UJames ISAHLUKO 1 1 UJakobe, inceku kaNkulunkulu neyeNkosi uJesu Kristu, kubo izizwe eziyishumi nambili ezihlakazekile, ngiyabingelela. 2 Bazalwane bami, nxa nehlelwa yizilingo ngezilingo, anothi kuyinjabulo yodwa; 3 nazi lokhu ukuthi ukuvivinywa kokukholwa kwenu kuveza ukubekezela. 4 Kepha ukubekezela makuphelelise umsebenzi wako, ukuze nibe ngabaphelele nabaphelele, ningasweli lutho. 5 Uba-ke omunye wenu eswela ukuhlakanipha, kacele kuNkulunkulu, opha bonke ngobuhle, engasole; njalo uzakuphiwa. 6 Kodwa kacele ekholweni engangabazi lutho. Ngokuba ongabazayo ufana negagasi lolwandle eliqhutshwa umoya linyakaziswa. 7 Ngoba lowomuntu kangacabangi ukuthi uzakwemukela ulutho eNkosini. 8 Umuntu onhliziyombili kagxilile kuzo zonke izindlela zakhe. 9 Umzalwane ophansi makathokoze ngokuphakanyiswa kwakhe; 10 kodwa ocebileyo, ekuthotshisweni kwakhe, ngokuba njengembali yotshani uyakudlula. 11 Ngoba ilanga liyaphuma ngokutshisa okutshisayo, kodwa libunisa utshani, lembali yabo iyawa, lobuhle besimo sabo butshabalale; 12 Ubusisiwe umuntu okhuthazela ekulingweni, ngokuba lapho esevivinyiwe uyakwamukeliswa umqhele wokuphila iNkosi ewuthembisile kwabayithandayo. 13 Umuntu oyengwayo makangasho ukuthi: “Ngiyengwa nguNkulunkulu,” ngokuba uNkulunkulu angeyengwe ngokubi futhi naye akalingi muntu. 14 Kepha yilowo nalowo uyalingwa ehungwa ehungwa ngezakhe izinkanuko. 15 kuthi lapho inkanuko isithathile, ibeletha isono; 16 Ningaduki, bazalwane bami abathandekayo. 17 Izipho zonke ezinhle lazo zonke izipho ezipheleleyo zivela phezulu, zehla kuYise wokukhanya okungekho kuye ukuguquka nasithunzi sokuphenduka. 18 Ngentando yakhe wasizala ngezwi leqiniso, ukuze sibe uhlobo lolibo lwezidalwa zakhe. 19 Ngakho-ke, bazalwane bami abathandekayo, wonke umuntu makasheshe ukuzwa, ephuze ukukhuluma, ephuze ukuthukuthela; 20 Ngokuba ulaka lomuntu alukwenzi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu. 21 Ngakho lahlani konke ukungcola nokuchichima kobubi, namukele ngobumnene izwi elimiliselwe, elinamandla okusindisa imiphefumulo yenu. 22 Kodwa yibani ngabenzi belizwi, lingabi ngabalizwayo kuphela, lizikhohlisa. 23 Ngokuba uma umuntu engolizwayo izwi, engeyena umenzi, lowo ufana nomuntu obuka ubuso bakhe bemvelo esibukweni; 24 Ngokuba uyazibuka, asuke, akhohlwe masinyane ukuthi ubengumuntu onjani.
