Yakobo 1
1 Mimi Yakobo, mtumishi wa Mungu na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo, nawaandikia ninyi, makabila kumi na mawili, yaliyotawanyika ulimwenguni! Salaam!
James, a slave of God and of Sovereign Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are in the Dispersion: Greetings.
2 Ndugu zangu, muwe na furaha mnapopatwa na majaribu mbalimbali,
Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials,
3 kwani mwajua kwamba imani yenu ikisha stahimili, itawapatieni uvumilivu.
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance;
4 Muwe na hakika kwamba uvumilivu wenu utawategemeza mpaka mwisho, mpate kuwa wakamilifu na watimilifu, bila kupungukiwa chochote.
but let that endurance have a complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.
5 Lakini kama mmoja wenu ametindikiwa hekima, basi, anapaswa kumwomba Mungu ambaye atampatia; kwani Mungu huwapa wote kwa wingi na kwa ukarimu.
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from the giving God, who gives to all liberally and does not reproach, and it will be given to 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.
However, let him ask in faith, with no doubting, because he who doubts is like a sea wave driven and tossed by the wind—
7 Mtu wa namna hiyo, mwenye nia mbili na asiye na msimamo katika mwenendo wake wote,
such a man should not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 asidhani ya kwamba atapata chochote kile kutoka kwa Bwana.
being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Ndugu aliye maskini anapaswa kufurahi wakati Mungu anapomkweza,
Now the lowly brother should glory in his high position,
10 naye tajiri anapaswa kufurahi anaposhushwa na Mungu. Maana tajiri atatoweka kama ua la porini.
but the rich brother in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of wild grass.
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 off and the beauty of its face perishes. Just so the rich man will be withered in his undertakings.
12 Heri mtu anayebaki mwaminifu katika majaribu, kwani akisha stahimili atapewa tuzo la uzima ambalo Mungu aliwaahidia wale wanaompenda.
A man who endures testing is blessed, because upon becoming approved he will receive the crown of the life that the Lord has promised to those loving Him.
13 Kama mtu akijaribiwa, asiseme: “Ninajaribiwa na Mungu.” Maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na uovu, wala yeye hamjaribu mtu yeyote.
Let no one, upon being tempted, say, “I am being tempted by God,” because God is untemptable by evil, so He Himself does not tempt anyone.
14 Lakini mtu hujaribiwa anapovutwa na kunaswa na tamaa zake mbaya.
But each one is tempted by his own craving, being taken in tow and enticed.
15 Tamaa ikiiva huzaa dhambi; nayo dhambi ikikomaa huzaa kifo.
Then the craving, upon conceiving, gives birth to sin, and the sin, upon completion, delivers death.
16 Ndugu zangu wapenzi, msidanganyike!
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers:
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 giving and every perfect gift is from Above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 Kwa kupenda kwake mwenyewe alituzaa kwa neno lake la ukweli, ili tuwe namna ya matunda ya kwanza miongoni mwa viumbe vyake.
Having willed it, He brought us forth by a word of truth, so that we might be a sort of firstfruits of His products.
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 brothers, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
20 Mwenye hasira hawezi kutimiza matakwa ya Mungu yaliyo ya haki.
because a man's anger does not achieve God's righteousness.
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.
Therefore, laying aside all filthiness and overflow of evil, receive with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save your souls.
22 Msijidanganye wenyewe kwa kusikiliza tu neno lake, bali litekelezeni kwa vitendo.
Further, become word doers and not just hearers, deceiving yourselves.
23 Yeyote anayesikiliza hilo neno lakini halitekelezi, huyo ni kama mtu anayejiangalia sura yake mwenyewe katika kioo.
Because if anyone is a law hearer and not a doer, the same is like a man observing his physical face in a mirror;
24 Hujiangalia mwenyewe, kisha huenda zake, na mara husahau jinsi alivyo.
for he observes himself, then goes away and promptly forgets what he is like.
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 who looks carefully into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, he—not being a forgetful hearer but a work doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
26 Kama mtu akijiona kuwa ni mtu mwenye dini, lakini hawezi kuutawala ulimi wake, dini yake haifai kitu, na anajidanganya mwenyewe.
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, his religion is useless.
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.
Pure and undefiled religion before God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their adversity; to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
