Yakobo 1
1 Yakobo, mtumwa wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo, kwa makabila kumi na mbili yaliyotawanyika, salaam.
James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are in the dispersion, greeting.
2 Hesabuni kuwa ni furaha zaidi, ndugu zangu, mnapopita katika matatizo mbali mbali,
My brethren, count it all joy, when you fall into manifold trials,
3 mkijua kuwa kujaribiwa kwa imani yenu huwapa uvumilivu.
knowing that the trial of your faith produces patience.
4 Acheni uvumilivu uikamilishe kazi yake, kwamba muweze kukomaa kikamilifu, bila kupungukiwa katika lolote.
But let patience have its work perfected, that you may be perfect and faultless, wanting in nothing.
5 Lakini kama mtu kati yenu anahitaji hekima, aiombe kutoka kwa Mungu, ambaye hutoa kwa ukarimu na pasipo kukemea kwa wote wamwombao, na atawapa hekima.
Now, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him.
6 Lakini omba kwa imani, bila shaka, kwa kuwa mwenye kutia shaka ni kama mawimbi katika bahari, huchukuliwa na upepo na kutupwa huku na huko.
But let him ask in faith, doubting not: for he that doubts, is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind, and tossed.
7 Kwa hakika mtu huyu asifikirie kwamba atapokelewa ombi lake kutoka kwa Bwana;
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord.
8 mtu huyu ana nia mbili, si imara katika njia zake zote.
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Ndugu maskini anapaswa kujivuna katika kusimama kwake juu,
Let the brother that is in a lowly condition, glory in his exaltation:
10 wakati huo huo ndugu tajiri katika unyenyekevu wake, kwa sababu atatoweka kama ua la kondeni katika shamba analopita.
but he that is rich, in his humiliation; because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 Jua huchomoza na joto la kuunguza kukausha mimea, na maua huanguka na uzuri wake hufa. Vivyo hivyo watu matajiri watachakaa katikati ya kazi zao.
For the sun rises with its burning heat, and withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beauty of its form perishes. So, also, shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12 Amebarikiwa mtu yule anayevumilia majaribu, kwa kuwa baada ya kushinda jaribu hilo, atapokea taji ya uzima, ambayo imeahidiwa kwa wale wampendao Mungu.
Blessed is the man that endures trial: for, being approved, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 Mtu yeyote hapaswi kusema anapojaribiwa, “Jaribu hili linatoka kwa Mungu,” kwa sababu Mungu hajaribiwi na uovu, na Mungu mwenyewe hamjaribu yeyote.
Let no one say, when he is tempted, My temptation is from God; for God can not be tempted by evils, and he himself tempts no man.
14 Kila mtu hujaribiwa na tamaa zake mbaya zinazomshawishi na kumvuta mbali.
But every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desire, and is deluded.
15 Ndipo baada ya tamaa ya dhambi kubeba mimba, dhambi huzaliwa, na baada ya dhambi kukomaa sawasawa, huishia katika mauti.
So, then, desire, when it has conceived, brings forth sin; and sin, when it is matured, brings forth death.
16 Ndugu zangu wapendwa, msidanganyike.
Be not deceived, my beloved brethren;
17 Kila zawadi iliyo nzuri na kila zawadi iliyokamilika hutoka juu, hushuka chini kutoka kwa Baba wa nuru. Kamwe habadiliki kama kivuli kibadilikavyo.
every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor slightest trace of turning.
18 Mungu alichagua kutupa sisi uzima kwa Neno la kweli, ili kwamba tuweze kuwa kama uzao wa kwanza miongoni mwa viumbe vyake.
Of his own will, he begot us with the word of truth, in order that we might be, as it were, the first-fruits of his creatures.
19 Mnajua hili, ndugu zangu wapendwa. Kila mmoja anapaswa kuwa mwepesi wa kusikia, siyo mwepesi wa kuongea wala kukasirika,
So, then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
20 kwa kuwa hasira ya mwanadamu haiwezi kutenda haki ya Mungu.
For the wrath of man produces not the righteousness of God.
21 Kwa hiyo wekeni mbali uchafu wa dhambi na ubaya wote ulio mahali popote, na kwa unyenyekevu lipokeeni neno lililopandwa ndani yenu, ambalo lina uwezo wa kuokoa roho zenu.
Wherefore, laying aside all filthiness, and every excess caused by malice, receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 Litiini neno, msilisikie tu, mkijidanganya nafsi zenu wenyewe.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 Kwa kuwa kama yeyote alisikiaye neno bila kulitendea kazi ni sawa na mtu ajiangaliaye uso wake halisi katika kioo.
For if any one is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man that looks at his natural face in a mirror:
24 Hujitathimini uso wake, na huenda zake na baada ya muda mfupi husahau anavyofanana.
for he looks at himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what sort of person he is.
25 Bali mtu yule anayeiangalia kwa uangalifu sheria kamili, sheria ya uhuru, na kuendelea kuitii, si kwa sababu yeye ni msikilizaji anayesahau, huyu mtu atabarikiwa anapoitenda.
But he that looks intently into the perfect law of liberty, and remains constant, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, he shall be blessed in his deed.
26 Ikiwa mtu yeyote atafikiri mwenyewe kuwa ni mtu wa dini, lakini hawezi kuutawala ulimi wake, huudanganya moyo wake na dini yake ni bure.
If any one among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27 Dini iliyo safi na isiyoharibiwa mbele za Mungu wetu na Baba ni hii: kuwasaidia yatima na wajane katika mateso yao, na kujilinda wenyewe na ufisadi wa dunia.
Religion, pure and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
