Matthew 6
1 “When you do your good deeds, make certain that you do not do them when other people are watching so that they may see you [and think highly of you]. If [you do good deeds merely in order that other people may think highly of you, God], your Father who is in heaven, will not give you any reward.
“Kpacharanụ anya ka unu ghara ime ezi omume unu naanị ka ndị mmadụ hụ unu. Nʼihi na unu mee nke a, unu agaghị enweta ụgwọ ọrụ ọbụla site nʼaka Nna unu bi nʼeluigwe.
2 So, whenever you give something to the poor, do not [announce it as people announce something that they want other people to know about] by playing a [fanfare] on a trumpet [MET]. That is what the hypocrites do (in the synagogues/in the Jewish meeting places) and on the main roads in order that people might [see what they do and] praise them. Keep this in mind: [People praise those hypocrites], [but] that is the [only] reward they will receive!
“Unu afụla opi mgbe unu na-enye ndị nọ na mkpa onyinye, nʼihi na otu a ka ndị ihu abụọ na-eme nʼụlọ nzukọ na nʼokporoụzọ, ka ndị mmadụ too ha. Nʼezie, ana m agwa unu, ha anatala ụgwọ ọrụ ha nʼizuoke.
3 Instead [of doing as they do], when you give something to the poor, do not let other people know that you are doing that [MET].
Mgbe unu chọrọ ịrụ ọrụ ebere, meenụ ya na nzuzo. Ekwela ka aka ekpe gị mata ihe aka nri gị na-achọ ime.
4 In that way, you will be giving to the poor secretly. [As a result God], your Father who observes [you] while no one else sees [you], will reward you.
Ka onyinye gị bụrụ na nzuzo. Mgbe ahụ, Nna gị, onye na-ahụ ihe dị na nzuzo ga-akwụghachi gị.
5 Also when you pray, do not do what the hypocrites do. They like to stand in the Jewish meeting places and on the corners of the main streets to pray, in order that other people will see them [and think highly of them]. Keep this in mind: [People praise them, but] that is the [only] reward they will get.
“Mgbe ọbụla unu chọrọ ikpe ekpere, unu emela dị ka ndị ihu abụọ, nʼihi na ha hụrụ iguzo nʼime ụlọ ekpere, nakwa nʼakụkụ ụzọ nʼanya na-ekpe ekpere, ebe ndị mmadụ ga-ahụ ha. Nʼezie, agwa m unu, ha anatala ụgwọ ọrụ ha nʼebe o zuruoke.
6 But as for you, when you pray, go into your private room and close the door in order to pray to [God], your Father, whom no one can see. He observes you where no one else observes you, and he will reward you.
Kama, mgbe unu chọrọ ikpe ekpere, baanụ nʼime ime ụlọ unu. Mechiekwanụ ụzọ unu, kpọkuonụ Nna unu nʼekpere na nzuzo. Mgbe ahụ Nna unu, onye na-ahụ ihe e mere na nzuzo, ga-enye unu ụgwọ ọrụ unu.
7 When you pray, do not repeat words many times as the people who do not know God do [when they pray. They repeat meaningless words] because they think that if they use many words, their gods will listen to them and give them [what they ask for].
Mgbe unu na-ekpe ekpere, unu ekwula okwu nkwukwasị efu dị ka ndị na-amaghị Chineke na-eme. Ha chere na a ga-anụ ekpere ha nʼihi ọtụtụ okwu ha na-ekwu.
8 Do not [repeat words] as they do, because [God] your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Unu adịla ka ha. Chetanụ na tupu unu arịọ arịrịọ ọbụla, Nna unu bi nʼeluigwe maara ihe na-akpa unu.
9 So pray [things] like this: Father, [you who are] in heaven, we [(exc)] desire that you be honored/revered {that people honor/revere you}.
“Sinụ otu a na-ekpe ekpere: “‘Nna anyị nke bi nʼeluigwe, ka e doo aha gị nsọ.
10 We [(exc)] desire that people let you rule [over their lives]. We(exc) want [people who live] on the earth to do what you desire, as those who live in heaven [do what you want them to do].
Ka alaeze gị bịa, ka e mee uche gị nʼụwa, dịka e si eme ya nʼeluigwe.
11 Give us [(exc)] each day the food [SYN] that we [(exc) need for] that day.
Nye anyị nri nke ụbọchị taa.
12 Forgive our sins just like we [(exc)] have forgiven the people who sin against us [(exc)].
Gbaghara anyị mmehie anyị, dịka anyị si agbaghara ndị na-emehie megide anyị.
13 Do not let us(exc) do wrong things when we(exc) are tempted {someone or something tempts us}, and rescue us [(exc)] when Satan the evil one tempts us to do evil things.”
Ekwela ka anyị daba nʼime ọnwụnwa, kama, zọpụta anyị nʼaka ajọ onye ahụ.’
