Yakobo 2
1 Nɔvinye lɔlɔ̃awo, abe ame si xɔ míaƒe ŋutikɔkɔe ƒe Aƒetɔ, Yesu Kristo dzi se ene la, migakpɔ ame ŋkume o.
My brethren, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [Lord] of glory, with respect of persons:
2 Mítsɔe be ame aɖe va míaƒe ƒuƒoƒe, eye wòde sikasigɛ nyuitɔ, heta avɔ xɔasi, eye ame dahe si do awu vuvu hã ge ɖe sɔlemexɔa me.
for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel,
3 Ne mietsɔ bubu tɔxɛ na ame si do awu xɔasi hegblɔ nɛ be, “Va nɔ teƒe nyui sia,” gake miegblɔ na ame dahe la be, “Wò ya nɔ tsitre ɖe afi ma” alo “Nɔ anyigba le nye afɔ nu” la,
and ye look upon him who wears the splendid apparel, and say, Do thou sit here well, and say to the poor, Do thou stand there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 ɖe miede vovototo ameawo me le mia dome, eye miezu ʋɔnudrɔ̃la siwo me susu vɔ̃ɖiwo le o mahã?
have ye not made a difference among yourselves, and become judges having evil thoughts?
5 Nɔvinye lɔlɔ̃awo, miɖo tom: Ɖe Mawu metia ame siwo xexemetɔwo buna be wonye ame dahewo la be woanye kesinɔtɔwo le xɔse me, eye be woanyi fiaɖuƒe si ŋugbe wòdo na ame siwo lɔ̃nɛ la ƒe dome o mahã?
Hear, my beloved brethren: Has not God chosen the poor as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him?
6 Ke miawo la, miedoa vlo ame dahewo. Ɖe menye kesinɔtɔwoe le mia bam oa? Alo menye woawo kee hea mi yia ʋɔnudrɔ̃ƒewo o mahã?
But ye have despised the poor [man]. Do not the rich oppress you, and [do not] they drag you before [the] tribunals?
7 Ɖe menye woawoe le ɖi ƒom ame si ŋu bubuŋkɔ le, ame si tɔ mienye la oa?
And [do not] they blaspheme the excellent name which has been called upon you?
8 Ne mielé sedede si le mawunya me, esi gblɔ be, “Lɔ̃ hawòvi abe wò ŋutɔ ɖokuiwò ene” ɖe asi la, miele nu dzɔdzɔetɔ wɔm.
If indeed ye keep [the] royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.
9 Ke ne miele ame ŋkume kpɔm la, miewɔ nu vɔ̃, eye se la bu fɔ mi be mienye sedzidalawo.
But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 Ame si wɔa Mawu ƒe sewo katã dzi, gake wòda le ɖeka pɛ dzi la, eda le wo katã dzi,
For whoever shall keep the whole law and shall offend in one [point], he has come under the guilt of [breaking] all.
11 elabena ame si de se be, “Mègawɔ ahasi o” la, eya kee de se be, “Mègawu ame o.” Eya ta ne mèwɔ ahasi o, gake nèwu ame la, ènye sedzidala.
For he who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become transgressor of [the] law.
12 Miaƒe nuƒo kple agbenɔnɔ naɖee fia be wole ʋɔnu drɔ̃ ge mi kple se si naa ablɔɖe.
So speak ye, and so act, as those that are to be judged by [the] law of liberty;
13 Elabena ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃ si me nublanuikpɔkpɔ mele o la woatsɔ na ame si mekpɔa nublanui o. Nublanuikpɔkpɔ ɖua ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃ dzi.
for judgment [will be] without mercy to him that has shewn no mercy. Mercy glories over judgment.
14 Nɔvinye lɔlɔ̃awo, viɖe ka wòanye ne ame aɖe gblɔ be xɔse le ye si, evɔ la, dɔwɔwɔ mekpe ɖe eŋu o? Ɖe xɔse sia tɔgbi ate ŋu aɖeea?
What [is] the profit, my brethren, if any one say he have faith, but have not works? can faith save him?
15 Mítsɔe be nɔviŋutsu alo nɔvinyɔnu aɖe li, esi si avɔ kple gbe sia gbe ƒe nuɖuɖu mele o.
Now if a brother or a sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 Ne mia dometɔ aɖe agblɔ nɛ be, “Heyi le ŋutifafa me, naƒu dzo, eye nàɖi ƒo nyuie,” evɔ mehewɔ naneke le eƒe ŋutilãmehiahiãwo ŋuti o la, viɖe kae wònye?
and one from amongst you say to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled; but give not to them the needful things for the body, what [is] the profit?
17 Nenema kee nye xɔse ŋutɔ hã. Ne dɔwɔwɔ mekpe ɖe eŋu o la, enye nu kuku.
So also faith, if it have not works, is dead by itself.
18 Ke ame aɖe agblɔ dzideƒotɔe be, “Wò la, xɔse le asiwò, ke nye la, dɔwɔwɔwo le asinye.” Fia wò xɔse si ŋu dɔwɔwɔwo mekpe ɖo o lam, eye nye hã maɖe nye xɔse afia wò to dɔ siwo mewɔna la me.
But some one will say, Thou hast faith and I have works. Shew me thy faith without works, and I from my works will shew thee my faith.
19 Èxɔe se be Mawu ɖeka koe li. Enyo, gake gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo hã xɔe se nenema, eye wodzona nyanyanya kple vɔvɔ̃.
Thou believest that God is one. Thou doest well. The demons even believe, and tremble.
20 Wò bometsila, ɖe nèle kakaɖedzi dim hafi anya be xɔse dɔwɔwɔ manɔmee nye xɔse kukua?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Ɖe womebu mía tɔgbui Abraham be enye dzɔdzɔetɔ le nu si wòwɔ, esi wòtsɔ via Isak be yeasa vɔe na Mawu oa?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Edze ƒãa be xɔse wɔ dɔ kpe ɖe eƒe dɔwɔwɔwo ŋu, ale be eƒe xɔse de blibo to nu si wòwɔ la me.
Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and that by works faith was perfected.
23 Esia wɔ ɖe mawunya si gblɔ be, “Abraham xɔ Mawu dzi se, eye wobui dzɔdzɔenyenye nɛ” la dzi, eye woyɔe be Mawu xɔlɔ̃.
And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called Friend of God.
24 Edze ƒãa be menye ame ƒe xɔse ɖeɖe koe wotsɔna tsoa afia nɛ o, ke boŋ dɔ siwo wòwɔ hã kpena ɖe eŋu.
Ye see that a man is justified on the principle of works, and not on the principle of faith only.
25 Nenema ke, ɖe womebu Rahab gbolo la gɔ̃ hã be enye dzɔdzɔetɔ le nu si wòwɔ, esi wòɣla ŋkutsala siwo dze egbɔ, eye wòna woto mɔ bubu dzo oa?
But was not in like manner also Rahab the harlot justified on the principle of works, when she had received the messengers and put [them] forth by another way?
26 Ale si ŋutilã gbɔgbɔmanɔmee nye nu kuku la, nenema ke xɔse dɔwɔwɔ manɔmee hã nye nu kuku.
For as the body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
