Mateo 20
1 Yesu sane buu wɔn ɛbɛ foforɔ bi sɛ, “Ɔsoro Ahennie te sɛ okuafoɔ bi a ɔfirii adi anɔpa bi, sɛ ɔrekɔhwehwɛ nnipa abɔ wɔn paa.
“[In order to illustrate how God rewards people], I will compare [the way] God [MTY/EUP] rules his people with what the owner of an estate [did]. Early in the morning the owner of the estate went to [the market] where [people who wanted work gathered]. He went there to hire laborers to work in his vineyard.
2 Ne nsa kaa apaafoɔ no, ɔne wɔn hyehyɛɛ sɛ ɔbɛma wɔn ɛda koro adwuma so akatua.
He promised the men whom he hired that he would pay them the standard wage [for working] one day. Then he sent them to his vineyards.
3 “Ankyɛre ɔfirii adi bio kɔhunuu nnipa bi nso, sɛ wɔgyinagyina hɔ a wɔnyɛ hwee na wɔrehwehwɛ obi ama wabɔ wɔn paa.
At nine o’clock [that same morning] he went back [to the market]. There he saw more men who did not have work.
4 Ɔfaa wɔn nso de wɔn kɔɔ nʼafuo no mu. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn nso sɛ, ɔbɛma wɔn ɛda koro adwuma so akatua.
He said to them, ‘Go to my vineyard as other men have done, [and work there]. I will pay you whatever is a just [wage].’ [So they also went to his vineyard and began to work].
5 “Ɔsane kɔɔ owigyinaeɛ ne nnɔnmiɛnsa ɛberɛ mu kɔbɔɔ nnipa foforɔ paa ne wɔn yɛɛ nhyehyɛeɛ korɔ no ara bi.
At noon and at three o’clock he again went [to the market] and found [other laborers whom he promised to pay a fair wage].
6 Ɔsane firii adi bɛyɛ nnomum berɛ mu, kɔhunuu sɛ nnipa bi gyinagyina hɔ. Ɔbisaa wɔn sɛ, ‘Adɛn enti na ɛda mu yi nyinaa mogyinagyina ha a monyɛ hwee?’
At five o’clock he went [to the market again] and saw other [men] standing [there who were not working]. He said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day and not working?’
7 “Wɔyii ano sɛ, ‘Obi mmɛbɔɔ yɛn paa.’ “Ɛhɔ ara na ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Ɛnneɛ monkɔka apaafoɔ a wɔreyɛ adwuma wɔ mʼafuom no ho.’
They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘[I will hire you]. Go to my vineyard as other men have done, [and work there.’ So they went].
8 “Ɛduruu anwummerɛ no, ɔfrɛɛ deɛ ɔtua nʼapaafoɔ no ka no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, ‘Hwɛ na tua wɔn ka, firi wɔn a wɔbaa akyire no so kɔsi wɔn a wɔbaa kane no so.’
When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Tell the men to come so that you can give them their wages. First, pay the men who started working last, and pay the men last who started working first.’
9 “Apaafoɔ a ɔfaa wɔn akyire no nyinaa, ɔtuaa wɔn ɛda koro apaabɔdeɛ.
The [manager] paid the standard daily wage to each of the men who did not start working until five o’clock [in the afternoon].
10 Wɔn a wɔfaa wɔn kane no nso baeɛ. Wɔsusuu sɛ wɔbɛnya sika a ɛboro wɔn a ɔfaa wɔn akyire no deɛ no so. Nanso, wɔn nso, ɔtuaa wɔn sɛdeɛ ɔtuaa wɔn a wɔbaa akyire no ara pɛ.
When the men who had begun working early [in the morning] went [to get their wages], they thought that they would receive more than the standard wage. But they also received only the standard wage.
11 Wɔn nsa kaa wɔn apaabɔdeɛ no, anyɛ wɔn dɛ.
So they complained to the owner of the vineyard [because they thought their payment was unfair].
12 Wɔka kyerɛɛ afuowura no sɛ, ‘Nnipa a wɔbaa akyire no yɛɛ adwuma dɔnhwereɛ baako pɛ, nso yɛn a yɛyɛɛ adwuma firi anɔpa ma owia hyee yɛn no, womaa yɛne wɔn nyinaa akatua pɛ.’
