Yakobo 4
1 Ni kitu gani kinachosababisha mapigano na ugomvi miongoni mwenu? Je, haya hayatokani na tamaa zenu zinazoshindana ndani yenu?
Where do the wars and disputes among you come from? Is it not precisely from your pleasures, the ones at war in your members?
2 Mnatamani lakini hampati, kwa hiyo mwaua. Mwatamani kupata lakini hampati vile mnavyotaka, kwa hiyo mnajitia katika magomvi na mapigano. Mmepungukiwa kwa sababu hammwombi Mungu.
You crave and do not have; you murder and covet and are not able to obtain; you fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask.
3 Mnapoomba hampati kwa sababu mnaomba kwa nia mbaya, ili mpate kuvitumia hivyo mtakavyopata kwa tamaa zenu.
You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so that you may lavish it on your pleasures.
4 Ninyi wanaume na wanawake wazinzi, hamjui ya kwamba urafiki na dunia ni uadui na Mungu? Kwa hiyo mtu yeyote anayetaka kuwa rafiki wa dunia hufanyika adui wa Mungu.
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? So whoever may want to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Au mwadhani kwamba Andiko lasema bure kuwa huyo Roho ambaye Mungu amemweka ndani yetu hututamani kiasi cha kuona wivu?
Or do you suppose that the Scripture says in vain that the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?
6 Lakini yeye hutupatia neema zaidi. Hii ndiyo sababu Andiko husema: “Mungu huwapinga wenye kiburi, lakini huwapa wanyenyekevu neema.”
But He gives greater grace; therefore He says: “God resists proud ones, but gives grace to humble ones.”
7 Basi mtiini Mungu. Mpingeni ibilisi, naye atawakimbia.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Mkaribieni Mungu, naye atawakaribia ninyi. Itakaseni mikono yenu ninyi wenye dhambi, na kuisafisha mioyo yenu ninyi wenye nia mbili.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Sinners, cleanse your hands! Double-minded, purify your hearts!
9 Huzunikeni, ombolezeni na kulia. Kicheko chenu na kigeuzwe kuwa kuomboleza, na furaha yenu kuwa huzuni.
Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into dejection.
10 Jinyenyekezeni mbele za Bwana, naye atawainua.
Humble yourself before the Lord and He will exalt you.
11 Ndugu, msineneane mabaya ninyi kwa ninyi. Mtu yeyote anayesema mabaya dhidi ya ndugu yake au kumhukumu anasema dhidi ya sheria na kuihukumu. Unapoihukumu sheria, basi huishiki sheria bali umekuwa hakimu wa kuihukumu hiyo sheria.
Brothers, do not speak evil of one another. Because the one speaking against a brother and judging his brother speaks against a law and judges a law. So if you judge a law you are not a law-doer but a judge.
12 Yuko Mtoa sheria mmoja tu na yeye peke yake ndiye Hakimu, ndiye awezaye kuokoa au kuangamiza. Lakini wewe ni nani hata umhukumu jirani yako?
The Lawgiver and Judge is One, the one who is able to save and to destroy. So who are you (sg) to be judging someone who is different?
13 Basi sikilizeni ninyi msemao, “Leo au kesho tutakwenda katika mji huu ama ule tukae humo mwaka mmoja, tufanye biashara na kupata faida.”
Come now, you who say, “Today and tomorrow let us travel to that certain city, spend a year there, do business and make a profit;”
14 Lakini hamjui hata litakalotukia kesho. Maisha yenu ni nini? Ninyi ni ukungu ambao huonekana kwa kitambo kidogo kisha hutoweka.
whereas you do not know anything about the morrow. For what is our life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time but then vanishes away.
15 Badala yake, inawapasa kusema, “Kama Bwana akipenda, tutaishi na kufanya hili ama lile.”
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
16 Kama ilivyo sasa, mnajisifu na kujigamba. Kujisifu kwa namna hiyo ni uovu.
But now you boast in your arrogant pretensions. All such boasting is malignant.
17 Basi mtu yeyote anayejua jema limpasalo kutenda, lakini asilitende, mtu huyo anatenda dhambi.
Therefore, to the one knowing to do good and not doing it, to him it is sin.
