1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Yakobo, mtumwa wa Mungu, na wa Bwana Yesu Kristo, kwa kabila kumi na mbili waliotawanyika; salamu.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Ndugu zangu, hesabuni ya kuwa ni furaha tupu, mkiangukia katika majaribu mbalimbali;
3 knowing this , that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
mkifahamu ya kuwa kujaribiwa kwa imani yenu huleta saburi.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Saburi na iwe na kazi kamilifu, mpate kuwa wakamilifu na watimilifu bila kupungukiwa na neno.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Lakini mtu wa kwenu akipungukiwa na hekima, na aombe dua kwa Mungu, awapaye wote, kwa ukarimu, wala hakemei; naye atapewa.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Ila na aombe kwa imani, pasipo shaka yo yote; maana mwenye shaka ni kama wimbi la bahari lililochukuliwa na upepo, na kupeperushwa huku na huku.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Maana mtu kama yule asidhani ya kuwa atapokea kitu kwa Bwana.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Mtu wa nia mbili husita-sita katika njia zake zote.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
Lakini ndugu asiye na cheo na afurahi kwa kuwa ametukuzwa;
10 but the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
bali tajiri kwa kuwa ameshushwa; kwa maana kama ua la majani atatoweka.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
Maana jua huchomoza kwa hari, huyakausha majani; ua lake huanguka, uzuri wa umbo lake hupotea; vivyo hivyo naye tajiri atanyauka katika njia zake.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Heri mtu astahimiliye majaribu; kwa sababu akiisha kukubaliwa ataipokea taji ya uzima, Bwana aliyowaahidia wampendao.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Mtu ajaribiwapo, asiseme, Ninajaribiwa na Mungu; maana Mungu hawezi kujaribiwa na maovu, wala yeye mwenyewe hamjaribu mtu.
14 but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Lakini kila mmoja hujaribiwa na tamaa yake mwenyewe huku akivutwa na kudanganywa.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Halafu ile tamaa ikiisha kuchukua mimba huzaa dhambi, na ile dhambi ikiisha kukomaa huzaa mauti.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Ndugu zangu wapenzi, msidanganyike.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Kila kutoa kuliko kwema, na kila kitolewacho kilicho kamili, hutoka juu, hushuka kwa Baba wa mianga; kwake hakuna kubadilika, wala kivuli cha kugeuka-geuka.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Kwa kupenda kwake mwenyewe alituzaa sisi kwa neno la kweli, tuwe kama limbuko la viumbe vyake.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Hayo mnajua, ndugu zangu wapenzi. Basi kila mtu na awe mwepesi wa kusikia, bali si mwepesi wa kusema; wala kukasirika;
20 for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
kwa maana hasira ya mwanadamu haiitendi haki ya Mungu.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Kwa hiyo wekeeni mbali uchafu wote na ubaya uzidio, na kupokea kwa upole neno lile lililopandwa ndani, liwezalo kuziokoa roho zenu.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Lakini iweni watendaji wa neno, wala si wasikiaji tu, hali mkijidanganya nafsi zenu.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Kwa sababu mtu akiwa ni msikiaji wa neno tu, wala si mtendaji, mtu huyo ni kama mtu anayejiangalia uso wake katika kioo.
24 for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Maana hujiangalia, kisha huenda zake, mara akasahau jinsi alivyo.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein , he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Lakini aliyeitazama sheria kamilifu iliyo ya uhuru, na kukaa humo, asiwe msikiaji msahaulifu, bali mtendaji wa kazi, huyo atakuwa heri katika kutenda kwake.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Mtu akidhani ya kuwa anayo dini, wala hauzuii ulimi wake kwa hatamu, hali akijidanganya moyo wake, dini yake mtu huyo haifai.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Dini iliyo safi, isiyo na taka mbele za Mungu Baba ni hii, Kwenda kuwatazama yatima na wajane katika dhiki yao, na kujilinda na dunia pasipo mawaa.
