Mateo 23
1 Tete Yesu gblɔ na ameha la kple eƒe nusrɔ̃lawo be,
Then Jesus conversed with the multitude and with his disciples,
2 “Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo nɔ Mose ƒe zi dzi,
and said to them: The Scribes and Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses.
3 eya ta miɖo to wo, eye miawɔ nu sia nu si wogblɔ na mi la, gake migawɔ nu si wowɔna la o, elabena woawo ŋutɔ mewɔna ɖe nu siwo fiam wole la dzi o.
Whatever therefore they tell you to observe, that observe and do. But according to their deeds, practise ye not: for they say, and do not.
4 Woblaa agba kpekpewo tsɔna ɖoa amewo ƒe abɔta, gake woawo ŋutɔ mele klalo be yewoatsɔ yewoƒe asibidɛ akpe ɖe ameawo ŋu gɔ̃ hã o.
They tie up heavy burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but will not themselves touch them with their finger.
5 “Nu sia nu si wowɔna la, ɖe wowɔnɛ ko be yewoadze abe ame nyuiwo ene le gota. Woƒe mawunya kpukpui, ŋkuɖodzinu siwo wosana ɖe ŋgonu kple abɔ la kekena wua ame sia ame tɔ, eye wowɔa woƒe awutogbowo wololona be amewo nakpɔ be yewonye ame kɔkɔewo.
And all their works they do, to be seen of men: for they make their phylacteries broad, and extend the fringes of their garments.
6 Wolɔ̃a kplɔ̃tanɔnɔ le nuɖuƒewo, eye wolɔ̃a ŋgɔgbezikpuiwo dzi nɔnɔ le woƒe ƒuƒoƒewo.
And they love the highest couches at suppers and the highest seats in the synagogues,
7 Ne wole ablɔ dzi yina, eye amewo le ŋkɔ dam ɖe wo dzi be, ‘Nufiala’ kple ‘Aƒetɔ’ la, evivia wo nu ŋutɔ.
and the greeting in the market places, and to be addressed by men with Rabbi.
8 “Migana woayɔ mi be ‘Rabi’ o, elabena ame ɖeka koe nye miaƒe Nufiala, eye mi katã la nɔviwo mienye.
But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Rabbi, and ye are all brethren.
9 Migayɔ ame aɖeke le anyigba dzi afi sia be ‘fofo’ o, elabena ‘Fofo’ ɖeka koe le mia si, eyae le dziƒo.
And ye shall not call yourselves Father on earth; for one is your Father, who is in heaven.
10 Migana hã be woayɔ mi be kplɔlawo o, elabena Kplɔla ɖeka koe li na mi, eyae nye Kristo la.
And be ye not called guides; for one is your Guide, the Messiah.
11 Ke ame si nye amegã le mia dome la, netsɔ eɖokui wɔ subɔlae boŋ.
And the great one among you will be your servitor.
12 Ame siwo doa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe dzi la, woaɖiɖi wo ɖe anyi. Ke ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe anyi la, woado wo ɖe dzi.
For whoever shall exalt himself, will be abased: and whoever shall abase himself, will be exalted.
13 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mietu dziƒofiaɖuƒe la ƒe agbo ɖe amewo nu. Miawo ŋutɔ miele eme yi ge o, eya ta mieɖe mɔ be ame siwo le agbagba dzem be yewoage ɖe eme la hã nayi eme o. [
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye devour the houses of widows, under the disguise of protracting your prayers. Therefore ye shall receive greater condemnation.
14 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Miekpɔ mɔ le ahosiwo ŋu hexɔa woƒe aƒewo le wo si sesẽtɔe, eye emegbe la, miedoa gbe didiwo ɖa! Esia ta miaƒe tohehe asesẽ wu ame bubuawo tɔ!]
Woe to you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye hold the kingdom of heaven closed before men; for ye enter not yourselves, and those that would enter ye suffer not to enter.
15 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mietsana le anyigba dzi kple atsiaƒuwo dzi, ɛ̃, afi sia afi ko be miawɔ ame ɖeka wòazu Yudatɔ le xɔse me, eye ne ezui la, miewɔnɛ wòzua dzomavɔmevi zi gbɔ zi eve wu miawo ŋutɔ. (Geenna g1067)
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye traverse sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is gained, ye make him a child of hell twofold more than yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 “Baba na mi, mi kplɔla ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Miegblɔna be, ‘Ne ame aɖe yɔ gbedoxɔ ta nui la, medze vɔ̃ o, gake ne eyɔ sika si le gbedoxɔ me ta nui la, atam la blae’
Woe to you, ye blind guides: for ye say, Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gold that is in the temple, he is holden.
17 Mi bometsila ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Kae lolo wu, sika la alo gbedoxɔ si wɔ sika la gɔ̃ hã be wòle dzadzɛea?
Ye fools, and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 Miawo kee gblɔ be, ‘Ame si ta vɔsamlekpui la la, ate ŋu ada le atam si wòka la dzi faa, gake ne ame aɖe ta nunana si le vɔsamlekpui la dzi la, edze agɔ vevie nenye be wòda le ŋugbe si wòdo la dzi.’
And, whoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing: but whoever shall swear by the oblation upon it, he is holden.
19 Mi ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Kae le vevie wu, nunana si le vɔsamlekpui la dzi loo alo vɔsamlekpui la ŋutɔ si nana be nunana ŋuti kɔnaa?
Ye fools, and blind: for which is greater, the oblation, or the altar that sanctifieth the oblation?