14 “[Forgive the people who sin against you], because, if you forgive other people, [God], your Father who is in heaven, will forgive your [sins].
Ọ bụrụ na unu agbaghara ndị mmadụ mgbe ha mehiere megide unu, Nna unu nke bi nʼeluigwe ga-agbagharakwa unu mmehie unu.
15 But if you do not forgive other people, neither will God forgive your sins.”
Ọ bụrụkwanụ na unu agbagharaghị ndị ọzọ mmehie niile ha, Nna unu nke bi nʼeluigwe agaghị agbaghara unu mmehie unu.
16 “When you abstain from eating food [in order to please God], do not look sad as the hypocrites look. They make their faces appear sad in order that people will see that they are abstaining from food [and will think highly of them]. Keep this in mind: [People will think highly of those people for that], but [that is the only] reward those people will get!
“Ọzọ, mgbe ọbụla unu na-ebu ọnụ, unu agbarụla ihu unu dịka ndị ihu abụọ na-eme. Nʼihi na ha na-agbarụ ihu ha ka ndị ọzọ hụ na ha na-ebu ọnụ. Nʼezie agwa m unu, ha anatala ụgwọ ọrụ ha.
17 Instead, [each of] you, when you abstain from food, should comb your hair and wash your face [as usual],
Mgbe ị na-ebu ọnụ, tee isi gị mmanụ, ma saakwa ihu gị mmiri,
18 in order that other people will not notice that you are fasting [because you will look as you always do]. But [God], your Father, whom no one can see, [will observe that you are abstaining from food. God] your Father sees [you] even though no one else sees [you], and he will reward you.”
ka ndị ọzọ ghara ịhụta na ị na-ebu ọnụ kama ka ọ bụrụ naanị nye Nna gị, onye anya na-adịghị ahụ. Nna gị, onye na-ahụ ihe niile na-eme na nzuzo, ga-akwụ gị ụgwọ.
19 “Do not [selfishly] accumulate large quantities of money and material goods for yourselves on [this] earth, because [the earth is where everything is destroyed. For example], on earth termites ruin things, and things rust, and thieves enter [buildings] and steal things.
“Unu akpadola akụ nʼụwa nye onwe unu, ebe ọ ga-agba nchara, akịka atakwa ya, ebe ndị ohi ga-etiwa ma zukwaa ha.
20 Instead, do [deeds that will please God. Your doing such deeds will be like] storing treasures in heaven [MET]. [Nothing perishes in heaven]. In heaven no termites ruin [things], nothing rusts, and thieves do not enter buildings and steal.
Kama kwadoonụ akụ nʼeluigwe nye onwe unu, ebe ha na-agaghị agba nchara, ebe akịka na-agaghị eri ha, ebe ndị ohi na-adịghị etiwa maọbụ zuo ihe.
21 [Remember that] the things [that you think are the most] valuable are [the things that] you will be constantly concerned about [MET]. [So if you want to be storing treasures in heaven], you [need to be] constantly thinking [about God and heaven], [instead of your earthly possessions].”
Nʼihi na ebe ọbụla akụ unu dị ka obi unu ga-adịkwa.
22 “Your eyes are [like] a lamp [MET] for your body, because they enable you to see things. So if your eyes are healthy, you are able to see everything well [MET]. [Similarly, if you are generous with your money and other possessions, you will be able to know much of what God wants you to know] [MET].
“Anya bụ oriọna nke anụ ahụ. Ọ bụrụkwa na anya gị adịrị ọcha, ahụ gị niile ga-ejupụta nʼìhè.
23 But if your eyes are bad, you are not able to see things well. And if that continues, the time will come when you will not be able to see at all. You will be in complete darkness [MET]. [Similarly, if you continue to be greedy, you will be in spiritual darkness. If all that your eyes can see and your mind can think about involves your greedily desiring material possessions, all that you do will be evil] [MET].”
Ọ bụrụ na anya gị ajọọ njọ, akụkụ ahụ gị niile ga-ejupụta nʼọchịchịrị. Ọ bụrụkwa na ìhè ahụ dị nʼime gị aghọọ ọchịchịrị, ọchịchịrị ahụ ga-adị ukwuu.
24 “No one is able to serve two [different] bosses [at the same time]. If [he tried to do that], he would dislike one of them and love the other one, or he would be loyal to one of them and despise the other one [DOU]. [Similarly], you cannot [devote your life to] worshipping God and [worshipping] money and material goods [at the same time].”
“Ọ dịghị onye ọbụla pụrụ ife nna ukwu abụọ, nʼihi na ọ ga-achọ ịhụ otu nʼime ha nʼanya, kpọkwa nke ọzọ asị, maọbụ sọpụrụ otu ma lelịa nke ọzọ anya. Otu a kwa i nweghị ike ife Chineke na akụ otu mgbe ahụ.