25 Kodwa lowo obukisisa umthetho opheleleyo wenkululeko, njalo aqhubeke kuwo, engesiye ozwayo oyisikhohlwa kodwa ongumenzi womsebenzi, lowo uzabusiswa ekwenzeni kwakhe. 26 Uma umuntu phakathi kwenu ecabanga ukuthi unokholo, futhi engalubambi ulimi lwakhe njengetomu, kodwa ekhohlisa inhliziyo yakhe, ukukholwa kwalowo kuyize. 27 Inkolo ehlanzekileyo nengangcolile phambi kukaNkulunkulu noBaba yilokhu ukuhambela izintandane nabafelokazi osizini lwabo nokuzigcina engenabala kulomhlaba. ISAHLUKO 2 1 Bazalwane bami, ukukholwa kwenu yiNkosi yethu yenkazimulo uJesu Kristu makungabi ngokukhetha abantu. 2 Ngokuba uma kungena ebandleni lenu indoda enendandatho yegolide, ingubo enhle, kungena nompofu ogqoke izingubo ezingcolile; 3 naqaphela owembethe ingubo ekhazimulayo, nithi kuye: ‘Hlala lapha endaweni enhle; nithi kwabampofu: ‘Yima wena lapho, noma uhlale lapha phansi kwesenabelo sezinyawo zami; 4 Anikhethi yini phakathi kwenu, naze naba ngabahluleli bemicabango emibi na? 5 Lalelani, bazalwane bami abathandekayo: UNkulunkulu kabakhethanga yini abayanga balomhlaba ukuthi bacebe ekukholweni, lezindlalifa zombuso awuthembisa labo abamthandayo? 6 Kodwa lina lidelele abayanga. Abacebileyo abanicindezeli yini, banidonsele phambi kwezihlalo zokwahlulela na? 7 Kabalihlambazi yini ibizo elihle enibizwa ngalo? 8 Uma nigcina umthetho wobukhosi ngokombhalo othi: Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena, nenza kahle; 9 Kepha uma nikhetha abantu, nenza isono, nilahlwa ngumthetho njengabaweqayo. 10 Ngokuba yilowo nalowo ogcina umthetho wonke, kepha akhubeke kokukodwa, unecala kuyo yonke; 11 Ngoba yena owathi: Ungafebi, wathi futhi: Ungabulali. Kepha uma ungafebi, kepha ubulala, useqamthetho. 12 Khulumani kanjalo, nenze kanjalo njengabazakwahlulelwa ngomthetho wenkululeko. 13 Ngoba lowo ongenzanga isihawu uzathola ukwahlulelwa ngaphandle kwesihawu; nesihawu siyathokoza ekwahlulelweni. 14 Kusizani, bazalwane bami, uma umuntu ethi unokukholwa, kepha engenayo imisebenzi? ukukholwa kungamsindisa na? 15 Uma umzalwane noma udade behamba ze, beswela ukudla kwemihla ngemihla, 16 Omunye wenu wathi kubo: Hambani ngokuthula, lifudumale, lisuthe; kodwa anibaniki izinto ezidingekayo emzimbeni; kusizani? 17 Kanjalo nokukholwa, uma kungenayo imisebenzi, kufile kukodwa. 18 Yebo, omunye angase athi: “Wena unokukholwa, mina nginemisebenzi; 19 Uyakholwa ukuthi munye uNkulunkulu; wenza kahle; namademoni ayakholwa, athuthumele.
UJames
20 Kodwa uyathanda yini ukwazi wena muntu oyize, ukuthi ukholo olungelamisebenzi lufile? 21 U-Abrahama ubaba akalungisiswanga yini ngemisebenzi, lapho enikela u-Isaka indodana yakhe phezu kwe-altare? 22 Uyabona ukuthi ukholo lwalusebenza kanye nemisebenzi yakhe, nokuthi ukholo lwapheleliswa ngemisebenzi? 23 Kwase kugcwaliseka umbhalo othi: “U-Abrahama wakholwa nguNkulunkulu, kwabalelwa kuye ukuthi kungukulunga,” wabizwa ngokuthi uMngane kaNkulunkulu. 24 Niyabona-ke ukuthi umuntu ulungisiswa ngemisebenzi, kungengokukholwa kuphela. 25 Ngokunjalo noRahabi isifebe akalungisiswanga yini ngemisebenzi, esezamukele izithunywa, esezikhiphe ngenye indlela? 