Luka 19
1 Yesu ge ɖe Yeriko du la me, eye wòzɔ to dua me.
Jesus and his disciples entered Jericho and were going through the [city].
2 Ŋutsu aɖe nɔ dua me, ame si ŋkɔe nye Zaxeo. Enye nudzɔlawo ƒe amegã, eye wònye kesinɔtɔ hã.
There was a man [there] named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, who was rich.
3 Ame sia di be yeakpɔ Yesu, gake mete ŋui o, esi wònye ame kpui ta eye amehawo hã ƒo xlãe.
He tried to see Jesus, but he was very short, and there was a big crowd of people [near Jesus]. So he was not able to see him.
4 Le esia ta eƒu du dze wo ŋgɔ, yi ɖalia ati kɔkɔ aɖe si le mɔa to, be yeakpɔe tso afi ma.
So he ran further ahead [along the road] that Jesus was walking on. He climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus.
5 Esi Yesu va ɖo atia te la, ewu mo dzi kpɔ Zaxeo le atia me. Eyɔ eŋkɔ be, “Zaxeo, ɖi kaba! Elabena madze aƒewò me egbe.”
When Jesus got there, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because [God wants] me to go [with you(sg)] to your house and stay there [tonight]”!
6 Zaxeo ɖi le atia dzi kaba eye wòxɔ Yesu kple dzidzɔ.
So he came down quickly. [He took Jesus to his house] and welcomed him joyfully.
7 Nu sia medzɔ dzi na ameha la o. Wolĩ liʋĩliʋĩ gblɔ be, “Eyi be yeadze nu vɔ̃ wɔla gã sia ƒe aƒe me.”
The people [who saw Jesus go there] grumbled saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner!”
8 Le aƒea me la, Zaxeo gblɔ na Yesu be, “Aƒetɔ tso azɔ la, matsɔ nye kesinɔnuwo ƒe afã na ame dahewo, eye ne mexɔ ga le ame aɖe si wu ale si wòle be maxɔ la, maɖo eteƒe nɛ zi gbɔ zi ene sɔŋ!”
Then Zacchaeus stood up [while they were eating] and said to the Lord [Jesus], “Lord, I want you [(sg)] to know that I am going to give half of what I own to poor people. And as for the people whom I have cheated, I will pay them back four times the amount [I have gotten from them by cheating].”
9 Yesu gblɔ nɛ be, “Egbe xɔxɔ va aƒe sia me, elabena ame sia hã la, Abraham vi wònye.
Jesus said to him, “Today [God] has forgiven [PRS] [you and the other people in] [MTY] this house, because you [(sg)] also [have shown that you have trusted in God as] your ancestor Abraham [did].
10 Elabena Amegbetɔ Vi la va be yeadi ame siwo bu la eye yeaɖe wo.”
Remember this: [I], the one who came from heaven, came to seek and save [people like you(sg)] who have [gone astray from God, just like a shepherd who searches for his] lost [sheep].”
11 Esi Yesu nɔ tetem ɖe Yerusalem ŋu la, edo lo aɖe si awɔe be amewo nagabu be mawufiaɖuƒe la le egɔme dze ge enumake o. Egblɔ be,
They were coming near to Jerusalem, and the people who were [going with Jesus] who heard him say these things thought that as soon as [he got to Jerusalem] he would become their king.
12 “Bubume aɖe si nɔ nuto aɖe me le anyigba aɖe dzi la xɔ du be wòava anyigba la ƒe du gãtɔ me, ale be woatsɔe aɖo fiae ɖe eƒe nutometɔwo nu.
[So] he told them this parable: “A prince prepared to go to a distant country in order that [the Emperor] would make him a king. [He intended] to return later.
13 Hafi wòadzo la, eyɔ eƒe dɔlawo dometɔ ewo ƒo ƒui, eye wòtsɔ ga sidi akpe eve na wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe eye wògblɔ na wo be, ‘Mitsɔ ga sia nɔ asi tsamii hafi magbɔ.’
[Before he left], he summoned ten of his servants. He gave each of them a coin worth three months’ wages. He said to them, ‘Do business with these coins until I return!’ [Then he left].
