1 Corinthians 9

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren't you the results of my work in the Lord?

Ɖe nyemevo oa? Menye apostoloe menye oa? Ɖe nyemekpɔ Yesu, míaƒe Aƒetɔ la oa? Ɖe menye miawoe nye nye dɔ si mewɔ na Aƒetɔ la ƒe metsonu oa?

2 Even if I'm not an apostle to others, at least I am one to you. The proof of my being an apostle of the Lord is you!

Ne ame bubuwo mebum ɖe apostolowo dome o hã la, miawo ya mienya be apostolo menye elabena dzinyee mieto le Aƒetɔ la me hafi zu kristotɔwo fifia.

3 Here is my reply to those who question me about this:

Esia koe nye nya si le asinye na ame siwo nɔa ɖi kem kplim la.

4 Don't we have the right to be provided with food and drink?

Aleke bum miele le ŋutinye? Ɖe mɔɖeɖe meli be mava dze mia gbɔ abe apostolo bubuawo ene le nye mɔzɔzɔwo me oa?

5 Don't we have a right to be accompanied by a Christian wife, like the rest of the apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Peter?

Ɖe mɔɖeɖe meli be makplɔ srɔ̃nyɔnu si nye xɔsetɔ ɖe asi ava dze mia gbɔ abe ale si apostolo bubuawo, Yesu nɔviwo kple Kefa hã wɔna ene oa?

6 Is it only Barnabas and myself who have to work to support ourselves?

Alo miesusu be nye kple Barnabas koe anɔ fu kpem, anɔ dɔ wɔm be míakpɔ mía ɖokuiwo dzi, le esime miawo miele ame bubuwo dzi kpɔm nyuie ɣe sia ɣia?

7 Which soldier ever had to pay his own salary? Who plants a vineyard and doesn't get to eat its fruits? Who feeds a flock and doesn't consume its milk?

Miese kpɔ be asrafo si le aʋagbedzi la kpɔ eya ŋutɔ ɖokui dzi le aʋagbedzi kpɔ oa? Alo miese kpɔ be agbledela mekpɔ mɔ aɖu eya ŋutɔ ƒe agblemenukuwo oa? Alo lãnyila kae mekpɔ mɔ ano notsi si wòfia tso eƒe lã ƒe nowo me la ƒe ɖe o?

8 Am I just speaking from a human point of view? Doesn't the law say the same thing?

Menye amegbetɔwo ƒe susu ko gblɔm mele o; Mawu ƒe se gɔ̃ hã ɖo kpe nu siawo dzi pɛpɛpɛ

9 In the law of Moses it's written, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Was God just thinking about oxen?

elabena woŋlɔe ɖe Mose ƒe segbalẽ la me be, “Megabla nu na nyitsu ne ele mɔlu tugum o.” Nyitsuwo ŋue Mawu tsi dzi ɖoa?

10 Wasn't he directing this at us? Surely this was written for us—for anyone who plows should plow in hope and anyone who threshes should hope to share in the harvest.

Ɖe menye míawo tae wògblɔ nya sia ɖo oa? Ɛ̃, míawo tae, elabena Mawu di be yeaɖee afia be ame si ŋlɔa nu la, naŋlɔe le mɔkpɔkpɔ me, eye ame si tugua mɔlu la natugui le mɔkpɔkpɔ me, be wòakpɔ gome le eme.

11 If we sowed what is spiritual with you, does it really matter if we reap some material benefit?

Míedo gbɔgbɔmenuku nyuiwo ɖe miaƒe dziwo me, eya ta ne míebia nuɖuɖu kple avɔtata tso mia gbɔ la, megblẽ kura o.

12 If others exercise this right over you, don't we deserve it even more? Even so we did not exercise this right. On the contrary we would rather put up with anything than hold back the gospel of Christ.

Miewɔnɛ abe ale si wòdze ene na nyagblɔla bubuawo. Ke míawo la, togbɔ be ele be miakpɔ mía dzi hã la, míebia naneke mi kpɔ gbeɖe o. Ke boŋ míawo ŋutɔ míekpɔa mía ɖokuiwo dzi ɣe sia ɣi. Míelĩ fe ame aɖeke kpɔ o, elabena míele vɔvɔ̃m be ne míewɔ esia la, dzi aɖe le mia ƒo eye miagbɔdzɔ le Kristo ƒe nyanyui si míetsɔ vɛ na mi la ŋuti.

