< UJakhobe 2 >

1 Bazalwane bami, kungeyisikho ngokubandlulula abantu libe lokholo lweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, iNkosi yenkazimulo.
My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
2 Ngoba uba kungena emhlanganweni wenu indoda elendandatho yegolide lesembatho esikhazimulayo, besekungena longumyanga olesembatho esingcolileyo,
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
3 beselinanzelela ogqoke isembatho esikhazimulayo beselisithi kuye: Wena hlala lapha kuhle; beselisithi kongumyanga: Wena mana lapho, loba: Hlala lapha ngaphansi kwesenabelo senyawo zami;
If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
4 pho, kalibandlululi phakathi kwenu, njalo laba ngabahluleli abalemicabango emibi yini?
have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Zwanini, bazalwane bami abathandekayo. UNkulunkulu kabakhethanga yini abayanga balumhlaba, benothile ekholweni, njalo bezindlalifa zombuso awuthembisayo kwabamthandayo?
Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
6 Kodwa lina libadumazile abayanga. Abanothileyo kabalicindezeli yini, njalo akusibo yini abalidonsela ekwahlulelweni?
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
7 Bona kabalihlambazi yini ibizo elihle elibizwa ngalo?
Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?
8 Uba liphelelisa umlayo wobukhosi, ngokombhaloothi: Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena, lenza kuhle;
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9 kodwa uba libandlulula abantu, lenza isono, lilahlwa ngumlayo njengabaweqayo.
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 Ngoba loba ngubani ogcina umlayo wonke, kodwa akhubeke kokukodwa, uba lecala kuyo yonke.
Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
11 Ngoba owathi: Ungafebi; wathi futhi: Ungabulali; uba-ke ungafebi, kodwa ubulala, usungumeqi womlayo.
For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Khulumani ngokunjalo lenze njalo, njengabazakwahlulelwa ngomlayo wenkululeko.
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
13 Ngoba ukwahlulelwa okungelasihawu kungokwalowo ongenzanga isihawu; njalo isihawu sizincoma kukho ukwahlulela.
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 Kusizani, bazalwane bami, uba umuntu esithi ulokholo, kodwa engelamisebenzi? Lolokholo lungamsindisa yini?
What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
15 Uba-ke umzalwane loba umzalwanekazi behambaze njalo beswela ukudla kwensuku ngensuku,
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 omunye wenu abesesithi kubo: Hambani ngokuthula, likhudumale lisuthe; kodwa lingabaniki izinto ezidingwa ngumzimba, lokho kusizani?
If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?
17 Kunjalo lokholo, uba lungelamisebenzi, lufile ngokwalo.
So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
18 Kodwa omunye uzakuthi: Wena ulokholo, mina-ke ngilemisebenzi; ngitshengisa ukholo lwakho ngaphandle kwemisebenzi yakho, lami emisebenzini yami ngizakutshengisa ukholo lwami.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
19 Wena uyakholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu munye; wenza kuhle; lamadimoni ayakholwa, njalo athuthumele.
You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 Kodwa uyathanda ukwazi yini, O siphukuphuku, ukuthi ukholo olungelamisebenzi lufile?
O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
21 UAbrahama ubaba wethu kalungisiswanga yini ngemisebenzi, esenikele indodana yakhe uIsaka phezu kwelathi?
Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 Uyabona ukuthi ukholo lwalusebenza kanye lemisebenzi yakhe, lokuthi ukholo lwapheleliswa ngemisebenzi,
You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
23 kwasekugcwaliswa umbhalo othi: LoAbrahama wakholwa uNkulunkulu, kwasekubalelwa kuye ukuthi kuyikulunga, wasebizwa ngokuthi ngumngane kaNkulunkulu.
And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
24 Ngakho-ke liyabona ukuthi umuntu uyalungisiswa ngemisebenzi, futhi kungesikuthi ngokholo kuphela.
As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
25 Ngokunjalo-ke loRahabi isifebe kalungisiswanga ngemisebenzi yini, esezemukele izithunywa, eseziphumise ngenye indlela?
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
26 Ngoba njengalokhu umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, ngokunjalo lokholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi lufile.
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

< UJakhobe 2 >