14 “Gake eteviwo lé fui, eye wodɔ amewo ɖo ɖe eyome gblɔ be, ‘Míele ame sia dim be wòaɖu fia ɖe mía dzi o.’
But [many of] his fellow-citizens hated him. So after he left they sent some messengers to tell [the Emperor], ‘We [(exc)] do not want this man to be our king!’
15 “Togbɔ be ele alea hã la, woɖoe fiae eye wòtrɔ gbɔ va aƒe. Tete wòdɔ be woayɔ yeƒe subɔla siwo wòtsɔ ga na la be yeakpɔe ɖa be wowɔ ga la ŋu dɔ kpɔ viɖe aɖe mahã.
But [the Emperor] made him king anyway. [Later] the [new king] returned. Then he commanded that the servants to whom he had given the coins should be summoned {that someone should summon the servants to whom he had given the coins}. He wanted to know how much they had gained by doing business with the coins.
16 “Ame gbãtɔ va do, eye wògblɔ be, ‘Aƒetɔ, ga home si nènam la mekpɔ viɖe teƒe ewo ɖe edzi.’
The first man came [to him] and said, ‘Sir, with your one coin [I] have earned ten more [coins]!’
17 “Fia la kafui gblɔ be, ‘Èdze agbagba, wò dɔla nyui! Esi nèɖi anukware le nu sue si metsɔ na wò me, eye abe wò fetu ene la, matsɔ du ewo ade wò dzikpɔkpɔ te.’
He said to this man, ‘[You are a] good servant! [You have] done [very] well! Because you have [handled] faithfully a small amount [of money, I will give you] authority [to rule] ten cities.’
18 “Ame evelia hã va do be, ‘Aƒetɔ, ga home si nètsɔ nam la mekpɔ viɖe teƒe atɔ̃ ɖe edzi.’
Then the second servant came and said, ‘Sir, with your one coin [I] have earned five more [coins]!’
19 Eƒe aƒetɔ gblɔ nɛ be, ‘Esia hã nyo! Matsɔ du atɔ̃ ade wò dzikpɔkpɔ te.’
He said to that servant similarly, ‘[Good! I will give you authority to rule] five cities.’
20 “Ame bubu va hegblɔ be, ‘Aƒetɔ, ga home si nètsɔ nam lae nye esi. Metsɔ ga la dzra ɖo na wò be wòanɔ dedie,
Then another servant came. He said, ‘Sir, here is your coin. I wrapped it in a napkin and put it away, [so that nothing would happen to it].
21 elabena mevɔ̃ be àbia viɖe tso asinye, evɔ wò nya ɖe wòsesẽ, èxɔa nu si menye tɔwò o le amewo si akpasesẽtɔe. Èxɔa amewo ƒe agblewo le wo si akpasesẽtɔe gɔ̃ hã.’
I did that [because] I was afraid [of what you would do to me if the business failed. I know] you are a man who does not do foolish things with your money. You [even] take [from others money] that does not really belong to you, [like a farmer who] harvests grain [from another man’s field] where he did not [even] do the planting.’
22 “Fia la do dɔmedzoe hegblɔ na dɔla vɔ̃ɖi la be, ‘Wò kuviatɔ nèbe menye ŋutasẽla. Wò ŋutɔ wò nuƒoƒoe matsɔ adrɔ̃ ʋɔnu wòe. Ne ènya nyuie be ŋutasẽla menye ɖe,
The king said to that servant, ‘You wicked servant! I will condemn you by the very words [MTY] that you [have just now spoken]. (You know that I do not [do foolish things with my money]./Did you not know that I do not [do foolish things with my money]?) [RHQ] [You said] that I [even] take [from others money] that does not really [belong to me], [like a farmer who] harvests grain [from another man’s field] where he did not [even] do the planting.
23 nu ka tae mètsɔ ga la da ɖe gadzraɖoƒe bena wòahe viɖe vi aɖe teti vɛ nam o?’
