Yakobo 2
1 Me nuanom, sɛ moyɛ agyidifoɔ wɔ Awurade Kristo animuonyam mu yi, monnyɛ animhwɛ.
MY brethren, hold not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus shewing a respect for persons.
2 Sɛ mohyia a, ɔdefoɔ a ɔhyɛ mpɛtea ne ntade pa ne ohiani bi nso a ɔhyɛ ntadego nso tumi ba bi.
For if there come into your congregation a man with a gold ring, and in splendid apparel, and there come in also a poor man in a sordid garb;
3 Sɛ wode anidie ma deɛ wasiesie ne ho yie no, na woka kyerɛ no sɛ, “Tena saa akonnwa pa yi so,” na woka kyerɛ ohiani no nso sɛ, “Sɔre gyina hɔ anaa tena fam wɔ me nan ase ha” a,
and ye fix your eyes upon him who bears the splendid robe, and say to him, Sit thou here in an honourable place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 wodi fɔ sɛ wogyina atemmuo a ɛfiri adwemmɔne mu de nyiyimu abɛto mo mu no ho.
are you not thus partial among yourselves, and form your decision from bad reasonings?
5 Me nuanom adɔfoɔ, montie! Onyankopɔn yii ewiase yi mu ahiafoɔ sɛ wɔnyɛ adefoɔ wɔ gyidie mu na wɔanya ahennie a ɔhyɛɛ wɔn a wɔdɔ no no ho bɔ no.
Hear me, my beloved brethren. Hath not God elected the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to those who love him;
6 Nanso, moammu ahiafoɔ! Ɛhefoɔ na wɔdi mo nya twe mo kɔ atemmufoɔ anim? Adefoɔ!
but ye have put contempt on the poor man? Do not the rich men tyrannize over you? and they drag you to the tribunals.
7 Wɔne nnipa a wɔkasa tia din pa a wɔde ama mo no.
Do they not blaspheme that honourable name by which ye are called?
8 Ɛyɛ sɛ modi yɛn Awurade mmara a ɛka sɛ, “Dɔ wo yɔnko sɛ wo ho” no so.
If indeed ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 Na sɛ mohwɛ nnipa anim de gye wɔn a, modi ho fɔ na Mmara no tia mo sɛ mmaratofoɔ.
but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 Obiara a ɔbu mmara no mu baako pɛ so no bu ne nyinaa so.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offendeth in a single particular, he is chargeable with the breach of all.
11 Ɛfiri sɛ, deɛ ɔkaa sɛ, “Nsɛe awadeɛ” no, ɔno ara nso na ɔkaa sɛ, “Nni awu.” Na sɛ woansɛe awadeɛ na wodi awu a, woabu mmara so.
For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not commit murder. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, yet dost commit murder, thou art a transgressor of the law.
12 Sɛ woyɛ Kristo apɛdeɛ o, sɛ woanyɛ nʼapɛdeɛ o, wobɛbu wo ho atɛn. Enti hwɛ asɛm a woka ne deɛ woyɛ biara yie.
So speak, and so act, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 Ɛfiri sɛ, obi a wanhunu mmɔbɔ no, Onyankopɔn atemmuo mu no, wɔrenhunu no mmɔbɔ. Nanso atemmuo mu mpo no, Onyankopɔn hunu mmɔbɔ.
For judgment without mercy shall be on him who shewed no mercy, and mercy glorieth against judgment.
14 Me nuanom, sɛ obi ka sɛ, “Mewɔ gyidie” na ɔnni gyidie no ho dwuma a, mfasoɔ bɛn na ɛwɔ soɔ? Saa gyidie no bɛtumi agye no nkwa anaa?
What is the advantage, my brethren, if a man profess to have faith, but hath not works; can faith save him?
15 Sɛ anuanom bi wɔ hɔ a ntoma ho hia wɔn na wɔnni aduane dodoɔ nso a wɔbɛdi,
Now if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 sɛ wokɔka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, “Onyame nhyira mo! Mo ho nyɛ mo hye na monnidi yie” na sɛ woamma wɔn asetena yi mu deɛ ɛhia wɔn a, papa bɛn na woayɛ wɔn?
and should one of you say to them, Go in peace, be warm, be replenished with food: yet if ye give them not the necessaries for their body; what doth it avail?
17 Saa ara na gyidie teɛ. Sɛ nneyɛeɛ nka ho a, na awu.
So also faith, if it hath not works, is dead itself.
18 Nanso, obi bɛtumi aka sɛ, “Obi wɔ gyidie na afoforɔ nso wɔ nneyɛeɛ.” Me mmuaeɛ ne sɛ, “Kyerɛ me sɛdeɛ obi tumi nya gyidie a nneyɛeɛ mmata ho ase. Me deɛ menam me nneyɛeɛ so bɛkyerɛ wo me gyidie.”
Perhaps a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith by thy works, and I will shew thee by my works my faith.
19 Wogye di sɛ Onyankopɔn baako pɛ na ɔwɔ hɔ? Ɛyɛ! Ahonhommɔne nso gye di saa ara na wɔn ho popo wɔ suro mu.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble.
20 Ɔkwasea! Wopɛ sɛ wɔka kyerɛ wo sɛ gyidie a nneyɛeɛ mmata ho no ho nni mfasoɔ anaa?
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Ɛyɛɛ dɛn na Onyankopɔn buu Abraham bem? Ɛnam ne nneyɛeɛ so sɛ ɔde ne ba Isak maa wɔ afɔrebukyia so no.
Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Wohunu sɛ ne gyidie ne ne nneyɛeɛ nyinaa redi dwuma na ne nneyɛeɛ no maa ne gyidie no dii mu.
Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith consummated.
23 Na Atwerɛsɛm no baa mu sɛ, Abraham gyee Onyankopɔn diiɛ na ɛsiane ne gyidie no enti, Onyankopɔn gyee no sɛ ɔteneneeni. Enti wɔfrɛ Abraham Onyankopɔn adamfo.
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness;” and he was called “the friend of God.”
24 Yei da no adi pefee sɛ Onyankopɔn nam onipa nneyɛeɛ so na ɔbu no bem, na ɛnnam ne gyidie nko so.
Observe therefore that by works a man is justified, and not by faith merely.
25 Saa ara na ɛte wɔ adwaman Rahab ho. Ne nneyɛeɛ maa Onyankopɔn buu no bem, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔgyee Yudafoɔ bi a wɔsomaa wɔn, boaa wɔn ma wɔdwane faa ɛkwan foforɔ bi so.
But was not Rahab the harlot in like manner justified by works, when she entertained the messengers, and sent them away by a different road?
26 Sɛdeɛ onipadua a honhom nni mu awuo no, saa ara nso na gyidie a nneyɛeɛ mmata ho no nso awuo.
For as the body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
