1
Vita vyatoka wapi, na mapigano yaliyoko kati yenu yatoka wapi? Si humu, katika tamaa zenu zifanyazo vita katika viungo vyenu?
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
2
Mwatamani, wala hamna kitu, mwaua na kuona wivu, wala hamwezi kupata. Mwafanya vita na kupigana, wala hamna kitu kwa kuwa hamwombi!
You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
3
Hata mwaomba, wala hampati kwa sababu mwaomba vibaya, ili mvitumie kwa tamaa zenu.
And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
4
Enyi wazinzi, hamjui ya kwamba kuwa rafiki wa dunia ni kuwa adui wa Mungu? Basi kila atakaye kuwa rafiki wa dunia hujifanya kuwa adui wa Mungu.
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.
5
Au mwadhani ya kwamba maandiko yasema bure? Huyo Roho akaaye ndani yetu hututamani kiasi cha kuona wivu?
Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?
6
Lakini hutujalia sisi neema iliyozidi; kwa hiyo husema, Mungu huwapinga wajikuzao, bali huwapa neema wanyenyekevu.
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
7
Basi mtiini Mungu. Mpingeni Shetani, naye atawakimbia.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8
Mkaribieni Mungu, naye atawakaribia ninyi. Itakaseni mikono yenu, enyi wenye dhambi, na kuisafisha mioyo yenu, enyi wenye nia mbili.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9
Huzunikeni na kuomboleza na kulia. Kucheka kwenu na kugeuzwe kuwa kuomboleza, na furaha yenu kuwa hamu.
Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.
10
Jidhilini mbele za Bwana, naye atawakuza.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
11
Ndugu, msisingiziane; amsingiziaye ndugu yake, au kumhukumu ndugu yake, huisingizia sheria na kuihukumu sheria. Lakini ukiihukumu sheria, huwi mtenda sheria, bali umekuwa hakimu.
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it.
12
Mtoa sheria na mwenye kuhukumu ni mmoja tu, ndiye awezaye kuokoa na kuangamiza. U nani wewe umhukumuye mtu mwingine?
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
13
Haya basi, ninyi msemao, Leo au kesho tutaingia katika mji fulani na kukaa humo mwaka mzima, na kufanya biashara na kupata faida;
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”
14
walakini hamjui yatakayokuwako kesho. Uzima wenu ni nini? Maana ninyi ni mvuke uonekanao kwa kitambo, kisha hutoweka.
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
15
Badala ya kusema, Bwana akipenda, tutakuwa hai na kufanya hivi au hivi.
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”
16
Lakini sasa mwajisifu katika majivuno yenu; kujisifu kote kwa namna hii ni kubaya.
As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil.
17
Basi yeye ajuaye kutenda mema, wala hayatendi, kwake huyo ni dhambi.
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.