INCWADI KA-JAKOBE

1 UJakobe, + inceku kaNkulunkulu neyeNkosi uJesu Kristu, ezizweni ezingu-12 ezihlakazekile:

Ngiyanibingelela!

2 Kubhekeni njengenjabulo yodwa, bazalwane, lapho nihlangabezana nokulingwa okuhlukahlukene, + 3 njengoba nazi ukuthi ukuvivinywa okunjalo kokholo lwenu kuveza ukukhuthazela. + 4 Kodwa vumelani ukukhuthazela kufeze umsebenzi wako, ukuze nibe abaphelele nabaphilile ezicini zonke, abangasweli lutho. +

5 Ngakho, uma noma ubani kini engenakho ukuhlakanipha, makaqhubeke ekucela kuNkulunkulu, + uyomnika kona + ngoba ubapha bonke ngesandla esivulekile ngaphandle kokusola. *+ 6 Kodwa makaqhubeke ecela ngokholo, + engangabazi neze, + ngoba ongabazayo ufana negagasi lolwandle eliqhutshwa umoya lipheshulwa liyiswa ngapha nangapha. 7 Eqinisweni, lowo muntu akufanele alindele ukuthi uyothola okuthile kuJehova;* 8 ungumuntu omanqikanqika, + oguquguqukayo ezindleleni zakhe zonke.

9 Kodwa umzalwane ophansi makajabule* ngokuphakanyiswa kwakhe, + 10 nocebile ngokuthotshiswa kwakhe, + ngoba uyoshabalala* njengembali yasendle. 11 Njengoba nje ilanga liphuma nokushisa kwalo okukhulu libunise isitshalo, imbali yaso iwele phansi nokubukeka kwayo okuhle kushabalale, nesicebi siyobuna kanjalo sisagijimisa ingcebo. +

12 Uyajabula umuntu oqhubeka ekhuthazelela ukulingwa, + ngoba lapho amukeleka uyothola umqhele wokuphila, + uJehova* awuthembisa labo abaqhubeka bemthanda. + 13 Uma umuntu elingwa makangasho ukuthi: “Ngilingwa uNkulunkulu.” Ngoba uNkulunkulu akanakulingwa ngezinto ezimbi futhi yena ngokwakhe akalingi muntu. 14 Kodwa yilowo nalowo ulingwa ngokuhehwa nangokuyengwa* yisifiso sakhe. + 15 Lapho isifiso sesakhekile,* sizala isono; lapho isono sesenziwe, siveza ukufa. +

16 Ningadukiswa, bazalwane abathandekayo. 17 Zonke izipho ezinhle nazo zonke izipho eziphelele zivela phezulu, + zehla zivela kuYise wezinkanyiso zasezulwini, + ongashintshashintshi noma aphenduke kuhle kwethunzi. *+ 18 Kwakuyintando yakhe ukuba asizale ngezwi leqiniso, + ukuze sibe uhlobo oluthile lwezithelo zokuqala zezidalwa zakhe. +

19 Yazini lokhu, bazalwane abathandekayo: Wonke umuntu kumele asheshe ukulalela, ephuze ukukhuluma, + angasheshi ukuthukuthela, + 20 ngoba intukuthelo yomuntu ayikulethi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu. + 21 Ngenxa yalokho, lahlani konke ukungcola nayo yonke iminonjana yobubi, *+ namukele ngobumnene ukugxiliswa kwezwi elikwazi ukunisindisa.

22 Nokho, yibani abenzi bezwi + ningabi abalizwayo kuphela, nizikhohlisa ngokucabanga okungamanga. 23 Ngoba uma umuntu engumuzwi wezwi, engeyena umenzi, + lowo ufana nomuntu ozibuka ubuso esibukweni. 24 Ngoba uyazibuka, bese ehamba futhi masinyane akhohlwe ukuthi ungumuntu onjani. 25 Kodwa lowo obukisisa umthetho ophelele + ongowenkululeko nophikelelayo kuwo, ube ngumenzi womsebenzi akabanga umuntu ozwayo akhohlwe; uyojabula ngalokho akwenzayo. +

26 Uma umuntu ecabanga ukuthi ungumkhulekeli kaNkulunkulu* kodwa engalulawuli ulimi lwakhe, *+ ukhohlisa inhliziyo yakhe nokukhulekela kwakhe kuyize. 27 Indlela yokukhulekela* ehlanzekile nengangcolile ngokombono kaNkulunkulu noBaba wethu yile: ukunakekela izintandane + nabafelokazi + osizini lwabo, + nokuba umuntu azigcine engenalo ibala ezweni. +

