Filipitɔwo 2

1 Azɔ ne nuxɔxlɔ̃ aɖe li le Kristo me, ne lɔlɔ̃ ƒe dzideƒonya aɖe li, ne gbɔgbɔ ƒe hadede aɖe li, ne dɔmetɔtrɔ aɖe kple nublanuikpɔkpɔ aɖe li la,

So then, if you're encouraged by being in Christ, if you're comforted by his love, if you share together in the Spirit, if you have compassion and sympathy—

2 ekema mina makpɔ dzidzɔ vavãtɔ to miaƒe taɖodzinu ɖeka kple mia nɔewo lɔlɔ̃ me; eye mitsɔ gbɔgbɔ ɖeka kple susu ɖeka wɔ dɔe aduadu.

then make my joy complete by thinking the same way and loving the same way, spiritually united and having one purpose.

3 Miganye ɖokuitɔdilawo o; migawɔ nu be miadze ame bubuwo ŋu o. Mibɔbɔ mia ɖokuiwo, eye mibu ame bubuwo be wonyo wu mi.

Don't do anything from a spirit of selfishness or pride, but humbly think of others better than you do of yourself.

4 Tɔnye ko nenyo meganɔ mia me o; ke boŋ mibu ame bubuwo hã ŋuti, eye miatsɔ ɖe le nu si wɔm wole la me.

None of you should be preoccupied about your own things—instead concern yourself with the interests of others too.

5 Mina susu ma ke si nɔ Kristo Yesu hã me la nanɔ miawo hã mia me.

The attitude you should have is the same as that of Christ Jesus.

6 Ame si, esi wònye be Mawu ƒe nɔnɔme mee wònɔ hã la, mebui be yesɔ kple Mawu o,

Though in his nature he was always God, he wasn't concerned to cling on to his equality with God.

7 ke boŋ eɖi gbɔlo eɖokui hetsɔ dɔla ƒe nɔnɔme do, eye wòva le ame ƒe nɔnɔme me.

Instead he emptied himself, taking the nature of a servant, becoming like a human being.

8 Esi wònɔ ame ƒe nɔnɔme me la, ebɔbɔ eɖokui, ɖo to yi ɖase ku me, yi ɖase atitsogaŋutiku me ke!

Coming in human form, humbling himself, he submitted himself to death—even death on a cross.

9 Eya ta Mawu doe ɖe dzi yi ɖase teƒe kɔkɔtɔ kekeake, eye wòtsɔ ŋkɔ si ƒo ŋkɔwo katã ta la nɛ.

That's why God placed him in the position of greatest honor and power, and gave him the most prestigious name—

10 Be le Yesu ƒe ŋkɔ me, ame sia ame, adze klo nɛ le dziƒo kple anyigba dzi kple anyigba te,

so that in the name of Jesus everyone should bow in respect, whether in heaven or on earth or under the earth,

11 eye aɖe sia aɖe aʋu eme be Yesu Kristoe nye Aƒetɔ, hena Mawu Fofo la ƒe ŋutikɔkɔe.

and all will declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Esia ta xɔ̃nye lɔlɔ̃awo, abe ale si mienye sedziwɔlawo ene, esi menɔ mia gbɔ la, ele be miagalé seawo dzi wɔwɔ me ɖe asi sesĩe wu, esi nyemegale mia gbɔ o. Miwɔ miaƒe xɔxɔkpɔkpɔ ŋu dɔ le vɔvɔ̃ kple dzodzo nyanyanya me,

So, my good friends, continue to work towards the goal of salvation with complete reverence and respect for God, following what you were told—not just when I was with you, but even more so now I'm away from you.

13 elabena Mawue le dɔ wɔm le mia me. Eyae kpena ɖe mia ŋu be miaɖo toe, eye miawɔ eƒe lɔlɔ̃nu.

For it's God who is working within you, creating the will and the ability to do what he wants you to do.

14 Miwɔ nu sia nu liʋĩliʋĩlilĩ kple nyahehe manɔmee,

Do everything without complaining or arguing

15 ale be miazu mokakamanɔŋutɔwo kple ame dzadzɛwo. Minɔ agbe si ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o, abe Mawu ƒe vi siwo le xexe si me do viviti tsiɖitsiɖi heyɔ fũu kple ame mawɔnuteƒewo kple kɔlialiatɔwo la ene. Miklẽ le wo dome abe ɣletiviwo ene,

so that you'll be sincere, innocent of any wrong. Be God's blameless children living in the middle of a dishonest and corrupt people. Shine among them as lights to the world,

16 eye migblɔ Agbenya la na wo, be mate ŋu aƒo adegbe le Kristo ƒe vavagbe be nyemewɔ dɔ vlo o. Ekema nenye be Kristo gava la, makpɔ dzidzɔ gã aɖe be nyemewɔ dɔ si meɖe vi aɖeke o.

holding out to them the word of life. That way I'll have something to be proud of when Christ returns, proving I didn't run around and work for nothing!

