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, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the 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 into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in fine apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
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 have respect to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say to him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou 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?
Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of 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?
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath 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. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Ɖe menye woawoe le ɖi ƒom ame si ŋu bubuŋkɔ le, ame si tɔ mienye la oa?
Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
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 ye fulfil 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 to persons, ye commit sin, and are 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 yet offend in one point, he is guilty of 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 that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou committest no adultery, yet if thou killest, thou art become a 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 do, as they that shall 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 he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shown no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against 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 doth it profit, my brethren, though a man saith he hath faith, and hath 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.
If a brother or 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 of you saith to them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; but ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Nenema kee nye xɔse ŋutɔ hã. Ne dɔwɔwɔ mekpe ɖe eŋu o la, enye nu kuku.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
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, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
19 Èxɔe se be Mawu ɖeka koe li. Enyo, gake gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo hã xɔe se nenema, eye wodzona nyanyanya kple vɔvɔ̃.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the demons also 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.
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
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 saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the 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 then that by works a man is justified, and not by 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?
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out 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 the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