So (you should at least have given my money to money lenders!/why did you not [at least] give my money to bankers?) [RHQ] Then [when I returned] I could have collected that amount plus the interest [it would have earned]!’
24 “Etrɔ ɖe ame mamlɛ siwo le tsitre la gbɔ, eye wòɖe gbe na wo be, ‘Mixɔ ga la le esi ne miatsɔe na ame si kpɔ viɖe geɖe ɖe etɔ dzi la.’
Then [the king] said to those who were standing near, ‘Take the coin from him and give it to [the servant] who has ten coins!’
25 “Woɖo eŋu nɛ be, ‘Aƒetɔ, ga geɖe le ame ma si xoxo ɖe!’
They protested, ‘But Sir, he already has ten [coins]!’
26 “Fia la ɖo eŋu be, ‘Ele eme nenema, gake enye nyateƒe matrɔmatrɔ be, ame siwo si nu le la, woawoe agakpɔ nu ɖe edzi, eye ame si si nu sue aɖe le la abu sue si le esi la gɔ̃ hã le ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe me.
[But the king said], ‘I tell you this: To the people who [use well what] they have [received], more will be given {[I] will give more}. But from the people who [do] not [use well what they have received], even what they [already] have will be taken away {[I] will take away even what they already have}.
27 Azɔ le nye futɔ siwo tsi tsitre ɖe ŋunye, eye womedi be maɖu fia ɖe yewo dzi o la, mikplɔ wo va ŋkunyemee ne miatso ta le wo nu.’”
Now, [as for] those enemies of mine who did not want me to rule over them, bring them here and execute them while I am watching!’”
28 Esi Yesu wu lo sia dodo nu la, edze nusrɔ̃lawo ŋgɔ ɖo ta Yerusalem.
After [Jesus] said those things, he [continued on the road] up to Jerusalem, going ahead of his disciples.
29 Esi wova ɖo Betfage kple Betania, du siwo le Amito dzi me la, edɔ eƒe nusrɔ̃la eve be woadze ŋgɔ ayi kɔƒe si le wo ŋgɔ la me.
When they got near Bethphage and Bethany [villages], near the hill that is called {that they call} Olive [Tree] Hill,
30 Ebe ne woge ɖe kɔƒea me la, woatsa ŋku na tedzi aɖe si wode kae la. Enye tedzivi si ame aɖeke medo kpɔ o. Egblɔ kpe ɖe eŋu be, “Ne miekpɔe la, mitu kae ne miakplɔe va afii.
he said to two of [his] disciples, “Go to the village just ahead [of you]. As you [two] enter [it], you will see a young animal that no one has ever ridden, that has been {someone has} tied up. Untie it and bring it [to me].
31 Eye ne ame aɖe bia mi be, ‘Nu ka ta miele ka tumii ɖo?’ miegblɔ ko be, ‘Aƒetɔ la hiãe.’”
If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say [to him], ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 Wokpɔ tedzivi la abe ale si Yesu gblɔe ene,
[So] the [two disciples] went [to the village] and found the [animal], just like he had told them.
33 eye esi wonɔ ka tumii la, nutɔwo va wo gbɔ va bia wo be, “Nu kae nye ema wɔm miele? Nu ka ta miele ka tum míaƒe tedzivia ɖo?”
As they were untying it, its owners said to them, “Why are you two untying that young animal?”
34 Nusrɔ̃lawo ɖo eŋu na wo dzaa be, “Aƒetɔ la hiãe.”
They replied, “The Lord needs it.” [So the owners said that they could take it].
35 Ale wokplɔ tedzivi la vɛ na Yesu, eye woɖo woƒe avɔwo ɖe edzi eye wokɔ Yesu ɖo edzi.
The [two disciples] brought [the animal] to Jesus. They threw their cloaks on the animal’s back [for him to sit on] and helped Jesus get on it.
36 Esi wònɔ yiyim la, amewo tsɔ woƒe avɔwo keke ɖe mɔƒome nɛ.
Then as he rode along, [others] spread their cloaks on the road [to honor him].