They said [to him], ‘[You are not being fair!] The men who started working after [all of the rest of us started] worked for [only] one hour! You have [paid] them the same [wage] as [you paid] us! But we worked hard [all] day [IDM], [including working in the] hottest part of the day!’
13 “Ɔbuaa wɔn mu baako sɛ, ‘Damfo, menyɛɛ wo bɔne biara. Me ne wo anni ano sɛ, mɛma wo ɛda koro adwuma so akatua anaa?
The owner of the vineyard said to one of those [who complained], ‘Friend, I did not treat you unfairly. You agreed with me [to work the whole day] for the standard wage [RHQ].
14 Fa sika a wo nsa aka no na kɔ. Ɛfiri me pɛ mu na meretua wɔn a wɔbaa kane ne wɔn a wɔbaa akyire no nyinaa ka pɛ.
[Stop complaining to me]! Take your wage and go! I desire to give the same wage that I gave you to the men who began working after all of you [had begun working].
15 Mmara bi si me ho ɛkwan sɛ mede me sika yɛ deɛ mepɛ? Anaasɛ mʼayamyɛ enti na wʼani abere yi?’
I certainly have a right to [spend my money] as I desire [RHQ], [including paying those laborers what I desire to pay them]. (You should not be envious about my being generous!/Are you angry [MET] because I am generous?) [RHQ]’”
16 “Asɛm a Yesu ka de wieeɛ ne sɛ, ‘Saa ara na wɔn a wɔdi akyire no bɛdi ɛkan, na wɔn a wɔdi ɛkan no nso bɛdi akyire.’”
[Then Jesus said to us], “Similarly, [God will reward] well [some] people who [seem to be] less important now, and he will not reward [some] people who [seem to be] more important [now].”
17 Yesu siim sɛ ɔrekɔ Yerusalem no, ɔde nʼasuafoɔ no kaa ne ho.
When Jesus was walking [on the road] up to Jerusalem, [along with us] twelve [disciples], he took us to a place by ourselves [in order that he could talk to us privately]. Then he said to us,
18 Wɔrekɔ no, ɔtwee nʼasuafoɔ no gyinaa nkyɛn baabi ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Yɛrekɔ Yerusalem. Wɔbɛyi me ama asɔfoɔ mpanin ne twerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ, na wɔabu me kumfɔ.
“Listen carefully! We are [now] going up to Jerusalem. [While we are there, someone] will enable the chief priests and the men who teach the [Jewish] laws to seize [me], the one who came from heaven, [and they will put me on trial]. They will condemn me [and say] that I should be killed {the authorities should kill me}.
19 Wɔde me bɛhyɛ Roma aban nsa, na wɔadi me ho fɛw, abɔ me asɛnnua mu, na ne nnansa so no, mɛsɔre afiri awufoɔ mu.”
[Then they] will put me in the hands of non-Jews so that they can make fun of me, whip me, [and kill me by] nailing me to a cross. But on the third day [after that], [God] will cause me to live again.”
20 Sebedeo mma Yakobo ne Yohane ne wɔn maame baa Yesu nkyɛn. Ɔbaa yi de adesrɛdeɛ bi bɛtoo Yesu anim.
Then the mother of James and John brought her two sons to Jesus. She bowed down before Jesus and asked him to do her a favor.
21 Yesu bisaa no sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na wopɛ sɛ menyɛ mma woɔ?” Ɔbuaa no sɛ, “Mepɛ sɛ, sɛ wokɔ wʼahennie mu a, me mma baanu yi mu baako tena wo nifa so, na ɔbaako nso tena wo benkum so.”
Jesus said to her, “What do you want [me to do for you]?” She said to him, “Permit these two sons of mine to sit next to you (OR, Permit these two sons of mine to sit next to you at your right side and at your left side) [and rule with you] [MTY] when you become king.”
22 Nanso, Yesu ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wonnim deɛ worebisa no.” Afei, ɔdanee ne ho bisaa Yakobo ne Yohane sɛ, “Mobɛtumi anom kuruwa a merebɛnom ano no bi anaa?” Wɔbuaa no sɛ, “Yɛbɛtumi!”
