James 3
1 My fellow believers, not many of you should [desire to] become teachers [of God’s truth, because] you know [that God] will judge us [(exc)], who teach others, more severely [than he will judge other people].
Ry rahalahiko, aza dia samy ho mpampianatra be ihany ianareo, satria fantatrareo fa ho mafimafy kokoa no hitsarana anay mpampianatra.
2 It is true that we all in many ways do things that are wrong [MET]. But those who always [LIT] control what they say will be all that God intends/wants them to be. They will be able to control all their actions [MTY].
Fa tafintohina amin’ ny zavatra maro isika rehetra. Raha misy olona tsy mba tafintohina amin’ ny teny, dia izy no lehilahy tanteraka ka mahafehy ny tenany rehetra koa.
3 [To illustrate], if we put [a small metal] bit into the mouth of a horse in order to cause the horse to obey us, we can cause the horse to turn [and go where we want it to] [MET].
Ary raha asiantsika lamboridy amin’ ny vavan’ ny soavaly mba hanarahany antsika, dia mitondra ny tenany rehetra isika.
4 Think also about ships. [Although] a ship may be very large and [although] it can be moved by strong winds {strong winds can move it}, by [turning] a very small (rudder/steering paddle) people can direct the ship wherever they want [it to go].
Indreo koa ny sambo, na dia lehibe aza ireny ka entin’ ny rivotra mahery, dia ahodin’ ny familiana kely foana izy ho any amin’ izay tian’ ny mpitondra.
5 Similarly, [although] our tongues are very small, [if we do not control them], we can [harm] many people by what we proudly say [MTY]. Think [also] about how [just] a small [flame of] fire can cause a large forest (OR, a large area of brushwood) to burn.
Dia toy izany koa ny lela, rantsana kely izy, kanefa mirehareha fatratra. Indro, ny fiavovon’ ny antontan-kazo arehitry ny afo kely!
6 [Just like a fire damages a forest] [MET], when we say things that are evil, [we harm many people]. What we say [MTY] reveals that we are very evil. What we say contaminates/defiles everything that we think and do [PRS, MET]. [Just like a flame of fire easily] causes [the whole surrounding area] [MET] to burn, what we say [MTY] can cause [others] to want to do evil. It is the devil himself [MTY] who causes us to say evil things. (Geenna g1067)
Ary afo ny lela, dia faharatsiana tsy hita lany; eo amin’ ny momba ny tenantsika dia ny lela no mampipentimpentina ny tena rehetra ka mampirehitra izao zavatra ary rehetra izao, sady arehitry ny helo izy; (Geenna g1067)
7 Indeed, although people are able to tame/control all kinds of wild animals, birds, reptiles and creatures that live in the water, and people have actually tamed/controlled them,
Fa folaka avokoa ny karazan’ ny bibi-dia rehetra sy ny vorona sy ny biby mandady sy mikisaka mbamin’ ny any an-dranomasina, eny, voafolaky ny olombelona ireny;
8 no person ([on his own/by himself]) is able to control what he says [MTY]. And when people say evil things, [it shows that] they are unstable/uncontrolled and wicked [MTY]. [As] the poison [of a snake kills people] [MTY], [we harm others] [MET] by what we say.
fa tsy misy olona mahafolaka ny lela; zava-dratsy tsy manam-pijanonana izy sady feno ody mahafaty.
9 We use our tongue to praise God, who is our Lord and Father, but we also use our same tongue to ask God to say evil things to people. [That is very wrong]! God made people like himself, [so we should speak as respectfully to others as we speak to God].
Izy no isaorantsika ny Tompo, dia ny Ray; ary izy ihany koa no anozonantsika ny olona, izay natao araka ny endrik’ Andriamanitra.
10 We praise [God], but with our same mouth we also ask for evil [things to happen to others]. My fellow believers, this should not be!
Ny vava iray ihany no ivoahan’ ny fisaorana sy ny fanozonana. Ry rahalahiko, tsy mety raha misy izany.
11 Surely bitter water and good water do not come out of the same spring! [RHQ]
Moa ny loharano va mamoaka rano mamy sy mangidy eo amin’ ny vavany iray ihany?
12 My fellow believers, a fig tree cannot [RHQ] produce olives. Nor can [RHQ] a grapevine produce figs. Neither can a salty spring produce good [water]. [Similarly, we should say only good things, and we should not say evil things] [MET].
Ry rahalahiko, ny aviavy va mety mamoa voan’ oliva, na ny voaloboka mamoa voan’ aviavy? Toy izany ny rano masirasira tsy mba ivoahan’ ny mamy.
13 If any of you thinks [RHQ] that [you are] wise and know a lot, you should always act in a good way to show people that your good actions are the result of your [being truly] wise. Being wise [helps us to act] gently [toward others].
Iza eo aminareo no hendry sy manam-pahalalana? Aoka hasehony amin’ ny fitondran-tena tsara ny asany amin’ ny fahalemem-panahin’ ny fahendrena.
14 But if you are very [MET] jealous/unhappy when you see that someone else is succeeding, and always want to have what you want, regardless of what others want, you should not say [that you are wise, for by boasting like that], you are saying that ([God’s message/what God says about you]) is not true.
Fa raha misy fialonana mirehitra sy fifampiandaniana ao am-ponareo, aza mirehareha na mandainga manohitra ny marina.
15 Those who have such [attitudes are] not wise [MTY] in the way that God [wants them to be]. Instead, they are only thinking and acting like ([ungodly people/people who do not please God]). They think and act according to their own [evil] desires. They do what the demons [want them to do] (OR, they think and act as demons [do]).
Izany fahendrena izany dia tsy ny avy any ambony, fa araka ny etỳ an-tany ihany, araka ny nofo, araka ny an’ ny demonia.
16 [Keep in mind that] people who have such attitudes (are unruly/do not submit to authority) and [do] all kinds of evil things.
Fa izay misy fialonana sy fifampiandaniana dia misy fikorontanana mbamin izay asa ratsy rehetra.
17 But [when people] are wise [PRS] in the way that God [MTY] [wants them to be], they are pure in every way, which God considers to be very important. They also act peaceably towards [others], they (are considerate of/think about the rights and feelings of) others, they are willing to yield to [the wishes of] others, they act compassionately [toward others], and they do all kinds of good things [for others] [MET]. [How they treat others does] not depend on (others’ status/whether others are important or not), and they are sincere [in all they do].
Fa ny fahendrena izay avy any ambony dia madio aloha, ary tia fihavanana, mandefitra, mora alahatra, be famindram-po sy be voka-tsoa, tsy miahanahana na mihatsaravelatsihy.
18 Those who [act] peaceably [toward others] cause [others to also] act peaceably, with the result that they all live together [acting toward each other] in a righteous way [MET].
Ary ny vokatry ny fahamarinana dia afafy amin’ ny fihavanana ho an’ izay mampandroso ny fihavanana.
