Yakobo 4

1 Nu kae hea avuwɔwɔ kple dzrewɔwɔ vaa mia dome? Ɖe menye miaƒe dzimedidi siwo le aʋa wɔm le mia me lae oa?

Where do the conflicts and quarrels that go on among you come from? Do they not come from your passions which are always making war among your bodily members?

2 Miedia nu, gake miekpɔnɛ o, miewua ame, xɔa eƒe nuwo, gake nu si dim miele la masu mia si o. Miewɔa dzre, eye miewɔa avu hã, gake nuawo mesua mia si o, elabena miebiaa Mawu o.

You continually crave and do not obtain; you are killing and coveting and cannot acquire; you are fighting and at war. You do not have, because you do not ask.

3 Ne miebia la, miaƒe asi mesua edzi o, elabe miebia kple susu vɔ̃ɖi, miebia nu siwo miawɔ yakayaka na mía ɖokuiwo.

You continue to ask and do not receive, because you are asking with a wrong purpose, in order to spend it upon your pleasures.

4 Mi ahasiwɔlawo! Ɖe mienya be ne miedze xɔlɔ̃ xexea me la, ekema mielé fu Mawu oa? Ame sia ame si dze xɔlɔ̃ xexea me la nye Mawu ƒe futɔ.

You adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity to God? Whoever, then, desires to be a friend of the world, makes himself and enemy of God.

5 Alo ɖe miesusu be dzodzroe mawunya gblɔ be gbɔgbɔ si wòde mía me la ʋãa ŋu veviea?

Or do you suppose that it is in vain that the Scripture says, "The spirit which has its home in us yearns over us unto jealousy?"

6 Ke ena amenuveve geɖe mí. Esia ta mawunya gblɔ be, “Mawu tsia tsitre ɖe dadalawo ŋu, ke evea ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokui la nu.”

But he gives more and more grace. therefore it is said, God ever resists the proud; but to the humble he gives grace continually.

7 Eya ta mibɔbɔ mia ɖokuiwo ɖe Mawu te. Mitsi tsitre sesĩe ɖe Abosam ŋuti, ekema asi le mia nu.

So then ever be subject to God, Ever resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 Mite ɖe Mawu ŋu kpokploe, eye eya hã atsɔ ɖe mia gbɔ. Mi, nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo, miklɔ miaƒe asiwo, eye mi ame siwo nye dzi eve me susulawo la, miklɔ miaƒe dziwo me.

Draw near to God And he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, And purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Milé blanui, mifa konyi, eye mifa avi. Mina miaƒe nukoko nazu konyifafa, eye miaƒe dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ nazu blanuiléle.

Lament and mourn, and weep aloud! Let your laughter be turned into mourning, And your joy into gloom!

10 Mibɔbɔ mia ɖokui na Aƒetɔ la, ekema ado mi ɖe dzi.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, And he will raise you up.

11 Nɔviwo, migagblẽ mia nɔewo ŋu o, ame si gblẽ nɔvia ŋu alo drɔ̃ ʋɔnui la tsi tsitre ɖe se la ŋu hedrɔ̃ ʋɔnui. Ne èdrɔ̃ ʋɔnu se la la, mèle edzi wɔm o, ke boŋ ènɔ ʋɔnudrɔ̃zikpui dzi hele ʋɔnu drɔ̃m se la.

Do not be talking against each other, brothers. He who is talking against a brother and condemning his brothers is talking against the Law and condemning the Law. But if you are condemning the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge.

12 Senala kple ʋɔnudrɔ̃la ɖeka koe li, ame si tea ŋu ɖea ame, eye wotsrɔ̃a ame hã. Ke wò la, ame ka nènye be nàdrɔ̃ ʋɔnu hawòvi?

But One is your Lawgiver and Judge - he who is able to save and to destroy. But you, who are you, to be condemning your neighbor?

13 Azɔ la, miɖo to nyuie, mi ame siwo le gbɔgblɔm be, “Egbe alo etsɔ míayi du si alo ekemɛ me, anɔ anyi ƒe ɖeka, atsa asi, eye míakpɔ ga.”

Go to now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we shall journey to such a city and spend a year there, and trade and make money,"

14 Nu ka ta? Elabena mienya nu si ava adzɔ etsɔ si gbɔna la gɔ̃ hã o. Nu ka miaƒe agbe nye? Miele abe afu si dona ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe, eye wògabuna la ene.

when all the time you do not know what will happen on the morrow. For what is your life? You are but a mist, appearing for a brief time, and then vanishing.

15 Ke boŋ migblɔ be, “Nenye Aƒetɔ la ƒe lɔlɔ̃nu la, míanɔ agbe, eye míawɔ nu si kple ekemɛ.”

You ought instead to say, "If the Lord wills it, we shall live and do this or that."

16 Ke nu si miewɔna la nye dada kple ɖokuidodoɖedzi ƒuƒlu. Adegbeƒoƒo siawo tɔgbi katã nye nu vɔ̃,

But now you are glorying in these insolent boastings of yours; all such glorying is evil.

17 eya ta ne ame aɖe nya nu nyui si wòle be wòawɔ, gake mewɔe o la, ewɔ nu vɔ̃.

So to him who knows how to do right and does not do it, to him it is sin.