Filimoni 1

1 Nene Pauli, mkungiwa ndava ya kumuhengela Yesu Kilisitu, pamonga na Timoti mlongo witu, tikuyandikila veve Filimoni, muhenga lihengu muyitu na nkozi muyitu mwatikuganili,

[I], Paul, am a prisoner [who serves] Christ Jesus. [I am here] with Timothy, our fellow believer. [I am writing this letter] to [you], Philemon, our dear [friend] and fellow worker.

2 na msambi wa vandu vevakumsadika Kilisitu vevikonganeka munyumba yaku, pamonga na mlumbu witu Afia, na manjolinjoli muyitu Alikipo.

[I am also writing] to [your wife], Apphia, and to Archippus, [who is like] [MET] our fellow soldier [because he serves Christ steadfastly together with us]. I am also [writing this] to the congregation [that meets/gathers] in your [(sg)] house.

3 Tikuvaganila uteke na ubwina kuhuma kwa Chapanga Dadi witu na Bambu witu Yesu Kilisitu.

[I pray that] God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ [will continue to] act kindly toward you all and [will continue to] cause you to have [inner] peace.

4 Lukumbi lwoha penimyupa Chapanga, nikukumbuka veve Filimoni na kumsengusa Chapanga,

I always thank my God when I pray for you [(sg)], because I hear [people say that] you love all God’s people [CHI]

5 muni niyuwana chauyimili musadika kwa Bambu witu Yesu na uganu kwa vandu voha va Chapanga.

and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.

6 Niyupa, kuvya kwinu musadika pamonga na veve, ukukita umanya kila chindu chabwina chetivili nachu mukuwungana na Bambu witu Kilisitu.

I pray that as a result of your knowing all the good things [that God/Christ has done for] us, you may (be effective/influence many others) as you tell others what you believe, in order that [they may honor] Christ.

7 Mlongo, uganu waku uletili luheku luvaha na kukangamalisa mtima neju! Na veve usangalwisi mitima ya vandu va Chapanga.

I have rejoiced greatly and have been greatly encouraged because you, my dear friend, have acted lovingly toward God’s people by encouraging them [SYN].

8 Nene namlongo waku mukuwunga na Kilisitu nganihotwili kukulagiza changali wogohi ukita chauganikiwa kukita.

So [I have a request/favor to ask of you]. I am completely confident [that I have authority] to command you [to do] what you ought to do, because [I am an apostle of] Christ.

9 Nambu ndava ya uganu, mbanga nikuyupe. Nikita chenichi pamonga nene Pauli mwanivii nagogo, na hinu mkungiwa ndava ya kumhengela Kilisitu Yesu.

But because [I know that you] love [God’s people], I request this instead of [commanding you to do it]. It is I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner [because I serve] Christ Jesus, [who am requesting it].

10 Hinu, nina luyupu kwaku kumvala Onesimo mweavili mwana vangu kwa kuwungana na Kilisitu. Muni navili dadi waki wa chimpungu petavili mchifungu.

I request that you [do something] for someone [who has become like] my own son [because I told him about Christ] [MET] while [I have been] a prisoner [MTY] [here. His name is] Onesimus.

11 Pakutumbula apo avili lepi na lihengu kwaku nambu hinu ana lihengu kwa veve na nene mewa.

Although [his name, as you know, means ‘useful’], formerly he was useless to you. But now he is useful both to you and to me!

12 Hinu nikumuwuyisa kwaku, pamonga nene nikumgana neju.

Although (he is [as dear to me as/I love him as much as I love]) [MET] my own self [MTY], I am sending him back to you.

13 Nigana atama na nene apa anitangatila pahala paku veve, lukumbi penivili mchifungu ndava ya kukokosa Lilovi la Bwina.

I would like to have kept him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf, while I am a prisoner [MTY] [because of my preaching] the message [about Christ].

14 Nikita lepi chindu chochoha changali kuyidakila veve. Naganili veve ubwela kwa kugana kwaku na lepi kwa kung'ang'aniswa.

Nevertheless, because [I had not yet asked you and] you had not yet permitted me [to keep him here with me], I decided not to [keep him here. I decided that I should] not do anything without your permitting it. [I decided that you should help me only if you] really want to help me.

15 Pangi Onesimo awukili kwaku lukumbi lutali, muni uhotola kavili kuvya na veve magono goha. (aiōnios g166)

Perhaps the reason that [God permitted] Onesimus to be separated from {to leave} you for a little while was that [he would believe in Christ, and as a result] you would have him (back/with you) forever! (aiōnios g166)

16 Hinu mwene mvanda lepi kavili nambu mbwina kuliku mvanda. Mwene hinu ndi mlongo witu mganu. Ndi mbwina kwa nene na kwaku yati ivya mbwina neju, muni mwene ndi mundu ngati tete na mlongo witu mukuwungana na Bambu.

[You will no longer have him only] as a slave. Instead, [you will have him] as [someone who is] more than a slave. [You will have him] as a fellow believer! He is especially dear to me, but he certainly will be more dear to you [than he is to me] (OR, I love him very much, but you will certainly love him more than I do), [because now he] not only belongs to you but he also belongs to the Lord.

17 Nambu, ukuniwona nene namuhenga lihengu muyaku hinu ndi mpokela Onesimo ngati ukunipokela nene.

So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.

18 Ngati akubudili chindu, amala atolili chindu chaku, nene yati nikuwuyisila.

If he has wronged you in any manner or if he owes you anything, (charge that to me/tell me so that I can pay you).

19 Nene Pauli nikuyandikila kwa chiwoko changu namwene yati nikulipa. Kangi nigana lepi nikukumbusa kuvya veve una chindu cheuganikiwa kuniwuyisila ndi wumi waku.

I, Paul, am now writing this in my own handwriting: I will repay you what he owes you, although I might mention to you that you owe me even more than Onesimus may owe you, because it was the result of my telling you about Christ that God saved you.

20 Hinu mlongo wangu, nikitila lijambu lenilo ndava ya Bambu, lisangalusa mtima wangu, ngati mlongo mukuwungana na Kilisitu.

(Yes/I say it again), my dear friend, because you and I both have a relationship with the Lord, I want you to do this for me. Encourage me [SYN] [by receiving Onesimus kindly, just like you encourage others who believe] in Christ.

21 Niyandika kuni nihuvalila kuvya yati wiyidakila luyupu lwangu, kavili nimanyili kuvya yati ukita hati neju ya ago genikuyupa.

I have written [this letter] to you, confident that you will do what I am requesting you to [do]. [In fact], I know that you will do even more than what I am requesting [you to do].

22 Pamonga na aga, nitendelekela chumba cha kugona, muni mukuyupa kwinu Chapanga, yati akuniwuyisa kavili kwinu.

Also, keep a guest room ready for me [to stay in], because I confidently expect that as a result of your prayers [for me, I] will be released [from prison and will come] to you all.

23 Epafla, mweakungiwi pamonga na nene ndava ya kumhengela Kilisitu Yesu, akukujambusa.

Epaphras, who is [suffering] with me in prison because of [his serving] Christ Jesus, (sends his greetings to you/wants you to know that he is thinking fondly about you).

24 Mewawa Maluko na Alistako na Dema na Luka, vahenga lihengu vayangu, vakuvajambusa.

Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who are my [other] fellow workers, also (send their greetings to you/want you to know that they are thinking fondly about you).

25 Nikuvaganila mwavoha nyenye ubwina wa Bambu witu Yesu Kilisitu.

[I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).