Romatɔwo 13
1 Miɖo to dziɖuɖu la, elabena Mawue nye ame si ɖo dziɖuɖu la anyi. Dziɖuɖu aɖeke mele afi aɖeke si Mawu ŋutɔ metsɔ ŋusẽ na o.
Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but from God: the authorities that are, have been appointed by God.
2 Eya ta ame sia ame si gbe dukɔa ƒe sewo dzi wɔwɔ la gbe Mawu ƒe sewo dzi wɔwɔ, eye tohehe adze nu sia yome.
Therefore, he that resists the authority, resists the appointment of God; and those who resist shall receive to themselves condemnation.
3 Elabena kpovitɔ medoa ŋɔdzi na ame siwo le nu nyui wɔm la o, ke ame siwo le nu vɔ̃ wɔm la, woavɔ̃ kpovitɔ ɣe sia ɣi. Eya ta ne mèdi be yeanɔ vɔvɔ̃m o la, wɔ seawo dzi kpoo, ekema eme anyo na wò.
For rulers are not a terror to works that are good, but to those which are evil. Will you, then, not be afraid of the authority? Do that which is good, and you shall receive praise from the same.
4 Mawu ƒe subɔlae nye kpovitɔ la ɖa ɖe wò nyonyo ta. Ke ne èle nu vɔ̃ aɖe wɔm la, eme kɔ ƒãa be ànɔ vɔvɔ̃m, elabena kpovitɔ la ana woahe to na wò nu gbegblẽ wɔla la.
For he is the minister of God to you for that which is good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God to inflict punishment on him that does evil.
5 Eya ta miwɔ seawo dzi le nu eve siawo ta: gbã, be miagaxɔ tohehe o; evelia, elabena mienya xoxo tso miaƒe dzi me be ele be yewoawɔ seawo dzi.
Wherefore, it is necessary to be subject, not only because of punishment, but also for conscience sake.
6 Midzɔ miaƒe dugawo hã le nu eve siawo ke ta, elabena ele be woaxe fe na dziɖuɖudɔwɔlawo, ale be woate ŋu anɔ Mawu ƒe dɔ la wɔm, anɔ kpekpem ɖe mia ŋu.
On this very account, too, pay tribute also: for they are the public servants of God, attending continually to this very thing.
7 Mixe fe na ame sia ame abe ale si wòdzee ene. Mixe miaƒe dugawo kple adzɔwo dzidzɔtɔe. Miɖo to miaƒe tatɔwo, eye mitsɔ bubu na ame sia ame si dze bubu la.
Render, therefore, to all their dues; tribute, to whom tribute is due; custom, to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honor, to whom honor is due.
8 Migana naneke ƒe fe natsi mia ŋu o, negbe ame bubuwo lɔlɔ̃ ƒe fe ko. Migaxe ame bubuwo lɔlɔ̃ ƒe fe sia vɔ gbeɖe o! Elabena ne mielɔ̃ wo la, miawɔ Mawu ƒe seawo katã dzi, eye miawɔ nu sia nu si Mawu bia tso mia si la.
Owe no one any thing, except to love one another; for he that loves another, has fulfilled the law.
9 Ke nya si woŋlɔ ɖi bena: “Mègawɔ ahasi o,” “Mègawu ame o,” “Mègafi fi o,” “Mègabiã ŋu o,” eye ne se bubu aɖe gali si ƒo esiawo ta la, ekema eyae nye: “Lɔ̃ hawòvi abe ɖokuiwò ene.”
For these commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not indulge evil desire; and if there is any other commandment, all are summed up in this saying, namely: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
10 Lɔlɔ̃ nana womedaa vo ɖe amehavi ŋu o. Eya ta lɔlɔ̃ na ame havie nye sedziwɔwɔ.
Love works no evil to our neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Nu bubu si ta wòle be mianɔ agbe nyuie lae nye be: mienya be ɣeyiɣi boo megali o. Minyɔ, elabena xɔxɔ tu aƒe fifia wu ale si míexɔe se tsã.
And do this, because you know the time, that the hour has already come when we should awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed:
12 Zã la va yi vɔ, ŋu le kekem azɔ! Eya ta mina míaɖe asi le vivitimenuwɔwɔwo ŋu, eye míado kekeli ƒe akpoxɔnuwo.
the night is far advanced, the day draws near. Let us, therefore, put off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Mina míawɔ nu dzeame, abe ale si nyo le ŋkeke me ene; menye le aglotutu kple ahamumu, ahasiwɔwɔ kple hadzedze, alo le dzrewɔwɔ kple ŋuʋaʋã me o.
Let us walk in a becoming manner, as in the day; not in riotings and in drunkenness, not in lewdness and in wantonness, not in contention and in envy:
14 Ke boŋ mibia Aƒetɔ Yesu Kristo be wòakpe ɖe mia ŋu, be mianɔ agbe abe ale si dze ene. Migakpɔ dzidzɔ le nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ ŋu o.
but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
