Romatɔwo 7
1 Nɔvi lɔlɔ̃awo, mele nu ƒom na ame siwo nya se la; ɖe mienyae bena ne ame aɖe ku la, se la megablae o mahã?
Or do you not know, brothers (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a person for as long as he lives?
2 Elabena srɔ̃nyɔnu la, zi ale si srɔ̃ŋutsu la le agbe la, se blae ɖe eŋuti; ke ne srɔ̃ŋutsu la ku la, srɔ̃ɖeɖe ƒe se la megabla nyɔnu la o.
For the married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.
3 Eya ta ne srɔ̃nyɔnu la gale ŋutsu bubu gbɔ dem esime srɔ̃ŋutsu la le agbe la, ekema nyɔnu la nye ahasiwɔla; ke ne srɔ̃ŋutsu la ku la, ekema srɔ̃ɖeɖe ƒe se la megablae o, eye ne eɖe ŋutsu bubu la, meganye ahasiwɔla o.
So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she is called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
4 Eya ta nɔvi lɔlɔ̃awo, miawo hã mieku na se la to Kristo ƒe ŋutilã me, be miazu ame bubu si wofɔ ɖe tsitre tso ame kukuwo dome la tɔ, be míatse ku na Mawu.
Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we may bear fruit to God.
5 Elabena esi míenɔ ŋutilã me tsã la, nu vɔ̃ ƒe nudzodzro siwo dzɔ tso se la me la nɔa dɔ wɔm le mía me, be míatse ku na ku.
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit for death.
6 Ke azɔ esi míeku na se si ƒe kpɔkplɔ te míenɔ kpɔ la, míevo tso se la me, be míasubɔ le Gbɔgbɔ la ƒe mɔ yeye nu, ke menye le se la ƒe mɔ xoxo nu o.
But now we have been released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
7 Azɔ nya ka gblɔ ge míala? Ɖe se la nye nu vɔ̃ mahã? Gbeɖe! Ne se la meli o la, nyemate ŋu anya nu si nu vɔ̃ nye la o. Elabena nyemanya nu si nye ŋubiabiã ne womegblɔe le se la me o be, “Mègabiã ŋu o.”
What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not. However, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness, unless the law had said, "Do not covet."
8 Ke esi mɔnukpɔkpɔ su nu vɔ̃ si to sedede me la, eho ŋubiabiã ƒomevi ɖe sia ɖe ɖe dzi le menye; elabena ne se meli o la, ekema nu vɔ̃ ku.
But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
9 Nye la, menɔ agbe kpɔ se aɖeke te manɔmanɔe; ke esi sedede la va la, nu vɔ̃ gbɔ agbe, eye meku.
I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died.
10 Elabena mekpɔe dze sii be se si wode hena agbe la he ku vɛ boŋ.
The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death;
11 Ke esi mɔnukpɔkpɔ su nu vɔ̃ si to sedede me la, eblem, eye to sedede me la, wotso kufia nam.
for sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
12 Eya ta se la le kɔkɔe, eye sedede la le kɔkɔe; ele dzɔdzɔe eye wònyo.
Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
13 Ekema ɖe nu nyui la zu ku nama? Gbeɖe! Ke boŋ nu vɔ̃ lae, bena wòadze ƒãa be etsɔ nu nyui wɔ ku nam, be to sedede la me la, nu vɔ̃ navɔ̃ɖi ɖe edzi ŋutɔ.
Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Absolutely not. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
14 Míenya be se la nye gbɔgbɔmenu; ke nye la, ŋutilã me menye, elabena wodzram mezu kluvi na nu vɔ̃.
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.
15 Nyemesea nu si mewɔna la gɔme o. Elabena menye nu si medina be mawɔ la mewɔna o, ke nu si melé fui la, eya boŋ mewɔna.
For I do not know what I am doing. For I do not practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.
16 Eye ne mewɔ nu si nyemedina be mawɔ o la, melɔ̃na be se la nyo.
But if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
17 Ke azɔ meganye nyee le esia wɔm o, ke boŋ nu vɔ̃ si le menye lae.
So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
18 Elabena menya be nu nyui aɖeke menɔa menye o, ɖe ale si menye nu vɔ̃ ƒe ŋutilã ta. Elabena nu nyui wɔwɔ dzroam, gake nyemetea ŋu wɔnɛ o.
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For the desire is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
19 Elabena nyemewɔa nu nyui si medina be mawɔ la o; ke nu vɔ̃ si nyemedina be mawɔ o la, eya boŋ mewɔna.
For the good which I desire, I do not do; but the evil which I do not desire, that I practice.
20 Azɔ ne mewɔ nu si nyemedina be mawɔ o la, ekema meganye nyee le ewɔm o, ke boŋ nu vɔ̃ si le menye lae le ewɔm.
But if what I do not desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
21 Eya ta mekpɔ se sia be ele dɔ wɔm; togbɔ be medina be mawɔ nu nyui hã la, nu vɔ̃ gaxea mɔ nam.
I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
22 Elabena le ememe ke la, mekpɔa dzidzɔ le Mawu ƒe se la me;
For I delight in God's law in my inner being,
23 gake mekpɔ be se bubu le dɔ wɔm le menye, esi le aʋa wɔm kple se si le nye susu me, eye wòna mezu kluvi na nu vɔ̃ ƒe se si le menye la.
but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O, nye nu wɔ nublanui ŋutɔ! Ame kae aɖem tso ŋutilã si kplɔm yina ɖe ku mee la si me?
What a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
25 Meda akpe na Mawu be eɖem to Yesu Kristo míaƒe Aƒetɔ la dzi. Eya ta azɔ la, menye kluvi na Mawu ƒe se la le nye susu me, ke menye kluvi na nu vɔ̃ ƒe se la le ŋutilã nu.
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law.
