Yakobo 2
1 Ndugu zangu, mkiwa mnamwamini Bwana Yesu Kristo, Bwana wa utukufu, msiwabague watu kamwe.
My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.
2 Tuseme mtu mmoja ambaye amevaa pete ya dhahabu na mavazi nadhifu anaingia katika mkutano wenu, na papo hapo akaingia mtu maskini aliyevaa mavazi machafu.
For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,
3 Ikiwa mtamstahi zaidi yule aliyevaa mavazi ya kuvutia na kumwambia: “Keti hapa mahali pazuri,” na kumwambia yule maskini: “Wewe, simama huko,” au “Keti hapa sakafuni miguuni pangu,”
and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”
4 je, huo si ubaguzi kati yenu? Je, na huo uamuzi wenu haujatokana na fikira mbaya?
haven’t you shown partiality amongst yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Ndugu zangu wapenzi, sikilizeni! Mungu amechagua watu ambao ni maskini katika ulimwengu huu ili wapate kuwa matajiri katika imani na kupokea Utawala aliowaahidia wale wanaompenda.
Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
6 Lakini ninyi mnawadharau watu maskini! Je, matajiri si ndio wanaowakandamizeni na kuwapeleka mahakamani?
But you have dishonoured the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and personally drag you before the courts?
7 Je, si haohao wanaolitukana hilo jina lenu zuri mlilopewa?
Don’t they blaspheme the honourable name by which you are called?
8 Kama mnaitimiza ile sheria ya Utawala kama ilivyoandikwa katika Maandiko Matakatifu: “Mpende binadamu mwenzako kama unavyojipenda wewe mwenyewe”, mtakuwa mnafanya vema kabisa.
However, if you fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well.
9 Lakini mkiwabagua watu, basi, mwatenda dhambi, nayo Sheria inawahukumu ninyi kuwa mna hatia.
But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 Anayevunja amri mojawapo ya Sheria, atakuwa na hatia ya kuivunja Sheria yote.
For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
11 Maana yuleyule aliyesema: “Usizini,” alisema pia “Usiue”. Kwa hiyo, hata ikiwa hukuzini lakini umeua, wewe umeivunja Sheria.
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 Basi, semeni na kutenda kama watu watakaohukumiwa kwa sheria iletayo uhuru.
So speak and so do as men who are to be judged by the law of freedom.
13 Maana, Mungu hatakuwa na huruma atakapomhukumu mtu asiyekuwa na huruma. Lakini huruma hushinda hukumu.
For judgement is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement.
14 Ndugu zangu, kuna faida gani mtu kusema ana imani, lakini haonyeshi kwa vitendo? Je, hiyo imani yawezaje kumwokoa?
What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
15 Tuseme kaka au dada hana nguo au chakula.
And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
16 Yafaa kitu gani ninyi kuwaambia hao: “Nendeni salama mkaote moto na kushiba,” bila kuwapatia mahitaji yao ya maisha?
and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
17 Vivyo hivyo, imani peke yake bila matendo imekufa.
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
18 Lakini mtu anaweza kusema: “Wewe unayo imani, mimi ninayo matendo!” Haya! Nionyeshe jinsi mtu anavyoweza kuwa na imani bila matendo, nami nitakuonyesha imani yangu kwa matendo yangu.
Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 Je, wewe unaamini kwamba yuko Mungu mmoja? Sawa! Lakini hata pepo huamini hilo, na hutetemeka kwa hofu.
You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder.
20 Mpumbavu wee! Je, wataka kuonyeshwa kwamba imani bila matendo imekufa?
But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
21 Je, Abrahamu baba yetu alipataje kukubalika mbele yake Mungu? Kwa matendo yake, wakati alipomtoa mwanae Isaka sadaka juu ya madhabahu.
Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Waona basi, kwamba imani yake iliandamana na matendo yake; imani yake ilikamilishwa kwa matendo yake.
You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected.
23 Hivyo yakatimia yale Maandiko Matakatifu yasemayo: “Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu na kwa imani yake akakubaliwa kuwa mtu mwadilifu; na hivyo Abrahamu akaitwa rafiki wa Mungu.”
So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
24 Mnaona basi, kwamba mtu hukubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa matendo yake na si kwa imani peke yake.
You see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
25 Ilikuwa vivyo hivyo kuhusu yule malaya Rahabu; yeye alikubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa sababu aliwapokea wale wapelelezi na kuwasaidia waende zao kwa kupitia njia nyingine.
In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 Basi, kama vile mwili bila roho umekufa, vivyo hivyo imani bila matendo imekufa.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
