Yakobo 3
1 Nɔvinye lɔlɔ̃awo, mia dometɔ geɖewo megabu wo ɖokuiwo nufialawoe o, elabena mienyae be mí ame siwo nye nufialawo la, woadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu mí vevie wu ame bubuwo.
Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive greater judgment.
2 Elabena mía dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe daa vo le mɔ geɖewo nu. Ne ame aɖe medaa vo le nuƒoƒo me o la, eyae nye ame si de blibo, ale wòtea ŋu dea ga eƒe ŋutilã blibo la.
For we all often offend. If any one offend not in word, he [is] a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body too.
3 Numega sue si míedea sɔwo ƒe nu me la, eyae nana be woɖoa to mí, eye míetea ŋu trɔa lã blibo la ɖe afi sia afi.
Behold, we put the bits in the mouths of the horses, that they may obey us, and we turn round their whole bodies.
4 Mítsɔ tɔdziʋu gãwo abe kpɔɖeŋu ene. Togbɔ be wololo gãa, eye ya sesẽwo hea wo hã la, kuɖɔ sue aɖe si le ʋua gɔme lae kuɖɔɖola la zãna, tsɔna trɔa tɔdziʋu gã la ƒe mo ɖe afi sia afi si wòdi be tɔdziʋu gã la nayi la.
Behold also the ships, which are so great, and driven by violent winds, are turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pleasure of the helmsman will.
5 Nenema ke, ame ƒe aɖe nye ŋutinu sue aɖe ko, gake etea ŋu ƒoa adegbe gã. Mikpɔ ale si dzoxi sue aɖe tea ŋu tɔa dzo ave gãwoe la ɖa.
Thus also the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how little a fire, how large a wood it kindles!
6 Aɖe ŋutɔ hã nye dzo; enye xexeme vɔ̃ɖi le ŋutinuwo dome. Egblẽa ameti blibo la dome. Etɔa dzo ame ƒe agbenɔnɔ blibo la, eye mlɔeba la, wòtɔa dzo eya ŋutɔ hã le dzomavɔʋe me. (Geenna g1067)
and the tongue [is] fire, the world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set in our members, the defiler of the whole body, and which sets fire to the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell. (Geenna g1067)
7 Amegbetɔ ate ŋu amla lã ɖe sia ɖe ƒomevi, xeviwo, nutatawo kple tɔmelãwo siaa,
For every species both of beasts and of birds, both of creeping things and of sea animals, is tamed and has been tamed by the human species;
8 gake ame aɖeke mate ŋu amla ame ƒe aɖe o. Enye aɖi vɔ̃ɖi si dzi womate ŋu aɖu o.
but the tongue can no one among men tame; [it is] an unsettled evil, full of death-bringing poison.
9 Míetsɔa míaƒe aɖe kafua míaƒe Aƒetɔ kple Fofo la, eye míegatsɔa aɖe ma ke ƒoa fi dea amegbetɔ si wowɔ ɖe Mawu ƒe nɔnɔme me.
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father, and therewith curse we men made after [the] likeness of God.
10 Kafukafu kple fiƒode dona tso ame ƒe nu ɖeka ma ke me. Ke nɔvinyewo, le nyateƒe me la, mele be wòanɔ alea o.
Out of the same mouth goes forth blessing and cursing. It is not right, my brethren, that these things should be thus.
11 Ɖe vudo ɖeka ate ŋu adzi tsi vivi kple dzetsia?
Does the fountain, out of the same opening, pour forth sweet and bitter?
12 Nɔvinyewo, ɖe gboti ate ŋu atse amikutsetsewo alo wainka ate ŋu atse gbowoa? Gbeɖe, dzetsivudo hã mate ŋu adzi tsi vivi o.
Can, my brethren, a fig produce olives, or a vine figs? Neither [can] salt [water] make sweet water.
13 Ame kae nye nunyala kple nugɔmesela le mia dome? Neɖee fia to agbe nyui nɔnɔ kple dɔ siwo wòwɔ le ɖokuibɔbɔ si tsoa nunya me la me.
Who [is] wise and understanding among you; let him shew out of a good conversation his works in meekness of wisdom;
14 Ke ne míaƒe dzi yɔ fũu kple ŋuʋaʋã vɔ̃ɖi kple ɖokuitɔdidi la, esia meganye adegbe míanɔ ƒoƒom alo agbe nyateƒe la o.
but if ye have bitter emulation and strife in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
15 “Nunya” sia tɔgbi metso dziƒo o, ke boŋ etso anyigba dzi afi sia, eye wònye nu si tso Abosam gbɔ, eye eŋuti mekɔ o,
This is not the wisdom which comes down from above, but earthly, natural, devilish.
16 elabena afi si ŋuʋaʋã kple ɖokuitɔdidi vivivo le la, afi ma masɔmasɔ kple nu vlo ɖe sia ɖe wɔwɔ nɔna.
For where emulation and strife [are], there [is] disorder and every evil thing.
17 Ke nunya si tso dziƒo la, gbã la, ele dzadzɛe, eye wòlɔ̃a tomefafa. Efana na ame bubuwo, ebɔbɔa eɖokui, eye wòyɔ fũu kple nublanuikpɔkpɔ. Kpe ɖe esiawo ŋuti la, etsea ku nyuiwo, medea ame dzi o, eye wòwɔa nu si le eteƒe.
But the wisdom from above first is pure, then peaceful, gentle, yielding, full of mercy and good fruits, unquestioning, unfeigned.
18 Ŋutifafame siwo ƒãa ŋutifafa la, xaa dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe kutsetse.
But [the] fruit of righteousness in peace is sown for them that make peace.
