< Yakobo 1 >
1 Yakobo, mtumwa wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo: Kwa makabila kumi na mawili yaliyotawanyika ulimwenguni: Salamu.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Health.
2 Ndugu zangu, hesabuni kuwa ni furaha tupu mnapopatwa na majaribu mbalimbali,
My brethren, count it all joy, when you fall into diverse trials;
3 kwa sababu mnajua ya kuwa kujaribiwa kwa imani yenu huleta saburi.
knowing that the proof of your faith works out patience.
4 Saburi na iwe na kazi timilifu, ili mpate kuwa wakamilifu, mmekamilishwa, bila kupungukiwa na kitu chochote.
Let patience, therefore, have a perfect effect, that you may be perfect and complete, deficient in nothing.
5 Kama mtu yeyote miongoni mwenu amepungukiwa na hekima na amwombe Mungu, yeye awapaye watu wote kwa ukarimu wala hana kinyongo, naye atapewa.
If any of you be deficient in wisdom, let him ask it of God: who gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not, and it shall be given to him.
6 Lakini anapoomba, lazima aamini wala asiwe na shaka, kwa sababu mtu aliye na shaka ni kama wimbi la bahari, lililochukuliwa na upepo na kutupwa huku na huku.
But let him ask in faith, being not at all irresolute: for he who is irresolute, is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
7 Mtu kama huyo asidhani ya kuwa atapata kitu chochote kutoka kwa Bwana.
Now let not that man think, that he shall receive anything from the Lord.
8 Yeye ni mtu mwenye nia mbili, mwenye kusitasita katika njia zake zote.
A man of two minds, is unstable in all his ways.
9 Ndugu asiye na cheo kikubwa yampasa ajivunie hali hiyo maana ametukuzwa.
Moreover, let the brother of humble condition glory in his exaltation,
10 Lakini yeye aliye tajiri afurahi kwa kuwa ameshushwa, kwa sababu atatoweka kama ua la shambani.
and the rich in his humiliation; for as a garden flower he shall pass away.--
11 Kwa maana jua kali lenye kuchoma huchomoza na kuliunguza, likayakausha majani, na ua lake likapukutika, nao uzuri wake huharibika. Vivyo hivyo tajiri naye atanyauka akiwa anaendelea na shughuli zake.
For the sun rises with a burning heat, and withers the herb, and its flower falls down, and the beauty of its appearance perishes: so also shall the rich man fade in his ways.
12 Heri mtu anayevumilia wakati wa majaribu, kwa sababu akiisha kushinda hilo jaribio atapewa taji la uzima Mungu alilowaahidia wale wampendao.
Blessed is the man who sustains trial, for becoming an approved person, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them who love him.
13 Mtu anapojaribiwa asiseme, “Ninajaribiwa na Mungu.” Kwa maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na maovu wala yeye hamjaribu mtu yeyote.
Let no one who is tempted say, Certainly I am tempted by God: for God is incapable of being tempted by evil things, and he tempts no one.
14 Lakini kila mtu hujaribiwa wakati anapovutwa na kudanganywa na tamaa zake mwenyewe zilizo mbaya.
But every one is tempted, when he is drawn away, and enticed by his own lust:
15 Basi ile tamaa mbaya ikishachukua mimba, huzaa dhambi, nayo ile dhambi ikikomaa, huzaa mauti.
then lust having conceived, brings forth sin, and sin, being perfected, brings forth death.
16 Ndugu zangu wapendwa, msidanganyike.
Be not deceived, my beloved brethren;
17 Kila kitolewacho kilicho chema na kilicho kamili, hutoka juu, na hushuka kutoka kwa Baba wa mianga, ambaye kwake hakuna kubadilika, wala kivuli cha kugeukageuka.
every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, descended from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
18 Kwa mapenzi yake mwenyewe alituzaa kwa neno la kweli, kusudi tuwe kama mazao ya kwanza katika viumbe vyake vyote.
Of his own will, he begot us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of fruits of his creatures.
19 Ndugu zangu wapendwa, fahamuni jambo hili: Kila mtu awe mwepesi wa kusikiliza, lakini asiwe mwepesi wa kusema wala wa kukasirika.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 Kwa maana hasira ya mwanadamu haitendi haki ya Mungu.
for the wrath of man works not out the righteousness of God.
21 Kwa hiyo, ondoleeni mbali uchafu wote na uovu ambao umezidi kuwa mwingi, mkalipokee kwa unyenyekevu lile Neno lililopandwa ndani yenu ambalo laweza kuokoa nafsi zenu.
Wherefore, putting away all filthiness, and overflowing of maliciousness, embrace with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 Basi kuweni watendaji wa Neno wala msiwe wasikiaji tu, huku mkijidanganya nafsi zenu.
And be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves by false reasoning.
23 Kwa maana kama mtu ni msikiaji tu wa Neno wala hatendi kile linachosema, yeye ni kama mtu ajitazamaye uso wake kwenye kioo
For if any one be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man who views his natural face in a mirror;
24 na baada ya kujiona alivyo, huenda zake na mara husahau jinsi alivyo.
for he who looks at himself and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
25 Lakini yeye anayeangalia kwa bidii katika sheria kamilifu, ile iletayo uhuru, naye akaendelea kufanya hivyo bila kusahau alichosikia, bali akalitenda, atabarikiwa katika kile anachofanya.
But he who looks narrowly into the perfect law of liberty, and perseveres, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of its work, shall, in so doing, be happy.
26 Kama mtu akidhani ya kuwa anayo dini lakini hauzuii ulimi wake kwa hatamu, hujidanganya moyoni mwake, wala dini yake mtu huyo haifai kitu.
If any one among you think to be religious, who bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, the religion of this person is vain.
27 Dini iliyo safi, isiyo na uchafu, inayokubalika mbele za Mungu Baba yetu, ndiyo hii: Kuwasaidia yatima na wajane katika dhiki zao na kujilinda usitiwe madoa na dunia.
Pure religion, and undefiled, with God, even the Father, is this: To take care of orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep one's self unspotted from the world.