UJakhobe 2
1 Bazalwane bami, njengabakholwayo eNkosini yethu elenkazimulo uJesu Khristu, lingabandlululi.
My brethren, you must not make distinctions between one man and another while you are striving to maintain faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our glory.
2 Kasithi umuntu ufika emhlanganweni wenu egqize indandatho yegolide, egqoke lezigqoko ezinhle, besekungena umyanga egqoke izigqoko ezinithizelayo.
For suppose a man comes into one of your meetings wearing gold rings and fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man wearing shabby clothes,
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 pay court to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say, "Sit here; this is a good place;" while to the poor man you say, "Stand there, or sit on the floor at my feet;"
4 Kambe kalibandlululanga njalo laba ngabahluleli abalemicabango emibi na?
is it not plain that in your hearts you have little faith, seeing that you have become judges full of wrong thoughts?
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 dearly-loved brethren. Has not God chosen those whom the world regards as poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He has promised to those that love Him?
6 Kodwa lina libathukile abayanga. Abanothileyo akusibo yini abadinga inzuzo ngani? Akusibo yini abalihudulela emithethwandaba?
But you have put dishonour upon the poor man. Yet is it not the rich who grind you down? Are not they the very people who drag you into the Law courts? --
7 Akusibo yini abahlambaza ibizo lobukhosi elalowo lina elingabakhe na?
and the very people who speak evil of the noble Name by which you are called?
8 Nxa liwugcina sibili umthetho wobukhosi otholakala eMbhalweni othi, “Thanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda,” lenza okulungileyo.
If, however, you are keeping the Law as supreme, in obedience to the Commandment which says "You are to love your fellow man just as you love yourself," you are acting rightly.
9 Kodwa nxa libandlulula lenza isono njalo lilahlwa ngumthetho njengabephuli bomthetho.
But if you are making distinctions between one man and another, you are guilty of sin, and are convicted by the Law as offenders.
10 Ngoba loba ngubani ogcina umthetho wonke, kodwa akhubeke endaweni eyodwa, ulecala lokuwephula wonke.
A man who has kept the Law as a whole, but has failed to keep some one command, has become guilty of violating all.
11 Ngoba yena owathi, “Ungafebi,” wathi futhi, “Ungabulali.” Nxa ungafebi, kodwa ubulala, usube yisaphulamthetho.
For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder," and if you are a murderer, although not an adulterer, you have become an offender against the Law.
12 Khulumani njalo lenze njengalabo abazakwahlulelwa ngumthetho onika ukukhululeka,
Speak and act as those should who are expecting to be judged by the Law of freedom.
13 ngoba ukwahlulela okungelasihawu kuzakuba kulowo obengelasihawu. Isihawu sinqoba ukwahlulela!
For he who shows no mercy will have judgement given against him without mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgement.
14 Kusizani bazalwane bami, nxa umuntu esithi ulokholo kodwa engelazenzo? Ukholo olunjalo lungamsindisa na?
What good is it, my brethren, if a man professes to have faith, and yet his actions do not correspond? Can such faith save him?
15 Kasithi umfowenu loba udadewenu kalazigqoko lokudla kwansukuzonke.
Suppose a Christian brother or sister is poorly clad or lacks 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 one of you says to them, "I wish you well; keep yourselves warm and well fed," and yet you do not give them what they need; what is the use of that?
17 Ngokunjalo, ukukholwa nje kuphela, nxa kungelamisebenzi kufile.
So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it--so long as it stands alone.
18 Kodwa omunye uzakuthi, “Wena ulokukholwa; mina ngilezenzo.” Ngitshengisa ukukholwa kwakho kungelazenzo, njalo mina ngizakutshengisa ukukholwa kwami ngalokho engikwenzayo.
Nay, some one will say, "You have faith, I have actions: prove to me your faith apart from corresponding actions and I will prove mine to you by my actions.
19 Uyakholwa ukuthi kuloNkulunkulu oyedwa. Kulungile! Lamadimoni ayakukholwa lokhu njalo ayathuthumela.
You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder."
20 Wena ndoda eyisiwula, ufuna ubufakazi bokuthi ukukholwa okungelamisebenzi kuyize na?
But, idle boaster, are you willing to be taught how it is that faith apart from obedience is worthless? Take the case of Abraham our forefather.
21 Kanje ukhokho wethu u-Abhrahama kabalwanga njengolungileyo ngenxa yalokhu akwenzayo lapho anikela indodana yakhe u-Isaka e-alithareni na?
Was it, or was it not, because of his actions that he was declared to be righteous as the result of his having offered up his son Isaac upon the altar?
22 Liyabona ukuthi ukukholwa kwakhe lezenzo zakhe kwakusebenza ndawonye, njalo ukukholwa kwakhe kwapheleliswa yilokho akwenzayo.
You notice that his faith was co-operating with his actions, and that by his actions his faith was perfected;
23 Njalo umbhalo wagcwaliseka othi, “U-Abhrahama wakholwa uNkulunkulu, njalo kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga,” njalo wabizwa ngokuthi ngumngane kaNkulunkulu.
and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness," and he received the name of 'God's friend.'
24 Liyabona ukuthi umuntu ulungiswa yilokho akwenzayo hatshi ngokukholwa kuphela.
You all see that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not simply because of faith.
25 Ngokunjalo, loRahabi isifebe konje kabalwanga njengolungileyo ngalokho akwenzayo lapho anika inhloli indawo yokulala wabuya wazikhupha ngenye indlela na?
In the same way also was not the notorious sinner Rahab declared to be righteous because of her actions when she welcomed the spies and hurriedly helped them to escape another way?
26 Njengoba umzimba ongelamoya ufile, ngokunjalo ukukholwa okungelamisebenzi kufile.
For just as a human body without a spirit is lifeless, so also faith is lifeless if it is unaccompanied by obedience.