26 Ngokuba njengalokhu umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, kanjalo nokukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kufile. ISAHLUKO 3 1 Ningabi ngabafundisi abaningi, bazalwane bami, nazi ukuthi siyakwamukeliswa ukulahlwa okukhulu. 2 Ngoba siyakhubeka ngokunengi sonke. Uma umuntu engakhubeki ngezwi, lowo uyindoda epheleleyo, enamandla okulawula nomzimba wonke njengetomu. 3 Bheka, sifaka amatomu emilonyeni yamahhashi ukuba asilalele; futhi sijika umzimba wabo wonke. 4 Bhekani nemikhumbi, imikhulu kangaka, iqhutshwa yimimoya enamandla, ijikiswa ngomphini omncane kakhulu, iye lapho umbusi ethanda ukuya khona. 5 Kanjalo nolimi luyisitho esincane, kepha luyazigabisa kakhulu. Bhekani, umlilo omncane uvutha kangakanani! 6 Ulimi lungumlilo, izwe lokungalungi, lunjalo nolimi phakathi kwezitho zethu, lungcolisa umzimba wonke, luthungela inkambo yemvelo; futhi uthungelwa umlilo wesihogo. 7 Ngoba yonke inhlobo yezilwane, leyezinyoni, leyezinyoka, leyezinto eziselwandle, iyathambisa, njalo isithanjisiwe ngabantu; 8 Kodwa ulimi kakho ongaluthambisa; buyibubi obungalawuleki, bugcwele ubuthi obubulalayo. 9 Ngalo siyambonga uNkulunkulu uBaba; futhi ngalo siqalekisa abantu abenziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. 10 Emlonyeni munye kuphuma isibusiso lesiqalekiso. Akufanele lokho, bazalwane bami, ukuba kube njalo. 11 Umthombo uyaphuma yini endaweni eyodwa amanzi amnandi ababayo na? 12 Umkhiwane, bazalwane bami, ungathela izithelo zomnqumo na? noma umvini, amakhiwane? kanjalo nomthombo awunakuthela amanzi anosawoti namnandi. 13 Ngubani phakathi kwenu indoda ehlakaniphileyo njalo enolwazi? Makabonise ngenkambo enhle imisebenzi yakhe ngobumnene bokuhlakanipha. 14 Kepha uma ninomhawu obabayo nokubanga ezinhliziyweni zenu, ningazibongi, ningaqambi iqiniso amanga. 15 Lokhu kuhlakanipha akuveli phezulu, kodwa kungokwasemhlabeni, okwenyama, nokwamademoni. 16 Ngokuba lapho kukhona umhawu nokuxabana, kukhona isiyaluyalu nayo yonke imisebenzi emibi.
17 Kodwa ukuhlakanipha kwaphezulu okokuqala kuhlanzekile, bese kuba ngokuthula, kumnene, futhi kulula ukulalela, kugcwele isihe nezithelo ezinhle, akunabandlululo, futhi akuzenzisi. 18 Isithelo sokulunga sihlwanyelwa ngokuthula kulabo abenza ukuthula. ISAHLUKO 4 1 Zivelaphi izimpi nokulwa phakathi kwenu na? Aziphumi yini lapha ezinkanukweni zenu ezilwa ezithweni zenu na? 2 Niyafisa, kodwa aninalutho; 3 Niyacela, kodwa anikwamukeli, ngokuba nicela kabi, ukuze nikusebenzise ezinkanukweni zenu. 4 Ziphingi neziphingi, anazi yini ukuthi ubungane bezwe bungubutha noNkulunkulu? ngakho loba ngubani othanda ukuba ngumngane welizwe uyisitha sikaNkulunkulu. 5 Nicabanga ukuthi umbhalo usho ngeze ukuthi: “Umoya ohlezi kithi uhahela umhawu na? 6 Kodwa unika umusa owengeziwe. Ngalokho uthi: “UNkulunkulu umelana nabazidlayo, kepha abathobekileyo ubapha umusa. 7 Ngakho zehliseleni kuNkulunkulu. Melanani noSathane, khona uyakunibalekela; 8 Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, laye uzasondela kini. Hlambululani izandla nina zoni; nihlanze izinhliziyo zenu nina eninhliziyombili. 