result of our [trusting in his] true message. So now we have become the first ones of [all the people] [MET] that he created [to] ([be totally dedicated to/completely belong to]) [him].
Ofi ne pɛ mu nam nokware a ɛwɔ asɛm no mu no so woo yɛn sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, yebedi kan wɔ abɔde nyinaa mu.
19 My fellow believers whom I love, you know (OR, I want you to now) that every one of you should be eager to pay attention to [God’s true message]. Don’t speak [without thinking], nor get angry easily,
Me nuanom adɔfo, monhyɛ eyinom nsow: monyɛ ntɛm ntie, monyɛ nyaa nkasa na monyɛ nyaa mfa abufuw;
20 because when any one [of you gets] angry, you will not be doing the righteous things that God [wants] you [to do].
efisɛ onipa abufuw no mma onnya Onyankopɔn trenee no.
21 So stop doing all kinds of evil [DOU] things, and humbly obey (OR, submit to) the message that [God] put in your (inner beings/hearts), [because] he is able to save you [SYN] [if you accept his message].
Ɛno nti, montwe mo ho mfi afide ne atirimɔden ho. Momfa mo ho mma Onyankopɔn na munnye asɛm a odua wɔ mo koma mu a ebegye mo nkwa no.
22 Do [what God commands in] his message. Do not only listen [to it, because people who only listen to it and do not obey it] are wrong when they think [that God will save them].
Munntie asɛm no sɛ atiefo kwa nsisi mo ho, na mmom monyɛ asɛm no yɛfo.
23 Some people hear God’s message but do not do [what it says] [MET]. They are like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [SIM].
Obiara a otie asɛm no na ɔmfa nni dwuma no te sɛ obi a ɔhwɛ ahwehwɛ mu, na ohu sɛnea ɔte.
24 Although he looks at himself, he goes away [from the mirror] and immediately forgets what he looks like.
Ɔhwɛ ne ho wɔ ahwehwɛ no mu hu ne ho yiye na sɛ ofi ahwehwɛ no anim ara pɛ a, ne werɛ fi nea ohuu no nyinaa.
25 But other people look closely at [God’s] message, which is perfect and which sets people free [to voluntarily do what God wants them to do]. And if they continue [to examine God’s message] and do not just hear it and then forget it, but do [what God tells them to do], God will bless them because of what they do.
Nanso obiara a ɔhwɛ mmara a ɛyɛ pɛ, na ɛma onipa de ne ho no mu yiye, na odi so, na otie, na ne werɛ mfi, na ɔde di dwuma no, Onyankopɔn behyira saa onipa no wɔ biribiara a ɔyɛ mu.
26 Some people think that they worship God in the right way, but they habitually say evil things [MTY]. Those people are wrong in thinking [SYN] [that they worship God rightly]. The fact is [that they] worship God (in vain/uselessly).
Sɛ obi susuw sɛ ɔyɛ Onyamesomni na wanto ne tɛkrɛma nnareka a, ne nyamesom no so nni mfaso na ɔdaadaa ne ho nso.
27 [One of the things that God has told us to do] is to take care of orphans and widows who suffer hardship. [Those who do that and] who do not think or act immorally like those who do not obey God [MTY] truly [DOU] worship God, [who is our] Father, and God approves of them.
Nea Agya Onyankopɔn fa no sɛ ɛyɛ onyamesom pa no ni: Ɔhwɛ nyisaa ne akunafo wɔ wɔn ahohia mu, na oyi ne ho fi wiase porɔwee ho.
