EkaJakobe 4

₁Zivelaphi izimpi, nokulwa kuvelaphi phakathi kwenu na? Akuveli yini lapho ezinkanukweni zenu ezilwayo ezithweni zenu na? ₂Niyafisa, nokho aninalutho; niyabulala ninomhawu, nokho anizuzi lutho; niyalwa nenza impi. Aninalutho, ngokuba ningaceli; ₃niyacela, nokho anamukeliswa, ngokuba nicela kabi, ukuze nikuchithele ezinkanukweni zenu.

₄Ziphingi, anazi yini ukuthi ukuthanda izwe kungubutha kuNkulunkulu na? Ngakho lowo othanda ukuba ngumhlobo wezwe, umi eyisitha sikaNkulunkulu. ₅Niyacabanga yini ukuthi umbhalo usho ngeze ukuthi: “Umoya awuhlalisa kithi unxanela ngokomhawu,” na? ₆Kodwa unika umusa ngokwenezela; ngakho uthi: “UNkulunkulu umelana nabazidlayo, kepha abathobekileyo ubapha umusa.”

₇Ngakho thobelani uNkulunkulu, kepha nimelane noSathane, khona uyakunibalekela; ₈sondelani kuNkulunkulu, khona uyakusondela kinina. Hlanzani izandla nina zoni, nihlambulule izinhliziyo nina bonhliziyombili. ₉Yibani lusizi, nidabuke, nikhale; ukuhleka kwenu makuphenduke ukudabuka, nokujabula kube ngukujabha. ₁₀Zithobeni ebusweni beNkosi, khona iyakuniphakamisa.

₁₁Ningahlebani, bazalwane. Ohleba umzalwane, noma ahlulele umzalwane wakhe, uhleba umthetho, ahlulele umthetho; kepha uma wahlulela umthetho, awusiye owenza okomthetho kodwa ungumahluleli. ₁₂Munye ongummisimthetho nomahluleli; nguyena onamandla okusindisa nokubhubhisa; kepha ungubani wena omahlulelayo umakhelwane na?

₁₃Minani nina enithi: “Namuhla noma ngomuso siyakuya kulona noma kulowaya muzi, siqede khona umnyaka, sithengiselane, sizuze,” ₁₄anikwazi okwangomuso; kuyini ukuphila kwenu na? Ngokuba niyinkungu ebonakala isikhashana, ibisinyamalala. ₁₅Nga nisho nithi: “Uma iNkosi ithanda, siphila, siyakwenza lokhu nalokho.” ₁₆Kepha manje niyazibonga ngokuzigabisa kwenu; konke ukuzigabisa okunjalo kubi. ₁₇Ngakho owaziyo ukwenza okuhle engakwenzi kuyisono kuye.