Yakobo 2
1 Me nuanom, sɛ moyɛ agyidifo wɔ Awurade Kristo anuonyam mu yi, monnyɛ nhwɛanim.
My brethren, do not, with respect for persons, be holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory.
2 Sɛ muhyia a, ɔdefo a ɔhyɛ mpɛtea ne ntade pa ne ohiani bi nso a ɔhyɛ ntadegow nyinaa tumi ba bi.
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, —
3 Sɛ wode nidi ma nea wasiesie ne ho yiye no, na woka kyerɛ no se, “Tena saa akongua pa yi so,” na woka kyerɛ ohiani no nso se, “Sɔre gyina hɔ anaa tena fam wɔ me nan ase ha” a,
And ye eye him that hath on the gay clothing, and say, Thou, be sitting here, pleasantly, —and, unto the destitute man, say—Thou, stand, or sit there under my footstool,
4 wudi fɔ sɛ wugyina atemmu a efi adwemmɔne mu de nyiyimu abɛto mo mu no ho.
Would ye not have been led to make distinctions among yourselves, and have become judges with wicked reasonings?
5 Me nuanom adɔfo, muntie! Onyankopɔn yii wiase yi mu ahiafo sɛ wɔnyɛ adefo wɔ gyidi mu na wɔanya ahenni a ɔhyɛɛ wɔn a wɔdɔ no no ho bɔ no.
Hearken! my brethren beloved: —Hath not, God, chosen the destitute in the world [to be] rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 Nanso moammu ahiafo! Ɛhefo na wodi mo nya twe mo kɔ atemmufo anim? Adefo!
Whereas, ye, have dishonoured the destitute man! Do not, the rich, oppress you? and, themselves, drag you into courts of justice?
7 Wɔne nnipa a wɔkasa tia din pa a wɔde ama mo no.
Do not, they, defame the noble name which hath been invoked upon you?
8 Eye sɛ mudi yɛn Awurade mmara a ɛka se, “Dɔ wo yɔnko sɛ wo ho” no so.
If ye are, indeed, fulfilling, a royal law, according to the scripture—Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, nobly, are ye doing;
9 Na sɛ mohwɛ nnipa anim de gye wɔn a, mudi ho fɔ na mmara no di tia mo sɛ mmaratofo.
But, if ye are shewing respect of persons, sin, are ye working, being convicted by the law as transgressors!
10 Obiara a obu mmara no mu baako pɛ so no bu ne nyinaa so.
For, a man who shall keep, the whole law, but shall stumble in one thing, hath become, for all things, liable, —
11 Efisɛ nea ɔkae se, “Nsɛe aware” no, ɔno ara nso na ɔkae se, “Nni awu.” Na sɛ woansɛe aware na wudi awu a, woabu mmara so.
For, he that hath said—Do not commit adultery, hath also said—Do not commit murder, —now, if thou dost not commit adultery, but dost commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law.
12 Sɛ woyɛ Kristo apɛde o, sɛ woanyɛ nʼapɛde o, wubebu wo ho atɛn. Enti hwɛ asɛm a woka ne nea woyɛ biara yiye.
So, be speaking, and, so, doing, as they who, through means of a law of freedom, are about to be judged;
13 Efisɛ obi a wanhu mmɔbɔ no, Onyankopɔn atemmu mu no, wɔrenhu no mmɔbɔ. Nanso mmɔborɔhunu bunkam atemmu so.
For, the judgment, [will be] without mercy, unto him that hath shewed no mercy: Mercy, boasteth, over judgment.
14 Me nuanom, sɛ obi ka se, “Mewɔ gyidi” na onni gyidi no ho dwuma a, mfaso bɛn na ɛwɔ so? Saa gyidi no betumi agye no nkwa ana?
What profit, my brethren, —if one should be saying he hath, faith, but hath not, works; can his faith save him?
15 Sɛ anuanom bi wɔ hɔ a ntama ho hia wɔn na wonni aduan dodow nso a wobedi,
If, a brother or sister, should be naked, and coming short of the daily food,
16 na sɛ wokɔka kyerɛ wɔn se, “Onyame nhyira mo! Mo ho nyɛ mo hyew na munnidi yiye” na sɛ woamma wɔn asetena yi mu nea ehia wɔn a, papa bɛn na woayɛ wɔn?
And one from among you should say unto them—Withdraw in peace, be getting warmed and fed, but should not give them the things needful for the body, What the profit?
17 Saa ara na gyidi te. Sɛ nneyɛe nka ho a, na awu.
So, also, faith, if it have not works, is dead, by itself.
18 Nanso obi betumi aka se, “Obi wɔ gyidi na afoforo nso wɔ nneyɛe.” Me mmuae ne sɛ, “Kyerɛ me sɛnea obi tumi nya gyidi a nneyɛe mmata ho ase. Me de, menam me nneyɛe so bɛkyerɛ wo me gyidi.”
But one will say, —Thou, hast faith, and, I, have works, show me thy faith apart from thy works, and, I, unto thee, will shew, by my works, my faith.
19 Wugye di sɛ Onyankopɔn baako pɛ na ɔwɔ hɔ? Eye! Ahonhommɔne nso gye di saa ara na wɔn ho popo wɔ osuro mu.
Thou believest that God is, one: thou doest, well—Even the demons believe, and shudder!
20 Ɔkwasea! Wopɛ sɛ wɔka kyerɛ wo sɛ gyidi a nneyɛe mmata ho no so nni mfaso ana?
But art thou willing to learn, O empty man! that, faith, apart from works, is, idle?
21 Ɛyɛɛ dɛn na Onyankopɔn buu Abraham bem? Ɛnam ne nneyɛe so sɛ ɔde ne ba Isak maa wɔ afɔremuka so no.
Abraham our father, was it not, by works, he was declared righteous—when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Wuhu sɛ ne gyidi ne ne nneyɛe nyinaa redi dwuma na ne nneyɛe no maa ne gyidi no dii mu.
Thou seest that, his faith, had been working together with his works, and by his works did his faith become full-grown, —
23 Na Kyerɛwsɛm no baa mu se, Abraham gyee Onyankopɔn dii na esiane ne gyidi no nti, Onyankopɔn gyee no sɛ ɔtreneeni. Enti wɔfrɛ Abraham Onyankopɔn adamfo.
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith—And Abraham believed God, And it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and, God’s friend, was he called:
24 Eyi da no adi pefee sɛ Onyankopɔn nam onipa nneyɛe so na obu no bem, na ɛnnam ne gyidi nko so.
Ye see that—by works, a man is declared righteous, and not by faith alone.
25 Saa ara na ɛte wɔ aguaman Rahab ho. Ne nneyɛe maa Onyankopɔn buu no bem, efisɛ ogyee Yudafo bi a wɔsomaa wɔn, boaa wɔn ma woguan faa ɔkwan foforo bi so.
And, in like manner also, Rahab the harlot, Was it not, by works, she was declared righteous, when she gave welcome unto the messengers, and, by another way, urged them forth?
26 Sɛnea onipadua a honhom nni mu awu no, saa ara nso na gyidi a nneyɛe mmata ho no nso awu.
Just as, the body, apart from spirit, is dead, so, our faith also, apart from works, is dead.
