James 1
1 [I], James, am a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [I am writing this letter] to [all] the Jewish people [who trust in Christ] (OR, to all God’s people) who are scattered throughout the world. [I send my] greetings to [you all].
Jakoba, mpanompon’ Andriamanitra sy Jesosy Kristy Tompo, mamangy ny firenena roa ambin’ ny folo monina any am-pielezana.
2 My fellow believers, rejoice greatly, [even] when you experience various kinds of difficulties/troubles.
Ry rahalahiko, ataovy ho fifaliana avokoa, raha iharan’ ny fakam-panahy samy hafa ianareo,
3 [God sometimes allows you to experience difficulties in order to] test whether or not you will continue to trust [him. Whenever that happens, you need to] realize more and more that [if you continue to trust him], you will be able to bravely/patiently endure difficulties.
satria fantatrareo fa ny fizahan-toetra ny finoanareo dia mahatonga faharetana.
4 Keep on enduring difficulties [bravely/patiently by trusting God more and more firmly] [PRS], in order that you may become all that he intends you to be [DOU] (OR, [spiritually] mature and complete), not lacking (any [good quality/anything you need to conduct your lives as God wants you to]).
Ary aoka ny faharetana hisy asa tanteraka, mba ho tanteraka sy tonga ohatra ianareo, ka tsy hisy tsy ampy na inona na inona.
5 If anyone of you does not know how to act wisely [in order to endure difficulties/trials well], he should ask God [to show him what he should do, because] God wholeheartedly/gladly helps all people [who ask] and does not scold [anyone for asking. Those who ask], God will give them wisdom to know [what they should do].
Ary raha misy ianareo tsy manam-pahendrena, aoka izy hangataka amin’ Andriamanitra, Izay manome malalaka ho an’ ny olona rehetra sady tsy mandatsa; ary dia homena azy izany.
6 But [when you] ask [God], you should firmly trust him. You should not doubt [that he wants to help you always], because people who keep doubting God are [unstable/changeable] [SIM] like a wave of the sea that is blown back and forth by the wind {that goes back and forth when the wind blows} [DOU, SIM].
Nefa aoka hangataka amin’ ny finoana izy ka tsy hiahanahana akory; fa izay miahanahana dia toy ny alon-dranomasina entin’ ny rivotra ka atopatopany.
7 Indeed, people [who doubt] should not think that the Lord [God] will do anything [that they request him to do],
Fa aoka tsy hanampo handray zavatra amin’ ny Tompo izany olona izany:
8 [because they are] people who cannot decide [whether they will commit themselves to God, and they are] unstable/undecided in everything that they do.
olona miroa saina izy, miovaova amin’ ny alehany rehetra.
9 Believers who are poor should be happy [that God] considers them very valuable (OR, has exalted them [spiritually]) [MTY].
Aoka ny rahalahy izay ambany hanao ny fisandratany ho reharehany;
10 And [believers] who are rich should be happy [that] they have humbled themselves [in order to trust in Jesus Christ] (OR, but rich people [can only] take pride [in the fact that God] will humble them [when he judges everyone] [IRO]), because they [and their riches] [MTY] will pass away, just like wild flowers [wither] [SIM].
fa ny manan-karena kosa ny fietreny, satria ho levona tahaka ny vonin’ ny ahitra izy.
11 When the sun rises, the scorching hot wind dries plants, and their flowers fall and are no longer beautiful. Similarly, rich people will die [MET] while they are busy working, [leaving behind their riches].
Fa miposaka ny masoandro mbamin’ ny hainandro mahamay, dia mampahalazo ny ahitra, ka mihintsana ny voniny, ary levona ny hatsaran-tarehiny; dia toy izany koa no fahalazon’ ny manan-karena amin’ ny alehany.
12 [God] is pleased with people who bravely/patiently endure difficulties. And when, [by bravely enduring difficulties], they have proved [that they truly trust him], he will give them [eternal] life. That is the reward [MET] that he has promised to give to those who love him.
Sambatra izay olona maharitra fakam-panahy; fa rehefa voazaha toetra izy, dia handray ny satro-boninahitra fiainana, izay nolazain’ ny Tompo homena izay tia Azy.
13 If people are tempted to do something that is evil, they should not think that it is God who is tempting them, because [God is totally/completely good]. He never tempts anyone [to do what is evil], nor can he ever be tempted to [do anything] evil.
Raha misy alaim-panahy, aoka izy tsy hanao hoe: Andriamanitra no maka fanahy ahy; fa Andriamanitra tsy azon’ ny ratsy alaim-panahy, sady tsy mba maka fanahy olona Izy;
14 But people strongly desire to do evil [PRS] things, [and as a result] they are tempted by those desires {those desires stimulate them} to do something evil [PRS, DOU].
fa samy alaim-panahy ny olona, raha tarihin’ ny filany sy fitahiny izy.
