Yakobo 2
1 Me nuanom, sɛ moyɛ agyidifoɔ wɔ Awurade Kristo animuonyam mu yi, monnyɛ animhwɛ.
My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord of glory, Jesus Christ, with respect of 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 assembly a man with a gold ring, in splendid apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment,
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 have respect to him that weareth the splendid apparel, and say, Sit thou here in a good place, and say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or, Sit under my footstool,
4 wodi fɔ sɛ wogyina atemmuo a ɛfiri adwemmɔne mu de nyiyimu abɛto mo mu no ho.
have ye not been partial among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
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.
Hearken, my beloved brethren. Did not God choose the poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
6 Nanso, moammu ahiafoɔ! Ɛhefoɔ na wɔdi mo nya twe mo kɔ atemmufoɔ anim? Adefoɔ!
but ye have despised the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and do not they drag you before the judgment-seats?
7 Wɔne nnipa a wɔkasa tia din pa a wɔde ama mo no.
Do not they blaspheme the worthy 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 fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor 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 to 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 whoever hath kept the whole law, and yet hath offended in one point, hath become guilty 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 who said, “Do not commit adultery,” said also, “Do not kill.” Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou hast become 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 do, as they that 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 the judgment shall be without mercy to him that showed no mercy. 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 doth it profit, my brethren, if any one say that he hath faith, and have not works? Can his faith save him?
15 Sɛ anuanom bi wɔ hɔ a ntoma ho hia wɔn na wɔnni aduane dodoɔ nso a wɔbɛdi,
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 one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and be filled, notwithstanding ye give them not the things needful for the body, what doth it profit?
17 Saa ara na gyidie teɛ. Sɛ nneyɛeɛ nka ho a, na awu.
So also faith, if it hath not works, is dead in 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.”
But some one will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show me thy faith without works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
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 God is one; thou doest well; the demons 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 idle?
21 Ɛyɛɛ dɛn na Onyankopɔn buu Abraham bem? Ɛnam ne nneyɛeɛ so sɛ ɔde ne ba Isak maa wɔ afɔrebukyia so no.
Was not Abraham our father accepted as righteous through works, when he offered 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 made perfect.
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 reckoned 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.
Ye see that by works a man is accounted as righteous, and not by faith only.
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.
And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot accounted as righteous through works, when she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
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 the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