9 Yibani lusizi, nilile, nikhale; ukuhleka kwenu makuphenduke ukulila, nokujabula kwenu kube ukudabuka. 10 Zithobeni phambi kweNkosi, njalo izaliphakamisa. 11 Lingakhulumi okubi omunye komunye, bazalwane. Ohlambalaza umzalwane wakhe, ahlulele umzalwane wakhe, ukhuluma kabi ngomthetho, wahlulela umthetho; 12 Munye ummisimthetho, onamandla okusindisa nokubhubhisa; ungubani wena owahlulela omunye na? 13 Nina-ke nina enithi: Namuhla noma kusasa siyakuya emzini onjalo, sihlale khona umnyaka owodwa, sithengise, sizuze; 14 kanti anikwazi okuzakwenzeka kusasa. Ngoba iyini impilo yakho? Kungumhwamuko obonakala isikhashana, bese unyamalala. 15 Ngoba lifanele ukuthi: Uba iNkosi ithanda, sizaphila, senze lokhu kumbe lokhuya. 16 Kodwa khathesi liyazincoma ngokuzincoma kwenu: konke ukuzincoma okunjalo kubi. 17 Ngakho-ke lowo owaziyo ukwenza okuhle kodwa angakwenzi, kuyisono kuye. ISAHLUKO 5 1 Manje nina madoda anothileyo, khalani nikhale ngosizi oluzonehlela. 2 Ingcebo yenu ibolile, nezingubo zenu zidliwe yizinundu. 3 Igolide lenu nesiliva kugqwalile; ukugqwala kwazo kuyakuba ngufakazi ngani, kudle inyama yenu njengomlilo. Niqongelele ingcebo ngezinsuku zokugcina. 4 Bhekani, inkokhelo yezisebenzi ezivune amasimu enu, eniyigodlile ngobuqili, iyakhala; nokukhala kwabavuniyo kungene ezindlebeni zeNkosi yamabutho. 5 Niphile ubumnandi emhlabeni, nizitika; nondlile izinhliziyo zenu njengasosukwini lokuhlaba. 6 Nimlahlile nambulala olungileyo; futhi akamelani nani.
UJames
7 Ngakho bekezelani, bazalwane, kuze kube sekufikeni kweNkosi. Bhekani, umlimi ulindela isithelo somhlaba esiyigugu, uyabekezela ngaso, aze amukele imvula yokuqala neyamuva. 8 Bekezelani nani; niqinise izinhliziyo zenu, ngokuba ukufika kweNkosi kusondele. 9 Ningagqubutheleni, bazalwane, ukuze ningalahlwa; bhekani, umahluleli umi ngasemnyango. 10 Thathani, bazalwane bami, abaprofethi abakhuluma egameni leNkosi, babe yisibonelo sokuhlupheka nokubekezela. 11 Bhekani, sithi babusisiwe abakhuthazelayo. Nizwile ngokubekezela kukaJobe, nibonile isiphetho seNkosi; ukuthi iNkosi inesihawu esikhulu, nesihawu. 12 Kepha phezu kwakho konke, bazalwane bami, ningafungi, noma izulu, noma umhlaba, noma esinye isifungo; noCha wenu, cha; funa niwele ekwahlulelweni. 13 Ukhona yini phakathi kwenu ohluphekayo? akakhuleke. Ingabe kukhona okujabulisayo? makahube amahubo. 14 Kukhona ogulayo phakathi kwenu na? makabize amalunga ebandla; kabakhuleke phezu kwakhe, bamgcobe ngamafutha ebizweni leNkosi. 15 Umkhuleko wokukholwa uyakumsindisa ogulayo, iNkosi imvuse; uma enzile izono, uyakuthethelelwa. 16 vumani izono omunye komunye, nikhulekelane, ukuze niphulukiswe. Umkhuleko wolungileyo unamandla amakhulu. 17 U-Eliya wayengumuntu onemizwa efana neyethu, futhi wathandaza ngobuqotho ukuba lingani; futhi kalizange line emhlabeni iminyaka emithathu nezinyanga eziyisithupha. 18 Wabuye wakhuleka, izulu lanika imvula, nomhlaba wathela izithelo zawo. 19 Bazalwane, uma omunye kini eduka eqinisweni, omunye ambuyise; 20 Kwazi ukuthi lowo obuyisa isoni ekudukeni kwendlela yaso uyakusindisa umphefumulo ekufeni, afihle inqwaba yezono.