15 Then, [because] they have desired [MET] to do evil [PRS] things, they begin to [MET] do [PRS] them. And when they have become ones who [habitually] do what is evil [MET], [if they do not turn away from their sinful behavior], they will be separated from God forever.
Ary ny filàna, rehefa torontoronina, dia miteraka ota; ary ny ota, rehefa tanteraka, dia miteraka fahafatesana.
16 My fellow believers whom I love, stop deceiving yourselves, [thinking that God does evil things].
Aza mety hofitahina ianareo, sy rahalahy malalako.
17 [The truth is that God], our heavenly Father [MTY], does only good [DOU] things [for us, in order to help us become] all that he intends us to be. He is not like all the things [in the sky] that he created to give light, [because they] change; [that is, they do not shine the same all the time]. But God never changes. [He is always good].
Ny fanomezan-tsoa rehetra sy ny fanomezana tanteraka rehetra dia avy any ambony ka midìna avy amin’ ny Rain’ ny fanazavana, Izay tsy misy fiovaovana na aloka avy amin’ ny fihodinana.
18 [And because] he wanted [to help us], he gave us [spiritual] life as a result of our [trusting in his] true message. So now we have become the first ones of [all the people] [MET] that he created [to] ([be totally dedicated to/completely belong to]) [him].
Tamin’ ny sitrapony no niterahany antsika tamin’ ny teny fahamarinana, mba ho santatry ny zavatra noforoniny isika.
19 My fellow believers whom I love, you know (OR, I want you to now) that every one of you should be eager to pay attention to [God’s true message]. Don’t speak [without thinking], nor get angry easily,
Fantatrareo izany, sy rahalahy malalako. Kanefa aoka ny olona rehetra halady hihaino ho malai-miteny, ho malain-ko tezitra;
20 because when any one [of you gets] angry, you will not be doing the righteous things that God [wants] you [to do].
fa ny fahatezeran’ ny olona tsy ahefana izay marina eo imason’ Andriamanitra.
21 So stop doing all kinds of evil [DOU] things, and humbly obey (OR, submit to) the message that [God] put in your (inner beings/hearts), [because] he is able to save you [SYN] [if you accept his message].
Koa ario ny fahalotoana sy ny lolompo rehetra, ary ekeo amin’ ny fahalemem-panahy ny teny nambolena, izay mahavonjy ny fanahinareo.
22 Do [what God commands in] his message. Do not only listen [to it, because people who only listen to it and do not obey it] are wrong when they think [that God will save them].
Fa aoka ho mpankatò ny teny ianareo, fa aza mpihaino fotsiny ihany ka mamitaka ny tenanareo.
23 Some people hear God’s message but do not do [what it says] [MET]. They are like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [SIM].
Fa raha misy mpihaino ny teny, nefa tsy mpankatò, dia toy ny olona mizaha ny tarehiny eo amin’ ny fitaratra izy;
24 Although he looks at himself, he goes away [from the mirror] and immediately forgets what he looks like.
fa mijery ny tenany izy, dia lasa, ary miaraka amin’ izay dia hadinony ny tarehiny.
25 But other people look closely at [God’s] message, which is perfect and which sets people free [to voluntarily do what God wants them to do]. And if they continue [to examine God’s message] and do not just hear it and then forget it, but do [what God tells them to do], God will bless them because of what they do.
Fa izay mandinika ny lalàna tanteraka, dia ny lalàn’ ny fahafahana, ka maharitra amin’ izany, raha tsy mpihaino manadino, fa mpanao ny asa, dia ho sambatra amin’ ny asany izany olona izany.
26 Some people think that they worship God in the right way, but they habitually say evil things [MTY]. Those people are wrong in thinking [SYN] [that they worship God rightly]. The fact is [that they] worship God (in vain/uselessly).
Raha misy manao azy ho mpivavaka, nefa tsy mamehy ny vavany, fa mamitaka ny fony, dia zava-poana ny fivavahan’ izany olona izany.
27 [One of the things that God has told us to do] is to take care of orphans and widows who suffer hardship. [Those who do that and] who do not think or act immorally like those who do not obey God [MTY] truly [DOU] worship God, [who is our] Father, and God approves of them.
Izao no fivavahana madio sady tsy misy loto eo anatrehan’ Andriamanitra Ray: ny mamangy ny kamboty sy ny mpitondratena amin’ ny fahoriany, sy ny miaro ny tena tsy hisy pentimpentina avy amin’ izao tontolo izao.
