Marko 4
1 Eva eme be ame geɖewo gava ƒo ƒu ɖe Yesu ŋu esime wònɔ nu fiam le ƒuta. Le ameawo ƒe agbɔsɔsɔ ta la, ege ɖe ʋu aɖe me hafi nɔ nua fiam.
Jesus again began to teach by the sea; and, as an immense crowd was gathering round him, he got into a boat, and sat in it on the sea, while all the people were on the shore at the water’s edge.
2 Efia nu geɖe amewo to lododowo me.
Then he taught them many truths in parables; and in the course of his teaching he said to them:
3 Egblɔ na wo be, “Miɖo to miasee! Agbledela aɖe yi nuku wu ge ɖe eƒe agble me.
‘Listen! The sower went out to sow;
4 Nuku siwo wòwu la ƒe ɖewo ge ɖe mɔto, eye xeviwo va fɔ wo mi.
and presently, as he was sowing, some of the seed fell along the path; and the birds came, and ate it up.
5 Ɖewo hã ge ɖe kpenyigba dzi, afi si ke sue aɖe ko nɔ; nuku siawo tsi vlɔvlɔvlɔ,
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and, because the soil wasn’t deep, sprang up at once;
6 gake esi ŋdɔ ʋu ɖe wo dzi la, woyrɔ, eye woku, elabena woƒe kewo mede to o.
but, when the sun rose, it was scorched, and, because their roots were not deep enough, withered away.
7 Nuku bubuwo ge ɖe ŋuwo me, eye esi wonɔ tsitsim la, ŋuawo vu tsyɔ wo dzi ale be womete ŋu tse ku aɖeke o.
Some of the seed fell among brambles; but the brambles shot up and completely choked it, and it yielded no return.
8 Ke nuku aɖewo ya ge ɖe anyigba nyui dzi, eye wotse ku blaetɔ̃, eye ɖewo tse blaade, eye ɖewo hã tse alafa.”
Some fell into good soil, and, shooting up and growing, yielded a return, amounting to thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold.’
9 Azɔ Yesu gblɔ na wo be, “Ame si to senu li na la nesee.”
And Jesus said, ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear with hear.’
10 Le esia megbe la, esi Yesu kple eƒe nusrɔ̃la wuieveawo kpakple nusrɔ̃la bubuwo susɔ la, nusrɔ̃lawo biae be, “Lododo sia gɔme ɖe?”
Afterwards, when he was alone, his followers and the Twelve asked him about his parables;
11 Yesu ɖo eŋu na wo be, “Miawo la, wona mɔ mi be mianya mawufiaɖuƒe la ƒe nu ɣaɣlawo, ke woɣla esiawo ɖe ame siwo le fiaɖuƒe la godo to lododo me.
and he said, ‘To you the hidden truth of the kingdom of God has been imparted; but to those who are outside it all teaching takes the form of parables so that –
12 Miɖo ŋku edzi be, “Togbɔ be wokpɔa nu, eye wosea nu hã la, womele nu gɔme se ge alo atrɔ ɖe Mawu gbɔ; be wòatsɔ woƒe nu vɔ̃wo ake wo o.”
“Though they have eyes, they may see without perceiving; and though they have ears, they may hear without understanding; otherwise some day they might turn and be forgiven.”’
13 Ale Yesu gblɔ na wo bena, “Ke nenye be miawo hã miete ŋu se lododo sia gɔme o ɖe, aleke miawɔ ase esiwo mava do emegbe la gɔme?
‘You do not know the meaning of this parable?’ he went on, ‘Then how will you understand all the other parables?
14 Agbledela si ŋu meƒo nu tsoe lae nye ame si gblɔa mawunya na amewo.
The sower sows the message.
15 Mɔto, afi si nuku aɖewo kaka ɖo lae nye ame siwo ƒe dziwo ku atri. Ne wose mawunya la, Satana va te wo kpɔ ko la, woŋlɔa nya la be enumake.
