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].
Bazalwane bami, abanengi benu akumelanga babe ngabafundisi ngoba liyakwazi ukuthi thina esifundisayo sizakwahlulelwa kalukhunikazi.
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].
Sonke siyakhubeka ngezindlela ezinengi. Nxa umuntu engakaze abelesici kulokho akutshoyo, ungumuntu opheleleyo, oyenelisayo ukuwubamba wonke umzimba wakhe.
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].
Lapho sifaka amatomu emilonyeni yamabhiza ukuba asilalele, ibhiza singaliphendula lonke.
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].
Kumbe lithathe imikhumbi njengesibonelo. Lanxa imikhulu kangaka njalo iqhutshwa ngumoya olamandla, iqondiswa ngophinyana oluncane loba kungaphi lapho umtshayeli afuna ukuya khona.
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.
Ngokufanayo ulimi luyisitho esincane somzimba kodwa luyazincoma kakhulu. Cabangani ngehlathi elikhulu elithungelwa yinhlansi encane yomlilo.
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)
Ulimi lalo lungumlilo, umhlaba wobubi phakathi kwezitho zomzimba. Lungcolisa lonke uqobo lomuntu, luyithungele ngomlilo yonke impilo yakhe, lalo luthungelwe yisihogo somlilo. (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,
Zonke inhlobo zezinyamazana, izinyoni, lezihuquzelayo kanye lezidalwa zasolwandle ziyathanjiswa njalo sezathanjiswa ngumuntu,
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.
kodwa akulamuntu ongathambisa ulimi, luyibubi obuyaluzelayo, lugcwele itshefu ebulalayo.
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].
Ngolimi siyayibonga iNkosi uBaba, njalo ngalo sithuka abantu abenziwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu.
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!
Emlonyeni munye kuphuma ukubonga lokuthuka. Bazalwane bami, lokhu akufanelanga.
11 Surely bitter water and good water do not come out of the same spring! [RHQ]
Kambe amanzi amnandi lamanzi aletswayi angagobhoza mthombo munye na?
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].
Bazalwane bami, umkhiwa ungathela ama-oliva na, kumbe ivini lithele imikhiwa na? Lomthombo oletswayi awungeke ukhuphe amanzi amnandi.
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].
Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo loqedisisayo phakathi kwenu na? Kakubonakalise ngokuphila kwakhe kuhle, langezenzo ezenziwa ngokuzithoba okuvela ekuhlakanipheni.
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.
Kodwa nxa ligcine umhawu lokulangazela kobukhwele ezinhliziyweni zenu, lingazincomi ngakho kumbe liphike iqiniso.
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]).
“Ukuhlakanipha” okunjalo kakwehli kuvela ezulwini, kodwa ngokwasemhlabeni, akusikomoya, ngokwamadimoni.
16 [Keep in mind that] people who have such attitudes (are unruly/do not submit to authority) and [do] all kinds of evil things.
Ngoba lapho okulomhawu khona lokutshisekela kokuzisuthisa kulapho okutholakala khona ingxabangxoza kanye lezenzo zonke ezimbi.
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].
Kodwa ukuhlakanipha okuvela ezulwini kuqala ngokuhlambuluka; besekuthanda ukuthula, kulozwelo, kuyazehlisa, kugcwele isihawu lezithelo ezinhle, kakukhethi njalo kuqotho.
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].
Abalamuli abahlanyela ukuthula bathola isivuno sokulunga.
