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.
My brothers, not many of you should become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter 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.
Because we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, being able to bridle the whole body as well.
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.
Consider, we put bits in horses' mouths for them to obey us, and we guide their whole body.
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.
Consider also the ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the pilot may desire.
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.
So also the tongue is a small member and boasts great things. Just look at how great a forest a little fire can kindle!
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 a fire! The organization of wickedness, that is how the tongue is placed among our members, defiling the whole body and setting on fire the course of life, itself being set on fire by hell. (Geenna g1067)
7 Amegbetɔ ate ŋu amla lã ɖe sia ɖe ƒomevi, xeviwo, nutatawo kple tɔmelãwo siaa,
Every kind of animal and bird, reptile and sea creature, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race,
8 gake ame aɖeke mate ŋu amla ame ƒe aɖe o. Enye aɖi vɔ̃ɖi si dzi womate ŋu aɖu o.
but no one among men is able to tame the tongue—an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly 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.
With it we bless God and Father, and with it we curse the people who have been made in God's likeness.
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 proceed blessings and curses. My brothers, these things should not be that way.
11 Ɖe vudo ɖeka ate ŋu adzi tsi vivi kple dzetsia?
A spring does not send out sweet and bitter water from the same opening, does it?
12 Nɔvinyewo, ɖe gboti ate ŋu atse amikutsetsewo alo wainka ate ŋu atse gbowoa? Gbeɖe, dzetsivudo hã mate ŋu adzi tsi vivi o.
Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grape vine figs? Thus no spring yields salt water and sweet.
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 exhibit his works in the meekness of wisdom, by his good way of life.
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 you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, 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,
such ‘wisdom’ is not coming down from Above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
16 elabena afi si ŋuʋaʋã kple ɖokuitɔdidi vivivo le la, afi ma masɔmasɔ kple nu vlo ɖe sia ɖe wɔwɔ nɔna.
Because where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is unruliness and every foul practice.
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.
In contrast, the wisdom from Above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
18 Ŋutifafame siwo ƒãa ŋutifafa la, xaa dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe kutsetse.
Now the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those making peace.
