1 Ukorintiyawa 9

1 Na meng in shutu ba? Na Meng gono katawari ba? Na Meng wa yene Yisa Cikilari bite ba? Na anug hère katuwa nacara nighere nan nya Ncikilari ba?

Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in [the] Lord?

2 Andi na Meng gono kadurari kiti namon ba, ai kiti mine ndi, bara anughere ba dursu annit meng gono kadura, nan nya Ncikilari.

If I am not an apostle to others, yet at any rate I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in [the] Lord.

3 Ulelere ukesu kiti nale nge na udi dumu zuni.

My defence to those who examine me is this:

4 Na arike nwanya tileoti sono ba?

Have we not a right to eat and to drink?

5 Na wanya yira awani ba anan nyinnu Kutellẹ nafo kagisin nanan kadura, nin nuwana nan nya Ncikilari ame Bitrus.

have we not a right to take round a sister [as] wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Sa Barnabas nin mi arikere ba su katuwa casa?

Or I alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work?

7 Ghari di katuwa nafo kusoja, ame leo nin litime? Ghari ba bilisu imon nan nya a wanya aleo ba? Sa Ghari basu libiya ninab sa uwuru asonu madare?

Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

8 Ndi belle ule imone bara likara nnit usurne? Na uduka bellin nano ba?

Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things?

9 Nafo na udi ninyerte nduka Musa, “Yenje uwa tursu fina unu kubi na adi katuwa kunen nileo.” Kidege innari cas Kutellẹ min nania?

For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen,

10 Na ame din nliru kitene bite ba? Iwa nyertin bara arikere, bara ulle na adi nikawa na asu nin ti kibinai, unan su kinorso na asu nin ti kibinai nworu aba se kubi ngirbe.

or does he say [it] altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of [it].

11 Asa ti bilisa imon Ruhu nanya mine, uba yitu gbardang kagha arike nwase imon lisosin nye kiti mine?

If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it a] great [thing] if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 Andi amon di pirizu imon na idi imine kiti mine, na arike dumun nile na ikatin ba? Na nanere ba, na tina se ileli imone ba. Tima teru ayi bara ti wa wantin uliru nlai Kristi.

If others partake of this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

13 Na anug yiru ba nworu allenge na idin su katuwa kutyin nlira iba se imonli mine kutyin nlire? Inung alle na idi katuwa kitene nbadagi, adi nli imonli me kikene bagade?

Do ye not know that they who labour [at] sacred things eat of the [offerings offered in the] temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar?

14 Nanere, Kutellẹ wa ni uduka aworo ulle na adin bellu nlai, iba se imonli me kiti nbellu nliru nlai.

So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.

15 Vat nin nani, nan nsa se imomon nanya nile imone vatt ile imone bara inan su menku imomon ba, ukatin nku nin nworo anung yene ufo figiri nighe so uhem.

But I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for [it were] good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.

16 Asa ndin bellu uliru nlai, na nile imon na iba fo figiri ba, bara ikifoi nsu nani, kash nin mi asa na nbelle uliru a nlai ba.

For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.

17 Bare nwa su illenge imone nani nin kibinai kirum, mba seru ulada andi na nin kibinai kirum ba ndu nin katuwa kanga na iwa nie.

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration.

18 Iyaghari ulada nighe? nworu uwa bellu uliru nlai meng ba ni uliru nlai sa useru nimomon, nan baseru ile imon na nyene inaghari nanya nliru kulelle.

What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless [to others], so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in [announcing] the glad tidings.

19 Bara nani meng shutu na cara na nit vat, nlawa kucin kiti nanit vat, bara nnan wunno annit vat.

For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most [possible].

20 Kiti na yahudawa so nafo kuyahudawa, bara nna wuno ayahudawa, kiti na ilenge na imin nduka, nso nafoo allenge na imin (vat nin nani, na meng min ushara ba) nnan wunun alle na imnin ushara.

And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law:

21 Kiti nale na isali nin nshara, meng wan so nafo unan nsalin nshara. (na Meng litinighe na nta unan nsalin nshara ba kiti Kutellẹ ndi nanya nduka Kristi) nnan wunno alle na isali nan nya nshara.

to those without law, as without law, (not as without law to God, but as legitimately subject to Christ, ) in order that I might gain [those] without law.

22 Kiti nan nsali likara, meng so unan sali likara anan sali likara nso imon vat kiti anit vat bara ko niyagh Meng tucu among.

I became to the weak, [as] weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some.

23 Nchin su imon vat bbara ubellen nliru Kutellẹ, bara Meng ma nan se upiru nan nya imari me.

And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

24 Na anung yiru nwo nanyan cum vat anang cume din su ucume, ama waseme minere asa asere uduke? Bara nani sun ucum ilii uduke.

Know ye not that they who run in [the] race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain.

25 Unan katwa ncum din zulu kidowo me ayita nin minu nnu nanyan vat nzulu kidowo me. Inung dinsu iseru uduk ulenge na udin nanuzu, ama arik din cum tinan seru uduk un salin nanuzu.

But every one that contends [for a prize] is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

26 Bara nani, na meng din cum sa ukpiluzu ba a na ndas libau nfunu ba.

I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air.

27 Ama meng kifu kidowo ning nning ta kinin kucin, bara kimalin wazi ninghe kiti namong, na meng wang iwa nazue mung ba.

But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest [after] having preached to others I should be myself rejected.