Yakobo 4
1 Ugonvi na migogoro miongoni mwenu vyatoka wapi? Haviinuki kutoka katika tamaa zenu mbaya zinazoleta vita ndani ya washirika wenu?
What is the cause of the fighting and quarreling that goes on among you? Isn’t it to be found in the desires which are always at war within you?
2 Mnatamani kile msichokuwa nacho. Mnauwa na mnafukuzia kile msichoweza kuwa nacho. Mnapigana na kugombana, na bado hampati kwa sababu hamumwombi Mungu.
You crave, yet do not have, so you commit murder, so You covet, yet cannot gain your end. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
3 Mnaomba na hampokei kwa sababu mnaomba kwa ajili ya mambo mabaya, ili kwamba muweze kuvitumia kwa tamaa zenu mbaya.
You ask, yet do not receive, because you ask for a wrong purpose – to spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 Enyi wazinzi! Hamjui kwamba urafiki na ulimwengu ni uadui dhidi ya Mungu? Kwa hiyo, yeyote aamuaye kuwa rafiki wa ulimwengu hujifanya mwenyewe adui wa Mungu.
Unfaithful people! Don’t you know that to be friends with the world means to be at enmity with God? Therefore whoever chooses to be friends with the world makes himself an enemy to God.
5 Au mnadhani maandiko hayana maana yasemapo kwamba Roho aliyoweka ndani yetu ana wivu sana kwa ajili yetu?
Do you suppose scripture means nothing when it says, ‘Envy results from the longings of the spirit which God has implanted within you?’
6 Lakini Mungu hutoa neema zaidi, ndiyo maana maandiko husema, “Mungu humpinga mwenye kiburi, lakini humpa neema mnyenyekevu.”
But he gives us greater grace; and that is why it says, – ‘God opposes the haughty, but gives grace to the humble.’
7 Hivyo, jitoeni kwa Mungu. Mpingeni ibilisi na yeye atakimbia kutoka kwenu.
Therefore submit to God. Stand up to the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Sogeeni karibu na Mungu, na yeye atakaribia karibu nanyi. Safisheni mikono yenu, enyi wenye dhambi, na takaseni mioyo yenu, enyi wenye nia mbili.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Make your hands clean, you sinners; and your hearts pure, you vacillators!
9 Huzunikeni, ombolezeni, na kuria! Geuzeni kicheko chenu kuwa huzuni na furaha yenu kuwa maombolezo.
Grieve, mourn, and lament! Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your happiness to gloom!
10 Jinyenyekezeni wenyewe mbele za Bwana, na atawainua juu.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
11 Msineneane kinyume ninyi kwa ninyi, ndugu. Mtu anenaye kinyume na ndugu yake, au kumhukumu ndugu yake, hunena kinyume na sheria na huihukumu sheria ya Mungu. Mkiihukumu sheria, hamuitii sheria, bali mnaihukumu.
Do not disparage one another, friends. The person who disparages others, or passes judgment on them, disparages the Law and passes judgment on the Law. But, if you pass judgment on the Law, you are not obeying it, but judging it.
12 Ni mmoja tu ambaye ni mtoa sheria na hakimu, Mungu, yeye ambaye ana uwezo wa kuokoa na kuangamiza. Wewe ni nani ambaye unamhukumu jirani yako?
There is only one lawgiver and judge – he who has the power both to save and to destroy. So then who are you to pass judgment on your neighbor?
13 Sikilizeni, ninyi msemao, “Leo au kesho tutakwenda katika mji huu, na kukaa mwaka huko, na kufanya biashara, na kutengeneza faida.”
Listen to me, you who say ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money,’
14 Ni nani ajuaye nini kitatokea kesho, na maisha yenu ni nini hasa? Kwa kuwa mnafanana kama ukungu unaotokea kwa muda mfupi na kisha hupotea.
yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow! For you are but a puff of smoke that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
15 Badala yake mngesema, “kama ni mapenzi ya Bwana, tutaishi na tutafanya hiki au kile.”
Instead you should say ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’
16 Lakini sasa mnajivuna juu ya mipango yenu. Majivuno yote hayo ni uovu.
But as it is, you are boasting presumptuously! All such boasting is wicked.
17 Kwahiyo, kwake yeye ajuaye kutenda mema lakini hayatendi, kwake huyo ni dhambi.
The person, then, who knows what is right but fails to do it – that is sin in them.
