Jakoba 1
1 Jakoba, mpanompon’ Andriamanitra sy Jesosy Kristy Tompo, mamangy ny firenena roa ambin’ ny folo monina any am-pielezana.
James, a Servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, greets the Twelve Tribes that are living abroad.
2 Ry rahalahiko, ataovy ho fifaliana avokoa, raha iharan’ ny fakam-panahy samy hafa ianareo,
My Brothers, whatever may be the temptations that beset you from time to time, always regard them as a reason for rejoicing,
3 satria fantatrareo fa ny fizahan-toetra ny finoanareo dia mahatonga faharetana.
knowing, as you do, that the testing of your faith develops endurance.
4 Ary aoka ny faharetana hisy asa tanteraka, mba ho tanteraka sy tonga ohatra ianareo, ka tsy hisy tsy ampy na inona na inona.
And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be altogether perfect, and in no respect deficient.
5 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.
If one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to every one without reproaches, and it will be given to him.
6 Nefa aoka hangataka amin’ ny finoana izy ka tsy hiahanahana akory; fa izay miahanahana dia toy ny alon-dranomasina entin’ ny rivotra ka atopatopany.
But let him ask with confidence, never doubting; for the man who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven hither and thither at the mercy of the wind —
7 Fa aoka tsy hanampo handray zavatra amin’ ny Tompo izany olona izany:
Such a man must not expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 olona miroa saina izy, miovaova amin’ ny alehany rehetra.
vacillating as he is, irresolute at every turn.
9 Aoka ny rahalahy izay ambany hanao ny fisandratany ho reharehany;
Let a Brother in humble circumstances be proud of his exalted position, but a rich Brother of his humiliation;
10 fa ny manan-karena kosa ny fietreny, satria ho levona tahaka ny vonin’ ny ahitra izy.
for the rich man will pass away ‘like the flower of the grass.’
11 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.
As the sun rises, and the hot wind blows, ‘the grass withers, its flower fades,’ and all its beauty is gone. So is it with the rich man. In the midst of his pursuits he will come to an untimely end.
12 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.
Blessed is the man who remains firm under temptation, for, when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of Life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 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;
Let no one say, when he is tempted, “It is God who is tempting me!” For God, who cannot be tempted to do wrong, does not himself tempt any one.
14 fa samy alaim-panahy ny olona, raha tarihin’ ny filany sy fitahiny izy.
A man is in every case tempted by his own passions — allured and enticed by them.
15 Ary ny filàna, rehefa torontoronina, dia miteraka ota; ary ny ota, rehefa tanteraka, dia miteraka fahafatesana.
Then Passion conceives and gives birth to Sin, and Sin, on reaching maturity, brings forth Death.
16 Aza mety hofitahina ianareo, sy rahalahy malalako.
Do not be deceived, my dear Brothers.
17 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.
Every good thing given us, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down to us from the Maker of the Lights in the heavens, who is himself never subject to change or to eclipse.
18 Tamin’ ny sitrapony no niterahany antsika tamin’ ny teny fahamarinana, mba ho santatry ny zavatra noforoniny isika.
Because he so willed, he gave us Life, through the Message of the Truth, so that we should be, as it were, an earnest of still further creations.
19 Fantatrareo izany, sy rahalahy malalako. Kanefa aoka ny olona rehetra halady hihaino ho malai-miteny, ho malain-ko tezitra;
Mark this, my dear Brothers — Let every one be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry;
20 fa ny fahatezeran’ ny olona tsy ahefana izay marina eo imason’ Andriamanitra.
for the anger of man does not forward the righteous purpose of God.
21 Koa ario ny fahalotoana sy ny lolompo rehetra, ary ekeo amin’ ny fahalemem-panahy ny teny nambolena, izay mahavonjy ny fanahinareo.
Therefore, have done with all filthiness and whatever wickedness still remains, and in a humble spirit receive that Message which has been planted in your hearts and is able to save your souls.
22 Fa aoka ho mpankatò ny teny ianareo, fa aza mpihaino fotsiny ihany ka mamitaka ny tenanareo.
Put that Message into practice, and do not merely listen to it — deceiving yourselves.
23 Fa raha misy mpihaino ny teny, nefa tsy mpankatò, dia toy ny olona mizaha ny tarehiny eo amin’ ny fitaratra izy;
For, when any one listens to it and does not practice it, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror.
24 fa mijery ny tenany izy, dia lasa, ary miaraka amin’ izay dia hadinony ny tarehiny.
He looks at himself, then goes on his way,
25 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.
but he who looks carefully into the perfect Law, the Law of Freedom, and continues to do so, not listening to it and then forgetting it, but putting it into practice — that man will be blessed in what he does.
26 Raha misy manao azy ho mpivavaka, nefa tsy mamehy ny vavany, fa mamitaka ny fony, dia zava-poana ny fivavahan’ izany olona izany.
When a man appears to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue, but imposes upon his own conscience, that man’s religious observances are valueless.
27 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.
That religious observance which is pure and spotless in the eyes of God our Father is this — to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.
