UJakhobe 2
1 Bazalwane bami, njengabakholwayo eNkosini yethu elenkazimulo uJesu Khristu, lingabandlululi.
My brothers, do not hold the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in favor by appearance,
2 Kasithi umuntu ufika emhlanganweni wenu egqize indandatho yegolide, egqoke lezigqoko ezinhle, besekungena umyanga egqoke izigqoko ezinithizelayo.
for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in radiant clothing, and there may also come in a poor man in vile clothing,
3 Nxa limnaka kakhulu lowo ogqoke izigqoko ezinhle lithi kuye, “Nansi isihlalo esingcono,” kodwa kongumyanga lithi, “Wena mana laphayana,” kumbe lithi, “Hlala phansi eduze kwezinyawo zami,”
and you may look on him bearing the radiant clothing, and may say to him, “You—sit here well,” and may say to the poor man, “You—stand there,” or, “Sit here under my footstool,”
4 Kambe kalibandlululanga njalo laba ngabahluleli abalemicabango emibi na?
you did not judge fully in yourselves, and became ill-reasoning judges.
5 Lalelani, bazalwane bami abathandekayo: Kanti uNkulunkulu kabakhethanga yini labo abangabayanga emehlweni omhlaba ukuba babengabanothileyo ekukholweni kanye lokudla ilifa lombuso awuthembisa labo abamthandayo na?
Listen, my beloved brothers, did God not choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that He promised to those loving Him?
6 Kodwa lina libathukile abayanga. Abanothileyo akusibo yini abadinga inzuzo ngani? Akusibo yini abalihudulela emithethwandaba?
But you dishonored the poor one. Do the rich not oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats?
7 Akusibo yini abahlambaza ibizo lobukhosi elalowo lina elingabakhe na?
Do they not themselves speak evil of the good Name having been called on you?
8 Nxa liwugcina sibili umthetho wobukhosi otholakala eMbhalweni othi, “Thanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda,” lenza okulungileyo.
If, indeed, you fulfill royal law, according to the Writing: “You will love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
9 Kodwa nxa libandlulula lenza isono njalo lilahlwa ngumthetho njengabephuli bomthetho.
but if you favor by appearance, you work sin, being convicted by the Law as transgressors;
10 Ngoba loba ngubani ogcina umthetho wonke, kodwa akhubeke endaweni eyodwa, ulecala lokuwephula wonke.
for whoever will keep the whole Law, but will stumble in one [point], he has become guilty of all;
11 Ngoba yena owathi, “Ungafebi,” wathi futhi, “Ungabulali.” Nxa ungafebi, kodwa ubulala, usube yisaphulamthetho.
for He who is saying, “You may not commit adultery,” also said, “You may not murder”; but if you will not commit adultery, but will commit murder, you have become a transgressor of law;
12 Khulumani njalo lenze njengalabo abazakwahlulelwa ngumthetho onika ukukhululeka,
thus, speak and so act as [one] about to be judged by a law of liberty,
13 ngoba ukwahlulela okungelasihawu kuzakuba kulowo obengelasihawu. Isihawu sinqoba ukwahlulela!
for the judgment without mercy [is] to him having not done mercy, and mercy exults over judgment.
14 Kusizani bazalwane bami, nxa umuntu esithi ulokholo kodwa engelazenzo? Ukholo olunjalo lungamsindisa na?
What [is] the profit, my brothers, if anyone may speak of having faith, but he may not have works? Is that faith able to save him?
15 Kasithi umfowenu loba udadewenu kalazigqoko lokudla kwansukuzonke.
And if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of daily food,
16 Nxa omunye wenu esithi kuye, “Hamba, ngikufisela okuhle; hlala ufudumala njalo usutha,” kodwa angenzi lutho ngalezi zinswelo zakhe zomzimba, kusizani na?
and anyone of you may say to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed, and be filled,” but may not give to them the things necessary for the body, what [is] the profit?
17 Ngokunjalo, ukukholwa nje kuphela, nxa kungelamisebenzi kufile.
So also faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
18 Kodwa omunye uzakuthi, “Wena ulokukholwa; mina ngilezenzo.” Ngitshengisa ukukholwa kwakho kungelazenzo, njalo mina ngizakutshengisa ukukholwa kwami ngalokho engikwenzayo.
But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith out of works.
19 Uyakholwa ukuthi kuloNkulunkulu oyedwa. Kulungile! Lamadimoni ayakukholwa lokhu njalo ayathuthumela.
You believe that God is one; you do well! The demons also believe—and shudder!
20 Wena ndoda eyisiwula, ufuna ubufakazi bokuthi ukukholwa okungelamisebenzi kuyize na?
And do you wish to know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
21 Kanje ukhokho wethu u-Abhrahama kabalwanga njengolungileyo ngenxa yalokhu akwenzayo lapho anikela indodana yakhe u-Isaka e-alithareni na?
Was not our father Abraham considered righteous out of works, having brought up his son Isaac on the altar?
22 Liyabona ukuthi ukukholwa kwakhe lezenzo zakhe kwakusebenza ndawonye, njalo ukukholwa kwakhe kwapheleliswa yilokho akwenzayo.
Do you see that faith was working with his works, and faith was perfected out of the works?
23 Njalo umbhalo wagcwaliseka othi, “U-Abhrahama wakholwa uNkulunkulu, njalo kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga,” njalo wabizwa ngokuthi ngumngane kaNkulunkulu.
And the Writing was fulfilled that is saying, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness”; and, “Friend of God” he was called.
24 Liyabona ukuthi umuntu ulungiswa yilokho akwenzayo hatshi ngokukholwa kuphela.
You see, then, that man is considered righteous out of works, and not out of faith only;
25 Ngokunjalo, loRahabi isifebe konje kabalwanga njengolungileyo ngalokho akwenzayo lapho anika inhloli indawo yokulala wabuya wazikhupha ngenye indlela na?
and in like manner also Rahab the prostitute—was she not considered righteous out of works, having received the messengers, and having sent [them] forth by another way?
26 Njengoba umzimba ongelamoya ufile, ngokunjalo ukukholwa okungelamisebenzi kufile.
For as the body apart from [the] spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from works is dead.