37 Azɔ esi wògogo teƒe si woɖia Amito la ƒe aga le la, nusrɔ̃lawo ƒe ha blibo la de asi Mawu kafukafu me kple gbe sesĩe le nukunu siwo wokpɔ la ta,
As they came near [to Jerusalem], on the road that descends from Olive [Tree] Hill, the whole crowd of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God loudly for all the great miracles that they had seen [Jesus do].
38 gblɔ be, “Woayra fia si gbɔna le Aƒetɔ la ƒe ŋkɔa me!” “Ŋutifafa le dziƒo, eye ŋutikɔkɔe le dziƒo ʋĩi!”
They were saying things like, “May the Lord [God] bless our king who comes representing [MTY] him!” “May there be peace [between God] in heaven [and us his people]!” “May [everyone] praise God!”
39 Gake Farisitɔ aɖewo siwo nɔ ameawo dome la gblɔ na Yesu be, “Aƒetɔ, gbe nya na wò nusrɔ̃lawo ne woadzudzɔ nya siawo gbɔgblɔ!”
Some of the Pharisees who were in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples [for saying things like that]!”
40 Eɖo eŋu na wo be, “Nenye be ameawo zi ɖoɖoe hã la, kpewo atso aseye.”
He replied, “I tell you this: If these people would be silent, the stones themselves would shout [to praise me]!”
41 Esi wote ɖe Yerusalem ŋu, eye wòkpɔ dua la, efa avi ɖe eŋu,
When [Jesus] came near [to] Jerusalem and saw the city, he cried about [its people].
42 eye wògblɔ be, “Wò hã, ɖe nànya nu si na ŋutifafa wò le ŋkeke sia me hafi, ke eɣla ɖe wò ŋkuwo fifia.
He said, “[My disciples know what they need to do] to have peace [with God]; I wish that even today [the rest of] you people knew it. But now you are unable to know [MTY] it.
43 Elabena ŋkeke aɖe gbɔna, eye wò futɔwo aƒu kpo ɖe ŋuwò, eye woaɖe to aƒo xlã wò, axaxa wò le goawo katã dzi,
I want you to know this: Soon [your enemies] will come and will set up a barricade around your [city]. They will surround [the city] and attack [it] on all sides.
44 eye woaxlã wò kple viwò siwo le mewò la ɖe anyi, eye womele kpe gblẽ ge ɖe kpe dzi le mewò o, elabena ègbe mɔnukpɔkpɔ si Mawu na wò be nàdzudzɔ nu vɔ̃ la.”
They will [break through] the walls [and] destroy everything. They will smash you and your people/children. [When they finish destroying everything], there will not be one stone left on top of another. [All this will happen] because you did not recognize the time when God sent his [Messiah] to [save] you!”
45 Azɔ Yesu ge ɖe gbedoxɔ la me, eye wòde asi asiƒlelawo nyanya me.
[Jesus entered Jerusalem and] went into the Temple [courtyard]. He saw the people who were selling [things there],
46 Egblɔ na wo be, “Woŋlɔ ɖi be, ‘Nye gbedoxɔ la anye gbedoɖaƒe’; gake miawo la, mietsɔe wɔ ‘fiafitɔwo ƒe nɔƒee.’”
and he began to chase them out. He said to them, “It has been written {[A prophet] wrote} [in the Scriptures that God said], ‘[I want] my house to be a place where people pray’; but you bandits have made it a cave where you can [hide]!”
47 Le esia megbe la, efia nu le gbedoxɔ la me gbe sia gbe, gake nunɔlagãwo, sefialawo kple ame ŋkuta siwo le dua me la nɔ mɔnu dim be yewoaɖe eƒe agbe ɖa.
Each day [during that week Jesus] was teaching people in the Temple [courtyard]. The chief priests and the men who taught the [Jewish] laws and [other Jewish] leaders tried to find a way to kill him.
48 Ke womekpɔ mɔ si dzi woato o, elabena ame sia ame kloe lɔ̃e vevie, eye eƒe nyawo sɔ to me na wo ŋutɔ.
But they did not find any way to do it, because all the people there listened eagerly to him [and would have resisted them if they had tried to hurt him].
