Yakobo 4

1 Ɔko ne akasakasa a asi mo mu yi firi he? Ɛfiri mo ara mo akɔnnɔ a ɛne mo onipadua di asie no.

Where do the conflicts and quarrels that go on among you come from? Do they not come from your passions which are always making war among your bodily members?

2 Morepɛ nneɛma bi nanso morentumi nnya, ɛno enti moayɛ mo adwene sɛ mobɛdi awu. Mo ani abere dendeenden repɛ nneɛma bi, nanso mo nsa nka, enti akasakasa ne ɔko nam so ba. Deɛ morehwehwɛ no, mo nsa renka ɛfiri sɛ, mommisa Onyankopɔn.

You continually crave and do not obtain; you are killing and coveting and cannot acquire; you are fighting and at war. You do not have, because you do not ask.

3 Na sɛ mobisa koraa nso a, mo nsa renka, ɛfiri sɛ, mowɔ adwemmɔne. Mobisa nneɛma a ɛyɛ mo akɔnnɔdeɛ.

You continue to ask and do not receive, because you are asking with a wrong purpose, in order to spend it upon your pleasures.

4 Nnipa a monni gyidie! Monnim sɛ, sɛ mofa ewiase adamfo a, na moyɛ Onyankopɔn atamfoɔ? Obiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ewiase adamfo no dane Onyankopɔn ɔtamfoɔ.

You adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity to God? Whoever, then, desires to be a friend of the world, makes himself and enemy of God.

5 Mosusu sɛ Atwerɛsɛm a ɛka sɛ, “Ninkunutwe ahyɛ honhom a Onyankopɔn de ahyɛ yɛn mu no ma” no wɔkaa no kwa?

Or do you suppose that it is in vain that the Scripture says, "The spirit which has its home in us yearns over us unto jealousy?"

6 Nanso, adom a Onyankopɔn dom yɛn no dɔɔso yie. Na Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ, “Onyankopɔn si ahantanfoɔ kwan, na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.”

But he gives more and more grace. therefore it is said, God ever resists the proud; but to the humble he gives grace continually.

7 Enti, momfa mo ho nhyɛ Onyankopɔn ase. Monsi ɔbonsam kwan, na ɔbɛdwane afiri mo ho.

So then ever be subject to God, Ever resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 Mommɛn Onyankopɔn, na ɔno nso bɛbɛn mo. Monhohoro mo nsa ho, mo nnebɔneyɛfoɔ! Monte mo akoma mu, mo a mo adwene yɛ ntanta!

Draw near to God And he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, And purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Monni awerɛhoɔ, monsu, na montwa agyaadwoɔ; momma mo sereɛ nnane su, na mo anigyeɛ nnane awerɛhoɔ.

Lament and mourn, and weep aloud! Let your laughter be turned into mourning, And your joy into gloom!

10 Mommrɛ mo ho ase mma Awurade, na ɔbɛma mo so.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, And he will raise you up.

11 Me nuanom, monnnidi mo ho nsekuro. Obiara a ɔkasa tia ne nua anaa ɔbu no atɛn no, kasa tia Mmara no. Na sɛ wobu Mmara no atɛn a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ, afei deɛ wonni Mmara no so.

Do not be talking against each other, brothers. He who is talking against a brother and condemning his brothers is talking against the Law and condemning the Law. But if you are condemning the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge.

12 Onyankopɔn nko na ɔma mmara na ɔbu atɛn. Ɔno nko na ɔgye nkwa na ɔsɛe. Wone hwan a wobu wo yɔnko atɛn?

But One is your Lawgiver and Judge - he who is able to save and to destroy. But you, who are you, to be condemning your neighbor?

13 Mo a moka sɛ, “Ɛnnɛ anaa ɔkyena yɛbɛtu kwan akɔ kuro bi so akɔdi afe akɔyɛ adwuma, apɛ sika” no, montie me.

Go to now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we shall journey to such a city and spend a year there, and trade and make money,"

14 Monnim deɛ ɛbɛto mo ɔkyena: Mote sɛ huhuro a ɛba mmerɛ tiawa bi na ayera.

when all the time you do not know what will happen on the morrow. For what is your life? You are but a mist, appearing for a brief time, and then vanishing.

15 Asɛm a ɛsɛ sɛ moka ne sɛ, “Sɛ Awurade pɛ a, yɛbɛyɛ yei anaa yei.”

You ought instead to say, "If the Lord wills it, we shall live and do this or that."

16 Nanso, seesei mohoahoa mo ho de mo nsa si mo bo; saa ahohoahoa no nyinaa yɛ bɔne.

But now you are glorying in these insolent boastings of yours; all such glorying is evil.

17 Enti, deɛ ɔnim papayɛ na ɔnyɛ no, ɛyɛ bɔne ma no.

So to him who knows how to do right and does not do it, to him it is sin.