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.

Whence [come] wars and whence [come] fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your pleasures that war in your 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.

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.

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

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend [it] in 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.

Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an 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 think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?

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

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore [the scripture] saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

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

Be subject therefore unto God; but 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 nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.

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

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

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

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.

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.

Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art 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?

One [only] is the lawgiver and judge, [even] he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbour?

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, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain:

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

whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

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

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both 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 ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil.

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

To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.