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?
Whence wars and whence fightings among you? are they not from hence—due to your pleasures which are taking the field in your 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.
Ye covet—and have not, ye commit murder, and are jealous—and cannot obtain, —ye fight and war. Ye have not—because ye do not really ask,
3 Ne miebia la, miaƒe asi mesua edzi o, elabe miebia kple susu vɔ̃ɖi, miebia nu siwo miawɔ yakayaka na mía ɖokuiwo.
Ye ask and receive not, because that, basely, ye ask, in order that, in your pleasures, ye may spend [it].
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.
Adulteresses! Know ye not that, the friendship of the world, is, enmity to God? Whosoever, therefore, is minded to be, a friend, of the world, an enemy of God, doth constitute himself.
5 Alo ɖe miesusu be dzodzroe mawunya gblɔ be gbɔgbɔ si wòde mía me la ʋãa ŋu veviea?
Or think ye that, in vain, the scripture speaketh? Is it, for envying, that the spirit which hath taken an abode within us doth crave?
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.”
Howbeit he giveth, greater, favour. Wherefore it saith—God, against the haughty, arrayeth himself, Whereas, unto the lowly, he giveth favour.
7 Eya ta mibɔbɔ mia ɖokuiwo ɖe Mawu te. Mitsi tsitre sesĩe ɖe Abosam ŋuti, ekema asi le mia nu.
Range yourselves, therefore, under God, but withstand the adversary, 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 unto God, and he will draw near unto you. Cleanse hands, sinners! Chasten hearts, double souls!
9 Milé blanui, mifa konyi, eye mifa avi. Mina miaƒe nukoko nazu konyifafa, eye miaƒe dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ nazu blanuiléle.
Be miserable and lament and weep, let, your laughter, into lamentation, be turned, and, your joy, into dejection;
10 Mibɔbɔ mia ɖokui na Aƒetɔ la, ekema ado mi ɖe dzi.
Be made low in presence of the Lord, and he will lift 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.
Be not speaking one against another, brethren! He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against law, and judgeth law; Now, if, upon law, thou art passing judgment, thou art not a doer of 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?
One, is Lawgiver and Judge—He who hath power to save and to destroy; but who art, thou, that judgest thy neighbour?
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.”
Come now! ye that say—Today or To-morrow, we will journey unto this city here, and will spend there a year, and will trade and get gain, —
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.
Men who are not versed in the morrow—of what sort your life [will be]; for ye are, a vapour—for a little, appearing, then, just disappearing!
15 Ke boŋ migblɔ be, “Nenye Aƒetɔ la ƒe lɔlɔ̃nu la, míanɔ agbe, eye míawɔ nu si kple ekemɛ.”
Instead of your saying—If, the Lord, be pleased, we shall both, live and do this or that;
16 Ke nu si miewɔna la nye dada kple ɖokuidodoɖedzi ƒuƒlu. Adegbeƒoƒo siawo tɔgbi katã nye nu vɔ̃,
Whereas, now, are ye boasting in your pretensions: —All boasting like this, is, wicked,
17 eya ta ne ame aɖe nya nu nyui si wòle be wòawɔ, gake mewɔe o la, ewɔ nu vɔ̃.
To him, therefore, who knoweth how to be doing, a right thing, and is not doing it, it is, sin, unto him.