25 “Because [you should be concerned about what God thinks is important and not about material goods, I] tell you that you should not worry about [things that you need in order to] live. [Do not worry] about whether you will have [enough food] to eat, and [something] to drink, or [enough] clothes to wear. It is important to have [sufficient] food [and drink] and clothing, but the way you conduct your lives is much more important [RHQ].
“Nʼihi nke a ka m ji na-asị unu, unu echegbula onwe unu banyere ndụ unu, ihe unu ga-eri, maọbụ ihe unu ga-aṅụ, maọbụ banyere ahụ unu, ihe unu ga-eyi nʼahụ. Ọ bụ ndụ akarịghị nri eji azụ ya, ka ọ bụ ahụ akarịghị ihe e ji ekpuchi ya?
26 Look at the birds. They do not plant [seeds, and they do not] harvest [crops] and gather them into barns. [But they always have food to eat because God], your Father who is in heaven, provides food for them. And you are certainly worth a lot more than birds [RHQ]! [So you can be assured that God will supply what you need!]
Werenụ ụmụ nnụnụ dị ka ihe ịmaatụ. Ha adịghị akụ mkpụrụ nʼubi maọbụ ewe ihe ubi. Ha adịghị achịkọtakwa ihe debe nʼọba. Ma Nna unu nke bi nʼeluigwe na-azụ ha. Ọ bụ na unu adịghị oke ọnụahịa karịa ha?
27 (None of you can, just by worrying, [add time to your life]./Can any of you, just by worrying, [add time to your life]?) [RHQ] [You cannot] add [even] one minute to your life! [So you should not worry about things such as food and clothing!]
Onye nʼetiti unu pụrụ itinye otu nkeji nʼogologo ụbọchị nke ndụya site nʼichegbu onwe ya?
28 You should also not worry about [whether you will have enough] clothes [to wear] [RHQ]. Think about the way flowers [grow] in the fields. They do not work [to earn money], and they do not make their own clothes.
“Gịnị mekwaranụ unu ji na-anọ nʼechiche oge niile maka uwe? Leenụ okoko osisi nke ọhịa. Ha adịghị arụ ọrụ maọbụ dọgbuo onwe ha nʼọrụ.
29 But I tell you that even though [King] Solomon, who [lived long ago], [wore very beautiful clothes], his clothes were not as beautiful as one of those [flowers].
Ma asị m unu, ọ bụladị Solomọn nʼebube nke ịbụ eze ya niile, eyighị uwe ọbụla mara mma dị ka otu nʼime okoko osisi nke ọhịa ndị a.
30 God makes the wild plants very beautiful, [but they grow] in the field [for only a short time]. One day they grow, and the next day they are thrown into an oven {someone [cuts them and] throws them into an oven} [to be burned to make heat for baking bread. But you are more important to God than wild plants are, and you live much longer]. So (God will certainly provide clothes for you who [live a long time but] trust him so little!/will not God surely very adequately clothe you, [who live a long time but] trust him so little?) [RHQ]
Ma ọ bụrụ na Chineke si otu a chọọ ahịhịa efu nke ubi mma, nke pụrụ ịdị ndụ taa ma echi atụba ha nʼite ọkụ, ọ bụ na ọ gaghị a chọọ unu mma karịa. Unu ndị okwukwe nta?
31 Because of God’s caring for you, do not worry and say, ‘Will we have anything to eat?’ or ‘Will we have anything to drink?’ or ‘Will we have clothes to wear?’ [RHQ]
Nʼihi nke a, unu echegbukwala onwe unu na-asị, ‘Gịnị ka anyị ga-eri?’ maọbụ, ‘Gịnị ka anyị ga-aṅụ?’ maọbụ, ‘Gịnịkwa ka anyị ga-eyi?’
32 Those who do not know God are always worrying about things like that. But God, your Father who is in heaven, knows that you need all those things, [so you should not worry about them].
Ọ bụ ihe ndị a ka ndị na-amaghị Chineke na-achọsi ike. Ma Nna unu bi nʼeluigwe maara na ọ dị unu mkpa.
33 Instead, the most important thing you should be concerned about is to let [God] completely direct your life, and to strive [to live] righteously. [If you do that], all the things that you [need] will be given to you {God will give you all the things [that you need]}.
Ma burunu ụzọ chọọ alaeze ya na ezi omume ya, a ga-atụkwasịkwara unu ihe ndị a niile.
34 So [each day] do not be worried about what will happen to you the next day, because [when] that day [PRS] comes, [you] will be concerned about [what happens during] that day. You will have enough to be concerned about each day. [So do not worry ahead of time].”
Ya mere, unu echegbula onwe unu banyere echi, nʼihi na echi ga-echere onwe ya. Nsogbu nke ụbọchị taa ezuorola ụbọchị taa.
