Yakobo 4
1 Ugonvi na migogoro miongoni mwenu vyatoka wapi? Haviinuki kutoka katika tamaa zenu mbaya zinazoleta vita ndani ya washirika wenu?
Where do quarrels and disputes among you come from? Do they not come from your desires that fight among your members?
2 Mnatamani kile msichokuwa nacho. Mnauwa na mnafukuzia kile msichoweza kuwa nacho. Mnapigana na kugombana, na bado hampati kwa sababu hamumwombi Mungu.
You desire, and you do not have. You kill and covet, and you are not able to obtain. You fight and quarrel. You do not possess 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 and do not receive because you ask badly, in order that you may use it for your desires.
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.
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility against God? So whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Au mnadhani maandiko hayana maana yasemapo kwamba Roho aliyoweka ndani yetu ana wivu sana kwa ajili yetu?
Or do you think the scripture says in vain, “The Spirit he caused to live in us is deeply jealous”?
6 Lakini Mungu hutoa neema zaidi, ndiyo maana maandiko husema, “Mungu humpinga mwenye kiburi, lakini humpa neema mnyenyekevu.”
But God gives more grace, so the scripture says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Hivyo, jitoeni kwa Mungu. Mpingeni ibilisi na yeye atakimbia kutoka kwenu.
So submit to God. Resist 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.
Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Huzunikeni, ombolezeni, na kuria! Geuzeni kicheko chenu kuwa huzuni na furaha yenu kuwa maombolezo.
Grieve, mourn, and cry! Let your laughter turn into sadness and your joy into gloom.
10 Jinyenyekezeni wenyewe mbele za Bwana, na atawainua juu.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
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 speak against one another, brothers. The person who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
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?
Only one is the lawgiver and judge. He is the one who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you, you who judge your neighbor?
13 Sikilizeni, ninyi msemao, “Leo au kesho tutakwenda katika mji huu, na kukaa mwaka huko, na kufanya biashara, na kutengeneza faida.”
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.”
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.
Who knows what will happen tomorrow, and what is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears.
15 Badala yake mngesema, “kama ni mapenzi ya Bwana, tutaishi na tutafanya hiki au kile.”
Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.”
16 Lakini sasa mnajivuna juu ya mipango yenu. Majivuno yote hayo ni uovu.
But now you are boasting about your arrogant plans. All such boasting is evil.
17 Kwahiyo, kwake yeye ajuaye kutenda mema lakini hayatendi, kwake huyo ni dhambi.
So for anyone who knows to do good but does not do it, for him it is sin.
