Yakobo 2
1 Bhana bhasu mutalubhilila elikilisha lya Latabhugenyi Yesu Kristo, Latabhugenyi wa likushyo, kwo kusolola abhanu bhandi.
My Brothers, are you really trying to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with the worship of rank?
2 Labha munu undi akengila mulikofyanyisho lyemwe afwae jipete ja jijaabhu na jingubho jakisi, nengila no mutaka owajingubho jinkote,
Suppose a man should enter your Synagogue, with gold rings and in grand clothes, and suppose a poor man should come in also, in shabby clothes,
3 na mukabhonekana okumukusha muno owa jingubho jekisi na nimubhwila ati, “Echikusabha awe winyanje anu owekisi” nawe mumubhwila omutaka oyo ati, “Awe imelegulu aliya,” amwi “Inyanja ansi kumagulu gani.”
and you are deferential to the man who is wearing grand clothes, and say — “There is a good seat for you here,” but to the poor man — “You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool,”
4 Angu, muatakwilamula emwe ala abhene, no kubha bhalamusi bho bhwiganilisha bhubhibhi?
Is not that to make distinctions among yourselves, and show yourselves prejudiced judges?
5 Mutegeleshe, bhana bhasu bhendwa, angu, Nyamuanga atabhasolele abhataka bhwa muchalo bhabhwe bhanibhi mulikisha nokulya omwandu gwo bhukama bhunu alagile kubhanu abhamwenda?
Listen, my dear Brothers. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the things of this world to be rich through their faith, and to possess the Kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?
6 Nawe mwabhagaile abhataka! Angu, bhatali bhanu abhanibhi bhanu abhabhanyasha emwe, na bhatalyabho abhabhasila mwibhoyelo?
But you — you insult the poor man! Is not it the rich who oppress you? Is not it they who drag you into law-courts?
7 Angu, bhatali abhanibhi abho bhanu abhalifuma lisina liliya elyekisilinu mubhilikiyeko?
Is not it they who malign that honourable Name which has been bestowed upon you?
8 Nolo kutyo, lwakutyo omuikumisha echilagilo cho mukama lwakutyo jandikilwe mumandiko, “Umwende omwikashanya wao lwakutyo owiyenda aweomwene,”omukola ja bhwana.
Yet, if you keep the royal law which runs — ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thou dost thyself,’ you are doing right;
9 Nawe labha mukabha na isolole na bhanu abhandi, omukola ebhibhibhi, omulamulwa ne bhilagilo ati muli bhanyamusi.
but, if you worship rank, you commit a sin, and stand convicted by that same law of being offenders against it.
10 Kulwokubha wona wona kakumisha ebhilagilo bhyona, neya nekujula muchimwilala, abhee ne bhikayo bhyo kukaya bhyona!
For a man who has laid the Law, as a whole, to heart, but has failed in one particular, is liable for breaking all its provisions.
11 Kulwokubha Nyamuanga unu aikile, “Utalomela,” niwe unu aikilati, “Utajakwita.”Nalabha utakulomela, nawe owita, wamalile okukaya mubhilagilo bhya Nyamuanga.
He who said ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’ also said ‘Thou shalt not murder.’ If, then, you commit murder but not adultery, you are still an offender against the Law.
12 Kulwejo mulomega no kwikeya lwabhanu bhaliayeyi okulamulwa ne bhilagilo bhinu bhitali bhya chigaya
Therefore, speak and act as men who are to be judged by the ‘Law of Freedom.’
13 . Kulwokubha indamu eija itana sasila kubhanu bhatana sasila. Echigongo echibhao mundamu.
For there will be justice without mercy for him who has not acted mercifully. Mercy triumphs over Justice.
14 Bhulio obhwakisiki, bhana bhasu, omunu akaikati alinelikisha, nawe atana bhikolwa? Angu, elikilisha elyo eitula okumuchungula?
My Brothers, what is the good of a man’s saying that he has faith, if he does not prove it by actions? Can such faith save him?
15 Labha omwana wasu owechilume nolo owechigasi ni mukene webhifwalo nolo ebhilyo bya bhuli siku,
Suppose some Brother or Sister should be in want of clothes and of daily bread,
16 no oumwi mwimwe nimubhwila ati, “Mugende kwo mulembe, mujobhila omulilo na mulye kisi,” nawe mulema obhayana obhukene bhwo mubhili, eyo iile atiki?
and one of you were to say to them — “Go, and peace be with you; find warmth and food for yourselves,” and yet you were not to give them the necessaries of life, what good would it be to them?
17 Kutyo kutyo, elikilisha lyenyele, labha likabha litana bhikolwa lifuye.
In just the same way faith, if not followed by actions, is, by itself, a lifeless thing.
18 Nawe munu mulebhe katula okwaikati, “Unelikilisha, na anye ninebhikolwa.” Nyolesha elikilisha lyao linu litana bhikolwa, anyona enikwolesha elikilisha lyani mubhikolwa bhyani.
Some one, indeed, may say — “You are a man of faith, and I am a man of action.” “Then show me your faith,” I reply, “apart from any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions.”
19 Bhekilishe ati alio Nyamuanga umwi; uli muchimali. Nawe ona amasambwa ona agekilisha kutyo no kuyalala.
It is a part of your Faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.
20 Angu owenda okumenya, awe omunu omumumu, lwakutyo elikilisha elyo linu litana bhikolwa kutyo liteile?
Now do you really want to understand, you foolish man, how it is that faith without actions leads to nothing?
21 Angu, atali lata weswe Abrahamu abhaliwe obhulengelesi kwe bhikolwa anu amusosishe omwana wae Isaka ingulu ye chitambo?
Look at our ancestor, Abraham. Was not it the result of his actions that he was pronounced righteous after he had offered his son, Isaac, on the altar?
22 Omulolati elikilisha lyae lyakolele emilimu ne bhikolwa bhyae, na kwe bhikolwa bhyae, elikilisha lyae lyakingilo kubhukumiye.
You see how, in his case, faith and actions went together; that his faith was perfected as the result of his actions;
23 Amandiko gakumiye ganu agaikati,”Abrahamu amwikilisishe Nyamuanga, nabhalilwa kubha mulengelesi.”Kulwejo Abrahamu abhilikiwe musani wa Nyamuanga.
and that in this way the words of Scripture came true — “Abraham believed God, and that was regarded by God as righteousness,” and “He was called the friend of God.”
24 Mwalola ati kwe bhikolwa omunu kabhalilwa kubha mulengelesi, na jitalila kwe likilishala.
You see, then, that it is as the result of his actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not of his faith only.
25 Nikutyo kutyo, angu, atabhee Rahabu uliya aliga ali musiyani unu abhaliwe obhulengelesi kwe bhikolwa, ejile abhalamila abhatatilisha nokubhasila kunjila eindi?
Was not it the same with the prostitute, Rahab? Was not it as the result of her actions that she was pronounced righteous, after she had welcomed the messengers and hastened them away by a different road?
26 Lwakutyo omubhili gukabha gutana mwoyo gufuye, kutyo kutyo elikilisha linu litana bhikolwa lifuye.
Exactly as a body is dead without a spirit, so faith is dead without actions.
