1 Timote 3
1 Mi naa maama tie madugikaama: O nilo ya bua ki tua gobidikoa, o bua ya tuonli n ŋani.
This is a faithful saying, "If any man is seeking the office of a minister he is aspiring to a noble task."
2 Li tie tiladi ke o gobidikoa n ya tie ban kan fidi ki kuli yua leni liba, ki pia poyendo bebe, ki kubi o yuli, ki tiegi, ki pia o tagiŋamu, ki gaani bi canba cangu, kigo tie yua nfidi mi bangima.
The minister should be a man of blameless character; he should be husband of but one wife; he should live a sober, self-restrained, orderly life; he should be hospitable, skilled in teaching;
3 Wan da tie yua n puni o yuli mi daama po, ki da bua li koanli, ama wan tie yua n dingi, ki pia mi yanduanma, kaa go bua i ligi ke li pendi.
no drinker or brawler; but forbearing, peaceable, and no money- lover;
4 Kali wan ya tie yua n fidi ki gobidi o diogu ŋanma, ki kubi o bila leni li yumiinli leni ya teginma n tiegi;
he should be a man who rules his own household well, and keeps his children ever under control and thoroughly well behaved.
5 Kelima o nilo ya kan fidi ki gobidi o dieceli, o ba ga lede ki fidi ki ya guu u TIENU diegu?
For if a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he take charge of a church of God?
6 Wan da tie yua daani ke li daa waagi, ke ti japaadi n da ti diedi o, wan baa sutaani n den baa ya bujiali nni.
He must not be a recent convert, lest he be blinded with pride, and incur the doom of the devil.
7 wan ya tie yua ke niinpo yaaba tie o po i siedi ŋami, ke wan da ti kua i fe nni leni sutaani diagu nni.
He should also have a good reputation among outsiders, lest he fall into reproach, and into a snare of the devil.
8 Kilisiti n yini yaaba todikaaba moko baa tie bi niba n jigini yaaba, ki da tie pala lie danba, ki da tie a daǹola, ki da kuani bi yula ya ǹuadi n pia i fe nni,
Deacons, likewise, must be serious, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of gain,
9 ki ya kubi li dandanli ŋasiili leni li papienli.
holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Ban da kpa biigi ba, bi ya sua ke baa pia ban ba fidi ki kuli ba leni yaala, ban soani ban puogi ba ya tuonli.
They should first be tested, and after that, if they are found irreproachable, let them serve as deacons.
11 Bi puoba moko baa tie yaaba n tiegi, kaa pia mabiadima, ki kubi bi yula, ki go tie nidugikaaba li bonli kuli nni.
Deaconesses likewise must be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Kilisiti n yini yaaba todikaaba ba tie yaaba n pia poyendo bebe, ki gobidi bi bila leni bi diedi ŋanma.
Let deacons be the husband of but one wife, men who rule their children and their household properly.
13 Kelima yaaba n kubi bi puogili ŋanma, baa ba ya kaani n pia ti kpiagidi, leni ya suginma n yabi li dandanli Jesu kilisiti nni.
For those who have well discharged the duties of a deacon are gaining an honorable position for themselves, as well as much fearless confidence in the faith of Christ Jesus.
14 N diani a po line ki sugini ke n ba cua a kani ke li kan waagi.
Although I am hoping to come to you before long,
15 N ya waagi ka cua, ŋan fidi ki bandi, ŋan ba tuuni maama u TIENU diegu nni, kuni yaagu n yie i moamoani benjiilu leni u dasaali.
I am writing this to you in case I should be detained, to let you see how you ought to behave in the household of God - the Church of the everliving God, the pillar and mainstay of the truth.
16 Oba kan nia ke uTIENU maama bondoaginkaala ǹua boncianla: wani yua n den doagidi ti gbannandi nni, ke mi fuoma gagidi ki ŋanbi o, maleekinba den la o, bi den wangi o maama i nibuoli kuli nni, bi den daani o li ŋandunli nni, ke o den guani ki doni ti kpiagidi kaanu.
Yes! without contradiction, great is the mystery of godliness!
