James 4
1 What causes wars and contentions among you? Is it not the cravings which are ever at war within you for various pleasures?
Ugonvi na migogoro miongoni mwenu vyatoka wapi? Haviinuki kutoka katika tamaa zenu mbaya zinazoleta vita ndani ya washirika wenu?
2 You covet things and yet cannot get them; you commit murder; you have passionate desires and yet cannot gain your end; you begin to fight and make war. You have not, because you do not pray;
Mnatamani kile msichokuwa nacho. Mnauwa na mnafukuzia kile msichoweza kuwa nacho. Mnapigana na kugombana, na bado hampati kwa sababu hamumwombi Mungu.
3 or you pray and yet do not receive, because you pray wrongly, your object being to waste what you get on some pleasure or another.
Mnaomba na hampokei kwa sababu mnaomba kwa ajili ya mambo mabaya, ili kwamba muweze kuvitumia kwa tamaa zenu mbaya.
4 You unfaithful women, do you not know that friendship with the world means enmity to God? Therefore whoever is bent on being friendly with the world makes himself an enemy to God.
Enyi wazinzi! Hamjui kwamba urafiki na ulimwengu ni uadui dhidi ya Mungu? Kwa hiyo, yeyote aamuaye kuwa rafiki wa ulimwengu hujifanya mwenyewe adui wa Mungu.
5 Or do you suppose that it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "The Spirit which He has caused to dwell in our hearts yearns jealously over us"?
Au mnadhani maandiko hayana maana yasemapo kwamba Roho aliyoweka ndani yetu ana wivu sana kwa ajili yetu?
6 But He gives more abundant grace, as is implied in His saying, "God sets Himself against the haughty, but to the lowly He gives grace."
Lakini Mungu hutoa neema zaidi, ndiyo maana maandiko husema, “Mungu humpinga mwenye kiburi, lakini humpa neema mnyenyekevu.”
7 Submit therefore to God: resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
Hivyo, jitoeni kwa Mungu. Mpingeni ibilisi na yeye atakimbia kutoka kwenu.
8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you who are half-hearted towards God.
Sogeeni karibu na Mungu, na yeye atakaribia karibu nanyi. Safisheni mikono yenu, enyi wenye dhambi, na takaseni mioyo yenu, enyi wenye nia mbili.
9 Afflict yourselves and mourn and weep aloud; let your laughter be turned into grief, and your gladness into shame.
Huzunikeni, ombolezeni, na kuria! Geuzeni kicheko chenu kuwa huzuni na furaha yenu kuwa maombolezo.
10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Jinyenyekezeni wenyewe mbele za Bwana, na atawainua juu.
11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. The man who speaks evil of a brother-man or judges his brother-man speaks evil of the Law and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are no longer one who obeys the Law, but one who judges it.
Msineneane kinyume ninyi kwa ninyi, ndugu. Mtu anenaye kinyume na ndugu yake, au kumhukumu ndugu yake, hunena kinyume na sheria na huihukumu sheria ya Mungu. Mkiihukumu sheria, hamuitii sheria, bali mnaihukumu.
12 The only real Lawgiver and Judge is He who is able to save or to destroy. Who are you to sit in judgement on your fellow man?
Ni mmoja tu ambaye ni mtoa sheria na hakimu, Mungu, yeye ambaye ana uwezo wa kuokoa na kuangamiza. Wewe ni nani ambaye unamhukumu jirani yako?
13 Come, you who say, "To-day or to-morrow we will go to this or that city, and spend a year there and carry on a successful business,"
Sikilizeni, ninyi msemao, “Leo au kesho tutakwenda katika mji huu, na kukaa mwaka huko, na kufanya biashara, na kutengeneza faida.”
14 when, all the while, you do not even know what will happen to-morrow. For what is the nature of your life? Why, it is but a mist, which appears for a short time and then is seen no more.
Ni nani ajuaye nini kitatokea kesho, na maisha yenu ni nini hasa? Kwa kuwa mnafanana kama ukungu unaotokea kwa muda mfupi na kisha hupotea.
15 Instead of that you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we shall live and do this or that."
Badala yake mngesema, “kama ni mapenzi ya Bwana, tutaishi na tutafanya hiki au kile.”
16 But, as the case stands, it is in mere self-confidence that you boast: all such boasting is evil.
Lakini sasa mnajivuna juu ya mipango yenu. Majivuno yote hayo ni uovu.
17 If, however, a man knows what it is right to do and yet does not do it, he commits a sin.
Kwahiyo, kwake yeye ajuaye kutenda mema lakini hayatendi, kwake huyo ni dhambi.