2 Bazalwane, anilubambile ukholo lweNkosi yethu ekhazimulayo uJesu Kristu, kuyilapho nibonisa ukukhetha, akunjalo? + 2 Ngoba, uma emhlanganweni wenu kungena umuntu ofake izindandatho zegolide eminweni futhi ogqoke izingubo eziwubukhazikhazi, bese kungena nomuntu ompofu ogqoke izingubo ezingcolile, 3 ingabe nimbheka ngomusa lowo ogqoke izingubo eziwubukhazikhazi nithi, “Hlala lapha endaweni enhle,” nithi kompofu, “Wena qhubeka umile,” noma, “Hlala laphaya phansi”? + 4 Uma kunjalo anihlukene yini ngezigaba phakathi kwenu + futhi anibona yini abahluleli abakhipha izinqumo ezimbi? +

5 Lalelani, bazalwane abathandekayo. UNkulunkulu akakhethanga yini labo izwe elibabheka njengabampofu ukuba babe abacebile okholweni + nezindlalifa zoMbuso, awuthembisa labo abamthandayo? + 6 Nokho, nina niye namhlaza umuntu ompofu. Akubona yini abacebile abanicindezelayo + futhi abanihudulela phambi kwezinkantolo zomthetho? 7 Abahlambalazi yini igama elihle enabizwa ngalo? 8 Uma-ke, nifeza umthetho wasebukhosini* ngokuvumelana nalo mbhalo, “Kumele uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena,” + nenza kahle impela. 9 Kodwa uma niqhubeka nibonisa ukukhetha, + nenza isono, futhi umthetho unilahla ngecala* njengezeqamthetho. +

10 Ngoba noma ubani olalela wonke uMthetho kodwa aphule owodwa, uyephule yonke. + 11 Ngoba lowo owathi, “Ungaphingi,” + wathi futhi, “Ungabulali.” + Manje, uma ungaphingi kodwa ubulala, usuyiseqamthetho. 12 Qhubekani nikhuluma futhi niziphatha ngendlela abaziphatha ngayo labo abazokwahlulelwa ngomthetho wabantu abakhululekile. *+ 13 Ngoba lowo ongasibonisi isihe uyothola isahlulelo ngaphandle kwesihe. + Isihe siyanqoba phezu kwesahlulelo.

14 Kunanzuzoni, bazalwane, uma umuntu ethi unokholo kodwa engenayo imisebenzi? + Lolo kholo alunakumsindisa, akunjalo? + 15 Uma kukhona abazalwane noma odade abaswele okokugqoka* nokudla okwanele lolo suku, 16 nokho othile kini athi kubo, “Hambani ngokuthula; nifudumale futhi nisuthe,” kodwa ningabaniki izidingo zemizimba yabo, kunanzuzoni? + 17 Kanjalo, futhi, nokholo uma lungenayo imisebenzi, lufile. +

18 Noma kunjalo, omunye uzothi: “Wena unokholo, mina nginemisebenzi. Ngibonise ukholo lwakho ngaphandle kwemisebenzi, mina ngizokubonisa ukholo lwami ngemisebenzi yami.” 19 Uyakholwa ukuthi kukhona uNkulunkulu oyedwa, akunjalo? Wenza kahle impela. Nokho namademoni ayakholwa athuthumele. *+ 20 Kodwa ingabe uyathanda ukwazi, wena muntu ongenangqondo, ukuthi ukholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi alusizi ngalutho? 21 Akuzange yini kuthiwe u-Abrahama ubaba ulungile ngenxa yemisebenzi ngemva kokuba enikele ngo-Isaka indodana yakhe e-altare? + 22 Uyabona ukuthi ukholo lwakhe lwasebenza kanye nemisebenzi yakhe futhi ukholo lwakhe lwapheleliswa yimisebenzi yakhe, + 23 futhi wagcwaliseka umbhalo othi: “U-Abrahama waba nokholo kuJehova,* wabhekwa njengolungile,” + futhi wabizwa ngokuthi umngani kaJehova. *+

24 Niyabona ukuthi umuntu kuzothiwa ulungile ngemisebenzi, hhayi ngokholo lodwa. 25 Ngendlela efanayo, uRahabi isifebe akushiwongo yini ukuthi ulungile ngenxa yemisebenzi, ngemva kokuba amukele izithunywa ngomusa futhi wazikhipha ngenye indlela? + 26 Impela, njengoba umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, + kanjalo nokholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi lufile. +

3 Ababaningi kini okufanele babe ngabafundisi, bazalwane, njengoba nazi ukuthi siyokwahlulelwa kanzima ngokwengeziwe. + 2 Ngoba sonke siyakhubeka* izikhathi eziningi. + Uma umuntu engakhubeki ngezwi, lowo uyindoda ephelele, ekwazi ukulawula nomzimba wayo wonke ngokungathi ngetomu. 3 Uma sifaka amatomu emilonyeni yamahhashi ukuze asilalele, siqondisa nemizimba yawo yonke. 4 Bhekani nemikhumbi: Nakuba imikhulu kangaka futhi iqhutshwa umoya onamandla, iqondiswa iphini elincane kakhulu iye lapho kuthanda khona umuntu oshayelayo.

