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 which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 Hesabuni kuwa ni furaha zaidi, ndugu zangu, mnapopita katika matatizo mbali mbali,
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 mkijua kuwa kujaribiwa kwa imani yenu huwapa uvumilivu.
Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 Acheni uvumilivu uikamilishe kazi yake, kwamba muweze kukomaa kikamilifu, bila kupungukiwa katika lolote.
But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting 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.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth 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, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with 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 of 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 of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 wakati huo huo ndugu tajiri katika unyenyekevu wake, kwa sababu atatoweka kama ua la kondeni katika shamba analopita.
But the rich, in that he is made low: 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 is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: 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 endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that 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 man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 Kila mtu hujaribiwa na tamaa zake mbaya zinazomshawishi na kumvuta mbali.
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Ndipo baada ya tamaa ya dhambi kubeba mimba, dhambi huzaliwa, na baada ya dhambi kukomaa sawasawa, huishia katika mauti.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Ndugu zangu wapendwa, msidanganyike.
Do not err, 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 cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow 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 begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Mnajua hili, ndugu zangu wapendwa. Kila mmoja anapaswa kuwa mwepesi wa kusikia, siyo mwepesi wa kuongea wala kukasirika,
Wherefore, 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 worketh 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 lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 Litiini neno, msilisikie tu, mkijidanganya nafsi zenu wenyewe.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 Kwa kuwa kama yeyote alisikiaye neno bila kulitendea kazi ni sawa na mtu ajiangaliaye uso wake halisi katika kioo.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 Hujitathimini uso wake, na huenda zake na baada ya muda mfupi husahau anavyofanana.
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
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 whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man 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 man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth 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.
Pure religion 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.
