¹My brethren, hold not, in respect of persons, the faith of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹Ndugu zangu, mkiwa mnamwamini Bwana Yesu Kristo, Bwana wa utukufu, msiwabague watu kamwe.

²for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment,

²Tuseme mtu mmoja ambaye amevaa pete ya dhahabu na mavazi nadhifu anaingia katika mkutano wenu, na papo hapo akaingia mtu maskini aliyevaa mavazi machafu.

³and ye may look upon him bearing the gay raiment, and may say to him, `Thou — sit thou here well,` and to the poor man may say, `Thou — stand thou there, or, Sit thou here under my footstool,` —

³Ikiwa mtamstahi zaidi yule aliyevaa mavazi ya kuvutia na kumwambia: "Keti hapa mahali pazuri," na kumwambia yule maskini: "Wewe, simama huko," au "Keti hapa sakafuni miguuni pangu,"

⁴ye did not judge fully in yourselves, and did become ill-reasoning judges.

⁴je, huo si ubaguzi kati yenu? Je, na huo uamuzi wenu haujatokana na fikira mbaya?

⁵Hearken, my brethren beloved, did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the reign that He promised to those loving Him?

⁵Ndugu zangu wapenzi, sikilizeni! Mungu amechagua watu ambao ni maskini katika ulimwengu huu ili wapate kuwa matajiri katika imani na kupokea Utawala aliowaahidia wale wanaompenda.

⁶and ye did dishonour the poor one; do not the rich oppress you and themselves draw you to judgment-seats;

⁶Lakini ninyi mnawadharau watu maskini! Je, matajiri si ndio wanaowakandamizeni na kuwapeleka mahakamani?

⁷do they not themselves speak evil of the good name that was called upon you?

⁷Je, si haohao wanaolitukana hilo jina lenu zuri mlilopewa?

⁸If, indeed, royal law ye complete, according to the Writing, `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,` — ye do well;

⁸Kama mnaitimiza ile sheria ya Utawala kama ilivyoandikwa katika Maandiko Matakatifu: "Mpende binadamu mwenzako kama unavyojipenda wewe mwenyewe", mtakuwa mnafanya vema kabisa.

⁹and if ye accept persons, sin ye do work, being convicted by the law as transgressors;

⁹Lakini mkiwabagua watu, basi, mwatenda dhambi, nayo Sheria inawahukumu ninyi kuwa mna hatia.

¹⁰for whoever the whole law shall keep, and shall stumble in one [point], he hath become guilty of all;

¹⁰Anayevunja amri mojawapo ya Sheria, atakuwa na hatia ya kuivunja Sheria yote.

¹¹for He who is saying, `Thou mayest not commit adultery,` said also, `Thou mayest do no murder;` and if thou shalt not commit adultery, and shalt commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law;

¹¹Maana yuleyule aliyesema: "Usizini," alisema pia "Usiue". Kwa hiyo, hata ikiwa hukuzini lakini umeua, wewe umeivunja Sheria.

¹²so speak ye and so do, as about by a law of liberty to be judged,

¹²Basi, semeni na kutenda kama watu watakaohukumiwa kwa sheria iletayo uhuru.

¹³for the judgment without kindness [is] to him not having done kindness, and exult doth kindness over judgment.

¹³Maana, Mungu hatakuwa na huruma atakapomhukumu mtu asiyekuwa na huruma. Lakini huruma hushinda hukumu.

¹⁴What [is] the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to save him?

¹⁴Ndugu zangu, kuna faida gani mtu kusema ana imani, lakini haonyeshi kwa vitendo? Je, hiyo imani yawezaje kumwokoa?

¹⁵and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,

¹⁵Tuseme kaka au dada hana nguo au chakula.

¹⁶and any one of you may say to them, `Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,` and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what [is] the profit?

¹⁶Yafaa kitu gani ninyi kuwaambia hao: "Nendeni salama mkaote moto na kushiba," bila kuwapatia mahitaji yao ya maisha?

¹⁷so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

¹⁷Vivyo hivyo, imani peke yake bila matendo imekufa.

¹⁸But say may some one, Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith out of thy works, and I will shew thee out of my works my faith:

¹⁸Lakini mtu anaweza kusema: "Wewe unayo imani, mimi ninayo matendo!" Haya! Nionyeshe jinsi mtu anavyoweza kuwa na imani bila matendo, nami nitakuonyesha imani yangu kwa matendo yangu.

¹⁹thou — thou dost believe that God is one; thou dost well, and the demons believe, and they shudder!

¹⁹Je, wewe unaamini kwamba yuko Mungu mmoja? Sawa! Lakini hata pepo huamini hilo, na hutetemeka kwa hofu.

²⁰And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead?

²⁰Mpumbavu wee! Je, wataka kuonyeshwa kwamba imani bila matendo imekufa?

²¹Abraham our father — was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?

²¹Je, Abrahamu baba yetu alipataje kukubalika mbele yake Mungu? Kwa matendo yake, wakati alipomtoa mwanae Isaka sadaka juu ya madhabahu.

²²dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?

²²Waona basi, kwamba imani yake iliandamana na matendo yake; imani yake ilikamilishwa kwa matendo yake.

²³and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, `And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him — to righteousness;` and, `Friend of God` he was called.

²³Hivyo yakatimia yale Maandiko Matakatifu yasemayo: "Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu na kwa imani yake akakubaliwa kuwa mtu mwadilifu; na hivyo Abrahamu akaitwa rafiki wa Mungu."

²⁴Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;

²⁴Mnaona basi, kwamba mtu hukubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa matendo yake na si kwa imani peke yake.

²⁵and in like manner also Rahab the harlot — was she not out of works declared righteous, having received the messengers, and by another way having sent forth?

²⁵Ilikuwa vivyo hivyo kuhusu yule malaya Rahabu; yeye alikubaliwa kuwa mwadilifu kwa sababu aliwapokea wale wapelelezi na kuwasaidia waende zao kwa kupitia njia nyingine.

²⁶for as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from the works is dead.

²⁶Basi, kama vile mwili bila roho umekufa, vivyo hivyo imani bila matendo imekufa.