The people meant by the seed that falls along the path are these – where the message is sown, but, as soon as they have heard it, Satan immediately comes and carries away the message that has been sown in them.
16 Kpenyigba si dzi nuku aɖewo ge ɖo lae nye ame siwo sea mawunya la, eye woxɔnɛ kple dzidzɔ,
So, too, those meant by the seed sown on the rocky places are the people who, when they have heard the message, at once accept it joyfully;
17 gake abe nuku siwo miena ɖe anyigba ma ƒomevi dzi ene la, woƒe kewo medea to o, eye togbɔ be wotsina vlɔvlɔvlɔ hã la, ne yometiti va ko la, wogbɔdzɔna.
but, as they have no root, they stand only for a short time; and so, when trouble or persecution arises because of the message, they fall away at once.
18 Ŋunyigba si dzi nuku aɖewo ge ɖo lae nye ame siwo sea nyanyui la, woxɔnɛ ɖe woƒe dziwo me,
Those meant by the seed sown among the brambles are different; they are the people who hear the message,
19 gake xexe sia me ƒe dzitsitsi ɖe kesinɔnuwo ŋu, hloloetsotso na dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ kple xexea me ƒe nudzroame geɖewo zua ŋu vuna tsyɔa Mawu ƒe Nya si wose la dzi, metsea ku aɖeke o. (aiōn g165)
but the cares of life, and the glamour of wealth, and cravings for many other things come in and completely choke the message, so that it gives no return. (aiōn g165)
20 Azɔ anyigba nyui lae nye ame siwo xɔa Mawu ƒe Nya la le nyateƒe me, eye wòtsea ku geɖe na Mawu, blaetɔ̃, blaade alo alafa ɖeka gɔ̃ hã.”
But the people meant by the seed sown on the good ground are those who hear the message, and welcome it, and yield a return, thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold.’
21 Yesu yi edzi bia nusrɔ̃lawo be, “Nenye be ame aɖe si akaɖi ɖe, ɖe wòtsɔa nu tsyɔa edzi alo danɛ ɖe abati te mahã? Alo menye akaɖiti dzie wodanɛ ɖo be wòaklẽ na amewo o mahã?
Jesus said to them, ‘Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under the couch, instead of being put on the lamp-stand?
22 Nu siwo katã le ɣaɣla fifia la, ava dze le gaglãgbe gbe ɖeka.
There is nothing hidden that will not come to light and nothing is concealed that will not be brought into the open.
23 Ne to senu li na mi la, misee!
Let all who have ears to hear with hear.
24 Mikpɔ egbɔ be miewɔ ɖe nu siwo miese la dzi, elabena ne miele esia wɔm la, ekema miase nu siwo katã mefia mi la gɔme.
‘Take care what you listen to,’ said Jesus. ‘The standard you use will be used for you, and more will be added for you.
25 Ame si si nu le la, eyae woana nui, eye ame si si nu mele o la, woaxɔ sue si le esi la gɔ̃ hã le esi.”
For, to those who have, more will be given; while, from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’
26 “Lododo bubu si fia ale si mawufiaɖuƒe la le lae nye esi: ‘Agbledela aɖe ƒã nuku ɖe eƒe abɔ me, eye wòdzo,
Jesus also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like – like a man who has scattered seed on the ground,
27 ke le ŋkeke aɖewo megbe la, nuku la ŋutɔ tsi le eɖokui si, eye agbledela la mewɔ dɔ aɖeke o, elabena anyigba la ŋutɔ nyo xoxo.
and then sleeps by night and rises by day, while the seed is shooting up and growing – he knows not how.
28 Gbã la, aŋgba fɛ̃wo do tso anyigba ƒe tu me, emegbe la, nuku la ƒo se, eye mlɔeba la, etse ku.
The ground bears the crop of itself – first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear;
29 Ke esi kutsetse la ɖi la, agbledela la yi agble la me kple eƒe nuxahɛ, eye wòxa nuku la.’”
but, as soon as the crop is ready, immediately he puts in the sickle because harvest has come.’