20 Nenye be mieta vɔsamlekpui la la, ekema mietae kple nu siwo katã le edzi,
He therefore who sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that is upon it.
21 eye ne mieta gbedoxɔ la, ekema mietae kple Mawu, ame si nɔa eme la.
And he who sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it.
22 Nenye be mieta dziƒo la, minyae be mieta Mawu ƒe fiazikpui kple Mawu, ame si nɔa edzi la.
And he who sweareth by heaven, sweareth by throne of God, and by him that sitteth on it.
23 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Mienaa ahamɛ, sikɔni kple tsyo ƒe ewoliawo gɔ̃ hã, gake miegblẽ se la ƒe nu vevitɔ siwo nye afia nyui tsotso, nublanuikpɔkpɔ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ la ɖi. Ele be miawɔ ɖe esiawo hã dzi, eye mele be miagbe ekemɛawo hã o.
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye tithe mint, and anise, and cummin, and omit the graver matters of the law, judgment, and mercy, and fidelity: these ought ye to do, and those not to omit.
24 Mi kplɔla ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Mieɖea nudzodzoe suetɔ kekeake le miaƒe nunonowo me ƒua gbe, gake miemia miaƒe kposɔ ya.
Ye blind guides, who strain out gnats, and swallow down camels.
25 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpatɔwo! Mieklɔa kplu kple nuɖugba ŋuti, gake wo me yɔ fũu kple ŋukeklẽ kple ɖokuitɔdidi.
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, while within they are full of rapine and wickedness.
26 Farisitɔ ŋkuagbãtɔwo! Miklɔ kplu la kple nuɖugba la me gbã, ekema wo godo hã aɖi nyuie.
Ye blind Pharisees, cleanse first the inside of the cup and dish, that their outside may be clean also.
27 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Ɖeko miele abe yɔdokpe siwo wosi akalo na la ene, esiwo dzena le gota nyuie, ke wo me yɔ fũu kple ame kukuwo ƒe ƒuwo kple nu makɔmakɔ bubuwo.
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye are like whited sepulchres, which appear comely without, but are within full of bones of the dead and all impurity.
28 Miawo hã, nenema kee miedze le gota le amewo gbɔ abe ame dzɔdzɔewo ene, gake mia me yɔ fũu kple alakpanuwɔwɔ kple vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi.
So ye also, outwardly, appear to men as righteous; but within, ye are full of iniquity and hypocrisy.
29 “Baba na mi, mi Sefialawo kple Farisitɔwo, mi alakpanuwɔlawo! Miewɔ ŋkuɖodzikpe na nyagblɔɖilawo, eye mieɖo atsyɔ̃ na ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe yɔdowo,
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: for ye build the tombs of the prophets and ye adorn the sepulchres of the righteous;
30 eye miegblɔ be, ‘Ne ɖe míenɔ agbe le mía fofowo ŋɔli la, míawɔ ɖeka kpli wo le nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe ʋukɔkɔɖi me o’
and ye say: If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been participators with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Ale mieɖi ɖase le miawo ŋutɔ ɖokui ŋu be, mienye ame siwo wu nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe dzidzimeviwo.
Wherefore ye are witnesses, against yourselves, that ye are the children of them that killed the prophets.
32 Enyo ŋutɔ, azɔ miwu nu vɔ̃ dɔ si gɔme mia fofowo dze la nu.
And as for you, fill ye up the measure of your fathers.
Ye serpents, ye race of vipers: how can ye escape the condemnation of hell? (Geenna g1067)
34 Eya ta mele nyagblɔɖilawo, nunyalawo kple nufiala siwo me Gbɔgbɔ la yɔ fũu la hã ɖom ɖe mi, ke miawo la, miawu wo dometɔ aɖewo alo aklã wo ɖe atitsoga ŋu, miaƒo ɖewo le miaƒe ƒuƒoƒewo, eye miati geɖewo hã ƒe agbe yome tso afii yi afi mɛ.
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; some of whom ye will kill and crucify, and some of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will persecute them from city to city:
35 Ne miewɔ esiawo la, ekema ame kɔkɔe siwo wowu le anyigba dzi tso keke Abel dzi va se ɖe Zekaria, Barakia ƒe vi si miewu le vɔsamlekpui kple kɔkɔeƒe la dome le gbedoxɔa me la, ƒe ʋu ava mia dzi.
so that on you may come all the blood of the righteous, which hath been shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Vavã, mele egblɔm na mi be, tohehe siwo katã wodzra ɖo ɖi tso ɣe ma ɣi ke va se ɖe fifia la ava dzidzime sia dzi.
Verily I say to you, that all these things will come upon this generation.
37 “O! Yerusalem, Yerusalem, wò du si me tɔwo wu nyagblɔɖilawo, eye woƒu kpe ame siwo Mawu ɖo ɖe wò. Medi zi geɖe be maƒo viwòwo nu ƒu abe ale si koklo ƒoa viawo nu ƒui ɖe eƒe aʋalawo te ene, gake wogbe, womena mɔm o.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen gathereth her young under her wings, and ye would not.
38 Fifia miaƒe aƒee ma zu aƒedo.
Behold, your house is left to you desolate!
39 Ke mele egblɔm na mi be, miegale kpɔ nye ge o va se ɖe esime miagblɔ be, ‘Woayra ame si gbɔna le Aƒetɔ la ƒe ŋkɔ me.’”
For I say to you, That ye shall not see me henceforth, until ye shall say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