17 Eye nenye be wokɔ nye ʋu ɖi abe nunonovɔsa ene na Mawu ɖe miaƒe xɔse ta hã la, anye dzidzɔ nam, eye makpɔ dzidzɔ kpli mi.

So even if I pour out my life as a sacrifice and offering so you may trust in God, I'm happy for it, and I'm glad together with all of you,

18 Eya ta miawo hã, mikpɔ dzidzɔ kplim.

just as you have such joy and are glad with me.

19 Mele mɔ kpɔm be ne Aƒetɔ Yesu lɔ̃ la, maɖo Timoteo ɖa be wòava kpɔ mi ɖa kpuie. Ekema ne etrɔ gbɔ la, nu siwo wòava gblɔ nam tso nu siwo katã wɔm miele kple ale si miele dɔa dzii ŋu la, ana dzi nagaɖo ƒonye.

I'm hoping, if that's what the Lord Jesus wants, to send Timothy to you soon. It will cheer me up once I know how you're doing.

20 Ame aɖeke megali si tsɔ ɖe le miaƒe nya me le nyateƒe me wu Timoteo o.

I don't know anyone who genuinely cares about you as he does.

21 Edze abe ɖe bubuawo katã tsi dzi ɖe woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ɖoɖowo ŋuti, eye menye ɖe Yesu Kristo tɔwo ŋu o ene.

Other people only worry about their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

22 Ke mienya Timoteo nyuie. Ɖe wòle nam abe vi ene, eye wòwɔa dɔ kplim le nyanyui la gbɔgblɔ me.

But you already know what he's like—just as a child working to help his father, so he's worked with me to spread the good news.

23 Mele mɔ kpɔm be maɖoe ɖe mi kpuie; mekpɔ nu siwo le dzɔdzɔm ɖe dzinye la gbɔ vɔ.

So I hope to send him as soon as I see how I'm doing,

24 Eye mele dzi ɖom ɖe Aƒetɔ la ŋu be ana be nye ŋutɔ hã mava kpɔ mi ɖa kpuie.

and I trust in the Lord that shortly I'll be able to come too.

25 Le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, mebui be enyo be magbugbɔ nɔvinye Epafrodito aɖo ɖe mi. Ezu nɔvinye, nye dɔwɔhati, asrafo, ame si nye miaƒe dɔla si mieɖo ɖa be wòana kpekpeɖeŋum le nye hiahiãwo me la.

But I thought it was important to send Epaphroditus to you. He's a brother to me, a co-worker and fellow-soldier. He's the one you sent to look after me,

26 Azɔ la, megbugbɔe le ɖoɖom ɖe mi, elabena ele mia susum, eye esi miese be edze dɔ la, ele nu xam.

and he's been longing to see all of you, worried about you because you'd heard he was sick.

27 Le nyateƒe me la, edze dɔ, eye wòku kloe, gake Mawu kpɔ nublanui na nye kplii siaa, be metsɔ eƒe ku ƒe nuxaxa tsɔ kpe esiwo le dzinye xoxo la o.

He certainly was sick—he nearly died—but God had mercy on him. Not just on him, but on me too, so that I wouldn't have tragedy upon tragedy.

28 Eya ta metsi dzi vevie be maɖoe ɖe mi, eye ne miegakpɔe la, miakpɔ dzidzɔ, eye esia aɖe nye nuxaxawo dzi kpɔtɔ.

That's why I'm so keen to send him, so that when you see him you'll be happy, and I won't have to be so anxious.

29 Mido dzaa nɛ le Aƒetɔ la me kple dzidzɔ gã aɖe eye miɖe miaƒe ŋudzedzekpɔkpɔ fiae,

So welcome him with much happiness in the Lord—honor people like him,

30 elabena eƒe agbe ɖo xaxa gã aɖe me ɖe Kristo ƒe dɔ la ta, eye wòku kloe le esime wònɔ agbagba dzem be yeawɔ nu siwo miete ŋu wɔ nam o la, ɖe ale si miele adzɔge le gbɔnye ta.

because in working for Christ he nearly died, putting his life on the line to make up for the help you weren't in a position to give me.