Jesus said to [her and her sons], “You do not understand what you are asking for. Can you suffer like I am about to suffer [IDM]?” [James and John] answered him, “Yes, we are able [to do that].”
23 Yesu ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Me kuruwa ano deɛ, mobɛtumi anom, nanso menni tumi sɛ meyi wɔn a wɔbɛtena me nifa anaa me benkum so. Saa afa no wɔ hɔ ma wɔn a mʼagya ayi wɔn no.”
Then Jesus said to them, “Yes, you will suffer as I will suffer [IDM]. But I am not the one who chooses the ones who [will] sit next to me [and rule with me]. [God], my Father, will give those places [MTY] to the ones whom he appoints.”
24 Asuafoɔ edu a aka no tee deɛ Yakobo ne Yohane akɔbisa no, wɔn bo fuiɛ.
When we ten [other disciples] heard [what James and John had requested], we became angry with them [because we also wanted to rule with Jesus in the highest positions].
25 Yesu frɛɛ wɔn nyinaa ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monim sɛ ahene ne atumfoɔ di wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn ase no so. Saa ara nso na wɔn a wɔdi wɔn so no nso di afoforɔ so.
[So] Jesus called all of us together and said [to us], “You know that those who rule the non-Jews [enjoy] showing them that they are powerful. Their chief rulers [enjoy] commanding the people under them.
26 Nanso, mo deɛ, ɛnte saa wɔ mo mu. Mmom, obiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ kɛse wɔ mo mu no, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ mo ɔsomfoɔ.
You [should] not be like them. On the contrary, everyone among you who wants [God to consider] him great must become [like] a servant for [the rest of] you.
27 Obiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ɔkannifoɔ wɔ mo mu no, ɔnyɛ mo akoa.
And everyone among you who wants [God to consider him] to be the most important must become [like] a slave for [the rest of] you.
28 Onipa Ba no amma sɛ wɔnsom no, na mmom ɔbɛsomoeɛ, na ɔde ne ɔkra too hɔ sɛ agyedeɛ maa nnipa nyinaa.”
[You should imitate me]. [Even though I am] the one who came from heaven, I did not come to be served {in order that people would serve me}. On the contrary, I [came in order] to serve [others] and to [IDM] allow myself to be killed {other people to kill me}, so that [my dying would be like] a payment to rescue many [people from being punished for their sins].” [MTY]
29 Yesu ne nʼasuafoɔ firi Yeriko rekɔ no, nnipadɔm tu dii wɔn akyi.
As we were leaving Jericho [city], a large crowd of people followed [us].
30 Wɔrekɔ no, wɔkɔfaa baabi a anifirafoɔ baanu bi teteɛ. Anifirafoɔ yi tee sɛ Yesu retwam no, wɔteateaam sɛ, “Awurade, Dawid Ba, hunu yɛn mmɔbɔ!”
[As we walked along, we saw] two blind men sitting alongside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they yelled [to him], “Lord, Descendant of [King] David, [you are the Messiah] Take pity on us!”
31 Nnipadɔm a wɔdi Yesu akyi no teateaa wɔn sɛ wɔmmua wɔn ano. Nanso, anifirafoɔ no kɔɔ so teateaam sɛ, “Awurade, Dawid Ba, hunu yɛn mmɔbɔ!”
[People in] the crowd scolded them [and] told them to be quiet. But the blind men yelled even louder, “Lord, Descendant of [King] David, [you are the Messiah] Have pity on us!”
32 Yesu duruu deɛ wɔteteɛ hɔ no, ɔgyina, bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na mopɛ sɛ meyɛ ma mo?”
Jesus stopped and called them [to come to him]. [Then] he said [to them], “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 Wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Awurade, yɛpɛ sɛ yɛhunu adeɛ!”
They said to him, “Lord, heal our eyes [IDM] [so that we can see]!”
34 Anifirafoɔ no yɛɛ Yesu mmɔbɔ. Ɔde ne nsa kekaa wɔn ani, na prɛko pɛ, wɔhunuu adeɛ, na wɔdii nʼakyi.
Jesus [felt] sorry [for them and] touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they went with Jesus.