5 Ngokufanayo nolimi luyilunga elincane lomzimba kodwa luqhosha kakhulu. Ngisho nomlilo omncane kakhulu ungathungela ihlathi elikhulu, akunjalo? 6 Ulimi luwumlilo. + Ulimi lumelela izwe lokungalungi phakathi kwamalunga emizimba yethu, ngoba lungcolisa wonke umzimba. + Lungonakalisa ukuphila* komuntu futhi lunjengeGehena* ngoba lubangela incithakalo. 7 Ngoba zonke izinhlobo zezilwane zasendle kanye nezinyoni nezinto ezinwabuzelayo* nezilwane zasolwandle ziyathanjiswa futhi ziye zathanjiswa abantu. 8 Kodwa akekho noyedwa kubantu ongaluthambisa ulimi. Alulawuleki futhi luyalimaza, lugcwele ubuthi obubulalayo. + 9 Ngalo sidumisa uJehova,* uBaba, kodwa ngalo siqalekise abantu ababa khona “ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu.” + 10 Emlonyeni ofanayo kuphuma ukubusisa nokuqalekisa.

Bazalwane, akulungile ukuba izinto zenzeke ngale ndlela. + 11 Amanzi amnandi nababayo ayaphuphuma yini emthonjeni ofanayo? 12 Bazalwane, isihlahla samakhiwane asinakuthela iminqumo noma isihlahla samagilebhisi asinakuthela amakhiwane, akunjalo? + Nomthombo wamanzi anosawoti awunakukhipha amanzi amnandi.

13 Ubani ohlakaniphile noqondayo phakathi kwenu? Ngokuziphatha kwakhe okuhle, makabonise imisebenzi yakhe eyenziwa ngobumnene obuwumphumela wokuhlakanipha. 14 Kodwa uma ninomona + nokubanga *+ ezinhliziyweni zenu, musani ukuzigabisa + ngokuhlakanipha. Uma nenza kanjalo, niyobe niqamba amanga. 15 Lokhu akukhona ukuhlakanipha okwehla kuvela phezulu; okwasemhlabeni, + okobulwane, okobudemoni. 16 Ngoba nomaphi lapho kukhona khona umona nokubanga,* kuyoba khona nesiyaluyalu nayo yonke into embi. +

17 Kodwa ukuhlakanipha kwaphezulu okokuqala kumsulwa, + kunokuthula, + kuyacabangela, + kuyashesha ukulalela, kugcwele isihe nezithelo ezinhle, + akukhethi, + akuzenzisi. + 18 Ngaphezu kwalokho, isithelo sokulunga sihlwanyelwa ngaphansi kwezimo ezinokuthula + ukuze kuzuze labo abenza ukuthula. *+

4 Zivelaphi izimpi nokulwa phakathi kwenu? Akuveli yini ezifisweni zenu zenyama eziqhubeka zilwela ukulawula imizimba yenu? *+ 2 Niyafisa, kodwa anitholi. Niyaqhubeka nibulala futhi niyahala, kodwa anikwazi ukuthola. Niyaqhubeka nilwa futhi nihlaselana. + Aninalutho ngenxa yokuthi aniceli. 3 Uma nicela anitholi ngoba nicela ngenjongo embi, ukuze nikusebenzise ezifisweni zenu zenyama.

4 Ziphingi,* anazi yini ukuthi ubungani nezwe bungubutha noNkulunkulu? Ngakho-ke, noma ubani ofuna ukuba umngani wezwe uzenza isitha sikaNkulunkulu. + 5 Noma ingabe nicabanga ukuthi umbhalo usho ngaphandle kwesizathu ukuthi: “Umoya ongaphakathi kithi uqhubeka ulangazelela ngomona”? + 6 Nokho, umusa awunikezayo mkhulu kakhulu. Ngakho umbhalo uthi: “UNkulunkulu umelana nabaziphakamisayo, + kodwa abathobekile ubapha umusa omkhulu.” +

7 Ngakho-ke, zithobeni kuNkulunkulu; + kodwa melanani noDeveli + khona-ke uyonibalekela. + 8 Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, naye uyosondela kini. + Hlanzani izandla zenu, nina zoni, + futhi nihlanze izinhliziyo zenu, + nina enimanqikanqika. 9 Yibani lusizi, nilile futhi nikhale. + Ukuhleka kwenu makuphenduke ukulila, nenjabulo yenu ibe ukuphelelwa yithemba. 10 Zithobeni emehlweni kaJehova, *+ khona-ke uyoniphakamisa. +

