Yakobo 1
1 Mimi Yakobo, mtumishi wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo, nawaandikia ninyi, makabila kumi na mawili, yaliyotawanyika ulimwenguni! Salaam!
James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are in the dispersion, greeting.
2 Ndugu zangu, muwe na furaha mnapopatwa na majaribu mbalimbali,
My brethren, count it all joy, when you fall into manifold trials,
3 kwani mwajua kwamba imani yenu ikisha stahimili, itawapatieni uvumilivu.
knowing that the trial of your faith produces patience.
4 Muwe na hakika kwamba uvumilivu wenu utawategemeza mpaka mwisho, mpate kuwa wakamilifu na watimilifu, bila kupungukiwa chochote.
But let patience have its work perfected, that you may be perfect and faultless, wanting in nothing.
5 Lakini kama mmoja wenu ametindikiwa hekima, basi, anapaswa kumwomba Mungu ambaye atampatia; kwani Mungu huwapa wote kwa wingi na kwa ukarimu.
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 anapaswa kuomba kwa imani bila mashaka yoyote. Mtu aliye na mashaka ni kama mawimbi ya bahari ambayo husukumwa na kutupwatupwa na upepo.
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 Mtu wa namna hiyo, mwenye nia mbili na asiye na msimamo katika mwenendo wake wote,
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord.
8 asidhani ya kwamba atapata chochote kile kutoka kwa Bwana.
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Ndugu aliye maskini anapaswa kufurahi wakati Mungu anapomkweza,
Let the brother that is in a lowly condition, glory in his exaltation:
10 naye tajiri anapaswa kufurahi anaposhushwa na Mungu. Maana tajiri atatoweka kama ua la porini.
but he that is rich, in his humiliation; because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 Jua huchomoza na kwa joto lake kali hukausha mimea, nayo maua yake huanguka, na uzuri wake wote huharibika. Vivyo hivyo, tajiri ataangamizwa katika shughuli zake.
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 Heri mtu anayebaki mwaminifu katika majaribu, kwani akisha stahimili atapewa tuzo la uzima ambalo Mungu aliwaahidia wale wanaompenda.
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 Kama mtu akijaribiwa, asiseme: “Ninajaribiwa na Mungu.” Maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na uovu, wala yeye hamjaribu mtu 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 Lakini mtu hujaribiwa anapovutwa na kunaswa na tamaa zake mbaya.
But every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desire, and is deluded.
15 Tamaa ikiiva huzaa dhambi; nayo dhambi ikikomaa huzaa kifo.
So, then, desire, when it has conceived, brings forth sin; and sin, when it is matured, brings forth death.
16 Ndugu zangu wapenzi, msidanganyike!
Be not deceived, my beloved brethren;
17 Kila kipaji chema na kila zawadi kamilifu hutoka mbinguni; hutoka kwa Baba, Muumba wa mianga, ambaye habadiliki wala hana alama yoyote ya ugeugeu.
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 Kwa kupenda kwake mwenyewe alituzaa kwa neno lake la ukweli, ili tuwe namna ya matunda ya 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 Ndugu zangu wapenzi, kumbukeni jambo hili! Kila mtu na awe mwepesi wa kusikia lakini asiwe mwepesi wa kusema wala mwepesi wa kukasirika.
So, then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
20 Mwenye hasira hawezi kutimiza matakwa ya Mungu yaliyo ya haki.
For the wrath of man produces not the righteousness of God.
21 Kwa hiyo, tupilieni mbali mwenendo mchafu na tabia zote mbovu; jiwekeni chini ya Mungu na kupokea ule ujumbe uliopandwa mioyoni mwenu, ambao waweza kuziokoa nafsi 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 Msijidanganye wenyewe kwa kusikiliza tu neno lake, bali litekelezeni kwa vitendo.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 Yeyote anayesikiliza hilo neno lakini halitekelezi, huyo ni kama mtu anayejiangalia sura yake mwenyewe 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 Hujiangalia mwenyewe, kisha huenda zake, na mara husahau jinsi alivyo.
for he looks at himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what sort of person he is.
25 Lakini mtu anayeangalia kwa makini sheria kamilifu ambayo huwapa watu uhuru, mtu anayeendelea kuizingatia, na si kuisikia tu na kuisahau baadaye, bali anaitekeleza, mtu huyo atabarikiwa katika kila kitu anachofanya.
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 Kama mtu akijiona kuwa ni mtu mwenye dini, lakini hawezi kuutawala ulimi wake, dini yake haifai kitu, na anajidanganya mwenyewe.
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 isiyo na hitilafu mbele ya Mungu Baba ni hii: Kuwasaidia yatima na wajane katika shida zao, na kujilinda mwenyewe usichafuliwe na ulimwengu huu.
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.