30 Yesu yi edzi bia wo be, “Aleke gɔ̃ maɖe ale si mawufiaɖuƒe la le la afia mie. Lododo ka tututu matsɔ asɔ kplii?
Jesus also said, ‘To what can we liken the kingdom of God?
31 Mawufiaɖuƒe la le abe atiku suetɔ kekeake ene le anyigba dzi.
By what can we illustrate it? Perhaps by the growth of a mustard seed. This seed, when sown in the ground, though it is smaller than all other seeds,
32 Togbɔ be ele alea hã la, ne woƒãe la, etsina zua ati dzɔatsu le abɔmetiwo katã dome, eye wòɖea alɔ legbe siwo me xeviwo wɔa atɔ ɖo hekpɔa gbɔɖeme le wo me.”
yet, when sown, shoots up, and becomes larger than any other herb, and puts out great branches, so that even the wild birds can roost in its shelter.’
33 Yesu wɔ lododo vovovowo ŋu dɔ tsɔ fia nu amewo. Ewɔ esiwo gɔme amewo ate ŋu ase la ŋu dɔ.
With many such parables Jesus used to speak to the people of his message, as far as they were able to receive it;
34 Le nyateƒe me la, ne Yesu le nu fiam le dutoƒo la, lododo sɔŋ ko ŋu dɔ wòwɔna, ke emegbe ne eya kple eƒe nusrɔ̃lawo ɖe aga la, eɖea wo gɔme na wo.
and to them he never used to speak except in parables; but in private to his own disciples he explained everything.
35 Esi ɣe nɔ to ɖom la, Yesu gblɔ na eƒe nusrɔ̃lawo be, “Mina míatso ƒu la ayi eƒe go evelia dzi.”
In the evening of the same day, Jesus said to them, ‘Let us go across.’
36 Eya kple eƒe nusrɔ̃lawo ge ɖe ʋu aɖe me, eye wodze mɔ, hegble ameha la ɖe ƒua ta, ke ʋu bubuwo hã dze wo yome.
So, leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.
37 Esi wozɔ yina sẽe la, ahom sesẽ aɖe de asi tutu me. Esia na be ƒutsotsoewo ŋe dze ʋu la me ale gbegbe be esusɔ vie ko ʋu la nanyrɔ.
A violent squall came on, and the waves kept dashing into the boat, so that the boat was actually filling.
38 Togbɔ be esiawo katã nɔ edzi yim hã la, Yesu ya ziɔ suɖui le ʋua ta henɔ alɔ̃ dɔm dziɖeɖitɔe. Nusrɔ̃lawo ʋuʋui sesĩe wònyɔ. Wobiae vɔvɔ̃tɔe be, “Nufiala, mètsɔ ɖeke le eme be míele nyɔnyrɔm oa?”
Jesus was in the stern asleep on the cushion; and the disciples roused him and cried, ‘Teacher! Is it nothing to you that we are lost?’
39 Yesu blu ɖe ya la ta enumake, eye wòɖe gbe na ƒu la hã be, “Zi ɖoɖoe!” Ya sesẽ la tɔ enumake, eye ƒu la zi ɖoɖoe toŋtoŋtoŋ.
Jesus rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Hush! Be still!’ Then the wind dropped, and a great calm followed.
40 Azɔ etrɔ ɖe nusrɔ̃lawo ŋu bia wo be, “Nu ka ta mievɔ̃ alea gbegbe ɖo? Ekema va se ɖe fifia hã la, miexɔ dzinye se oa?”
‘Why are you so timid?’ he exclaimed. ‘Have you no faith yet?’
41 Vɔvɔ̃ ɖo nusrɔ̃lawo ŋutɔ. Woƒe mo wɔ yaa, eye wogblɔ na wo nɔewo be, “Ame ka gɔ̃e nye esia, be yawo kple ƒutsotsoewo hã ɖoa toe?”
But they were struck with great awe, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him?’