11 Yekani ukukhuluma kabi ngomunye nomunye, bazalwane. + Lowo okhuluma kabi ngomfowabo noma owahlulela umfowabo ukhuluma kabi ngomthetho futhi wahlulela umthetho. Manje uma wahlulela umthetho, awuyena umenzi womthetho, kodwa ungumahluleli. 12 Munye kuphela onguMniki-mthetho noMahluleli, + lowo okwaziyo ukusindisa nokubhubhisa. + Kodwa wena, ungubani ukuba wahlulele umakhelwane wakho? +

13 Yizwani nina enithi: “Namuhla noma kusasa sizoya kuleli dolobha sihlale unyaka khona, futhi sizoqhuba ibhizinisi sithole inzuzo,” + 14 nibe ningazi ukuthi ukuphila kwenu kuyoba njani kusasa. + Ngoba niyinkungu ebonakala isikhashana bese inyamalala. + 15 Esikhundleni salokho, kufanele nithi: “Uma uJehova* ethanda, + sizophila futhi senze lokhu noma lokhuya.” 16 Kodwa manje niziqhenya ngokuqhosha kwenu kokuzikhukhumeza. Konke ukuqhosha okunjalo kubi. 17 Ngakho-ke, uma umuntu azi ukuthi angakwenza kanjani okuhle kodwa angakwenzi, wenza ­isono. +

5 Yizwani, nina bantu abacebile, khalani nilile ngenxa yezinsizi ezizonehlela. + 2 Ingcebo yenu ibolile, nezingubo zenu zidliwe inundu. + 3 Igolide nesiliva lenu kugqwale kwaphela, ukugqwala kwako kuyoba ubufakazi obumelene nani futhi kuyodla inyama yenu. Enizibekelele kona kuyoba njengomlilo ezinsukwini zokugcina. + 4 Bhekani! Iholo enilibambele izisebenzi ezivune amasimu enu liyaqhubeka limemeza, futhi izicelo zosizo zabavuni zifinyelele ezindlebeni zikaJehova* wamabutho. + 5 Niye naphila ngokunethezeka nangokuzitika ngenjabulo emhlabeni. Nikhuluphalise izinhliziyo zenu ngosuku lokuhlaba. + 6 Niye nalahla; nabulala olungile. Ingabe akamelani* nani?

7 Ngakho-ke, bazalwane, bekezelani kuze kufike iNkosi. + Bhekani! Umlimi uqhubeka elinde isithelo somhlaba esiyigugu, esibekezelela kuze kufike imvula yokuqala nemvula yokugcina. + 8 Nani futhi bekezelani; + qinisani izinhliziyo zenu, ngoba ukuba khona kweNkosi sekusondele. +

9 Ningakhonondi* ngomunye nomunye, bazalwane, ukuze ningahlulelwa. + Bhekani! UMahluleli umi phambi kweminyango. 10 Bazalwane, bhekani abaprofethi abakhuluma egameni likaJehova *+ nilandele isibonelo sabo ­sokubekezela + nokukhuthazela ngaphansi kokubi. + 11 Bhekani! Sithi bayajabula* labo abaye bakhuthazela. + Nizwile ngokukhuthazela kukaJobe, + nezwa nangesibusiso uJehova* amnikeza sona, + okubonisa ukuthi uJehova* unothando* olukhulu nesihe. +

12 Ngaphezu kwakho konke, bazalwane, yekani ukufunga, kungaba ngezulu noma ngomhlaba noma isiphi esinye isifungo. Kodwa “uYebo” wenu makasho uyebo, “noCha” wenu, ucha, + ukuze ningahlulelwa.

13 Ingabe ukhona kini obhekene nobunzima? Makaqhubeke ethandaza. + Ukhona oweneme? Makacule izingoma. + 14 Ukhona yini ogulayo phakathi kwenu? Makabize abadala + bebandla, bamthandazele, bamgcobe ngamafutha + egameni likaJehova.* 15 Umthandazo wokholo uyokwenza ogulayo* alulame, uJehova* amphilise. Futhi, uma enze izono, uyothethelelwa.

16 Ngakho-ke, vumani izono zenu + komunye nomunye futhi nithandazelane, ukuze niphiliswe. Ukunxusa komuntu olungile kunamandla amakhulu. *+ 17 U-Eliya wayengumuntu onemizwa efana neyethu, kodwa lapho ngobuqotho ethandazela ukuba lingani, alinanga ezweni iminyaka emithathu nezinyanga eziyisithupha. + 18 Waphinde wathandaza, izulu lana, nezwe lakhiqiza isi­thelo. +

19 Bazalwane, uma noma ubani phakathi kwenu edukiswa eqinisweni, omunye ambuyise, 20 yazini ukuthi noma ubani obuyisa isoni ekuphambukeni + kwaso uyosisindisa ekufeni futhi uyomboza izono eziningi. +