UJakhobe 3
1 Lingabi ngabafundisi abanengi, bazalwane bami, lisazi ukuthi sizakwemukela isigwebo esikhulu.
My fellow believers, not many of you should [desire to] become teachers [of God’s truth, because] you know [that God] will judge us [(exc)], who teach others, more severely [than he will judge other people].
2 Ngoba sonke siyakhubeka ezintweni ezinengi. Uba umuntu engakhubeki elizwini, lowo uyindoda epheleleyo, elamandla okukhina lomzimba wonke.
It is true that we all in many ways do things that are wrong [MET]. But those who always [LIT] control what they say will be all that God intends/wants them to be. They will be able to control all their actions [MTY].
3 Khangela, sifaka amatomu emilonyeni yamabhiza ukuze asilalele, sibe sesiqondisa umzimba wonke wawo kwenye indlela.
[To illustrate], if we put [a small metal] bit into the mouth of a horse in order to cause the horse to obey us, we can cause the horse to turn [and go where we want it to] [MET].
4 Khangela, lemikhumbi, lanxa imikhulu kangaka njalo iqhutshwa yimimoya elamandla, iyaqondiswa kwenye indlela ngephinyana nje, lapho isifiso somtshayeli esifuna khona.
Think also about ships. [Although] a ship may be very large and [although] it can be moved by strong winds {strong winds can move it}, by [turning] a very small (rudder/steering paddle) people can direct the ship wherever they want [it to go].
5 Lunjalo lolimi luyisitho esincinyane, kanti luzincoma kakhulu. Khangela, umlilo omncinyane uyatshisa izigodo ezingakanani!
Similarly, [although] our tongues are very small, [if we do not control them], we can [harm] many people by what we proudly say [MTY]. Think [also] about how [just] a small [flame of] fire can cause a large forest (OR, a large area of brushwood) to burn.
6 Ulimi lalo lungumlilo, umhlaba wobubi; lunjalo ulimi lubekwe phakathi kwezitho zethu, lungcolisa umzimba wonke, luthungele indlela yempilo, njalo luthungelwa yisihogo. (Geenna g1067)
[Just like a fire damages a forest] [MET], when we say things that are evil, [we harm many people]. What we say [MTY] reveals that we are very evil. What we say contaminates/defiles everything that we think and do [PRS, MET]. [Just like a flame of fire easily] causes [the whole surrounding area] [MET] to burn, what we say [MTY] can cause [others] to want to do evil. It is the devil himself [MTY] who causes us to say evil things. (Geenna g1067)
7 Ngoba yonke imvelo yokubili izinyamazana lezinyoni, kokubili ezihuquzelayo lezidalwa zolwandle, iyathanjiswa njalo isithanjisiwe ngemvelo yabantu;
Indeed, although people are able to tame/control all kinds of wild animals, birds, reptiles and creatures that live in the water, and people have actually tamed/controlled them,
8 kodwa ulimi kakulamuntu ongaluthambisa; luyibubi obungelakunqotshwa, lugcwele ubuhlungu obubulalayo.
no person ([on his own/by himself]) is able to control what he says [MTY]. And when people say evil things, [it shows that] they are unstable/uncontrolled and wicked [MTY]. [As] the poison [of a snake kills people] [MTY], [we harm others] [MET] by what we say.
9 Ngalo siyabonga uNkulunkulu ngitsho uBaba, langalo siqalekisa abantu abenziwe ngesimo sikaNkulunkulu;
We use our tongue to praise God, who is our Lord and Father, but we also use our same tongue to ask God to say evil things to people. [That is very wrong]! God made people like himself, [so we should speak as respectfully to others as we speak to God].
10 emlonyeni munye kuyaphuma ukubonga lenhlamba. Lezizinto kazifanelanga, bazalwane bami, zenzeke njalo.
We praise [God], but with our same mouth we also ask for evil [things to happen to others]. My fellow believers, this should not be!
11 Kambe umthombo emlonyeni munye ungagobhoza yini okumnandi lokubabayo?
Surely bitter water and good water do not come out of the same spring! [RHQ]
12 Kambe, bazalwane bami, umkhiwa ungathela imihlwathi yini, loba ivini umkhiwa? Ngokunjalo kakulamthombo oveza amanzi alitshwayi lamnandi.
My fellow believers, a fig tree cannot [RHQ] produce olives. Nor can [RHQ] a grapevine produce figs. Neither can a salty spring produce good [water]. [Similarly, we should say only good things, and we should not say evil things] [MET].
13 Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo loqedisisayo phakathi kwenu? Katshengise imisebenzi yakhe ekuziphatheni kuhle ngobumnene benhlakanipho.
If any of you thinks [RHQ] that [you are] wise and know a lot, you should always act in a good way to show people that your good actions are the result of your [being truly] wise. Being wise [helps us to act] gently [toward others].
14 Kodwa uba lilomhawu obabayo lombango enhliziyweni yenu, lingazincomi liqambele amanga iqiniso.
But if you are very [MET] jealous/unhappy when you see that someone else is succeeding, and always want to have what you want, regardless of what others want, you should not say [that you are wise, for by boasting like that], you are saying that ([God’s message/what God says about you]) is not true.
15 Lokhu kayisiyo inhlakanipho eyehla ivela phezulu, kodwa ingeyomhlaba, ngeyemvelo, eyamadimoni.
Those who have such [attitudes are] not wise [MTY] in the way that God [wants them to be]. Instead, they are only thinking and acting like ([ungodly people/people who do not please God]). They think and act according to their own [evil] desires. They do what the demons [want them to do] (OR, they think and act as demons [do]).
16 Ngoba lapho okukhona umhawu lombango, lapho kukhona isiphithiphithi laso sonke isenzo esibi.
[Keep in mind that] people who have such attitudes (are unruly/do not submit to authority) and [do] all kinds of evil things.
17 Kodwa inhlakanipho evela phezulu eyokuqala ihlanzekile, emva kwalokho ibe lokuthula, ibe mnene, ilalele, igcwele isihawu lezithelo ezinhle, kayilakubandlulula futhi ingelakuzenzisa.
But [when people] are wise [PRS] in the way that God [MTY] [wants them to be], they are pure in every way, which God considers to be very important. They also act peaceably towards [others], they (are considerate of/think about the rights and feelings of) others, they are willing to yield to [the wishes of] others, they act compassionately [toward others], and they do all kinds of good things [for others] [MET]. [How they treat others does] not depend on (others’ status/whether others are important or not), and they are sincere [in all they do].
18 Lesithelo sokulunga sihlanyelwa ekuthuleni kulabo abenza ukuthula.
Those who [act] peaceably [toward others] cause [others to also] act peaceably, with the result that they all live together [acting toward each other] in a righteous way [MET].
