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?
Know ye not, brethren, ( for I speak to them that know the law, ) that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
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 woman who hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband is dead, she is loosed from the law of her 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 her husband liveth, she is married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband is dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married 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 brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth 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 by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit to 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 are delivered from the law, that being dead by which we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the 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 shall we say then? Is the law sin? By no means. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt 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 occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of lust. For apart from the law sin was dead.
9 Nye la, menɔ agbe kpɔ se aɖeke te manɔmanɔe; ke esi sedede la va la, nu vɔ̃ gbɔ agbe, eye meku.
For I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 Elabena mekpɔe dze sii be se si wode hena agbe la he ku vɛ boŋ.
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be to 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 occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12 Eya ta se la le kɔkɔe, eye sedede la le kɔkɔe; ele dzɔdzɔe eye wònyo.
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, 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.
Was then that which is good made death to me? By no means. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment 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 carnal, 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 that which I do I understand not: for what I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that I do.
16 Eye ne mewɔ nu si nyemedina be mawɔ o la, melɔ̃na be se la nyo.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent to the law that it is good.
17 Ke azɔ meganye nyee le esia wɔm o, ke boŋ nu vɔ̃ si le menye lae.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth 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, ) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find 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 that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
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.
Now if I do that which I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth 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 a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 Elabena le ememe ke la, mekpɔa dzidzɔ le Mawu ƒe se la me;
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
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 another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to 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?
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from 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.
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