13 Don't you know that those who work in temples receive their meals from temple offerings, and those that serve at the altar receive their portion of the sacrifice on the altar?

Nɔviwo, ɖe mienya be Mawu ŋutɔ ɖe mɔ na ame siwo nɔ dɔ wɔm le gbedoxɔ la me be woatsɔ nunana siwo amewo tsɔ vɛ na Mawu la ƒe ɖe awɔ wo ŋu dɔ faa oa? Ame siwo hã wɔa dɔ le Mawu ƒe vɔsamlekpui la ŋu la ɖua nu siwo amewo tsɔ vɛ be yewoatsɔ sa vɔe na Mawu la ƒe ɖe faa.

14 In just the same way the Lord ordered that those who announce the good news should live from supporters of the good news.

Nenema ke Aƒetɔ ɖe gbe be ame siwo gblɔa nyanyui la fiana la, woakpɔ agbemenuwo tso nyanyui la me.

15 But I have not made use of any of these provisions, and I'm not writing about this to suggest it should be done in my case. I'd rather die than to have anyone take away my pride in not having received any benefit.

Gake nyemebia pesewa ɖeka hã tso mia gbɔ kpɔ o. Menye ɖe mele esia gblɔm na mi ne miabu be ɖe medi be miaɖo ga ɖem azɔ o. Le nyateƒe me, ne dɔ wum meku la, enyo wu be maxɔ ga le mia si, eye mabu dzidzedze gã si mekpɔna ne megblɔ mawunya na mi faa.

16 I have nothing to boast about in sharing the good news because it's something I feel compelled to do. In fact it's dreadful for me if I don't share the good news!

Elabena nyemedze na kafukafu tɔxɛ aɖeke le nye mawunyagbɔgblɔ ta o. Ele nam kokoko be manɔ egbɔgblɔ dzi ɣe sia ɣi madzudzɔmadzudzɔe. Ne meke atse dzudzɔ la, baba nam!

17 If I'm doing this work because of my own choice, then I have a reward. But if it wasn't my choice, and an obligation was placed on me,

Nenye nye ŋutɔ nye lɔlɔ̃nue metsɔ le dɔa wɔm la, ekema maxɔ nunana tɔxɛ tso Aƒetɔ la gbɔ gake mele eme alea o, ke boŋ Mawu ŋutɔe tiam tsɔ dɔ xɔasi sia de asi nam eya ta nyemate ŋu agbe o.

18 then what reward do I have? It's the opportunity to share the good news without charging for it, not demanding my rights as a worker for the good news.

Le esia ta la, nye fetu koe nye dzidzɔ tɔxɛ si yɔa menye ne megblɔ nyanyui na amewo faa, naneke maxɔmaxɔe, zi ale si wòle ɖoɖo nu be maxɔ fetu ɖe nye dɔwɔna ta hafi.

19 Even though I am free and serve no one, I have placed myself in service to everyone so that I might gain more.

Viɖe tɔxɛ aɖe le esia me, eye eyae nye be ame aɖeke mate ŋu azi dzinye le mɔ aɖeke nu o, elabena ame aɖeke kura mele fe xem nam o. Gake melɔ̃ faa be mawɔ ɖokuinye kluvi na ame sia ame ƒomevi, ale be to esia me la, mate ŋu akplɔe va Yesu Kristo gbɔ.

20 To the Jews I behave like a Jew so that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law I behave as someone under the law (even though I am not obligated under the law), so that I might win those under the law.

Ne mele Yudatɔwo dome la, mewɔa nu sia nu abe Yudatɔ ene, ale be woalɔ̃ aɖo to nyanyui si gblɔm mele na wo la. Ke mezu abe ame si le sea te ene hena ame siwo le sea te (evɔ la, nye ŋutɔ nyemele sea te hafi o), be asinye nasu ame siwo le sea te la dzi.

21 To those who don't operate according to the law, I behave like them, (though not disregarding God's law, but operating under the law of Christ), so that I might gain those who don't observe the law.

Mezu abe semanɔsitɔ ene hena semanɔsitɔwo (gake nyemenye semanɔsitɔ na Mawu o, ke mele Kristo ƒe se la me boŋ), be asinye nasu semanɔsitɔwo dzi.

22 To those who are weak, I share in their weakness so that I may win the weak. I have ended up being “everyman” to everyone so that by using every possible means I might win some!

Ne mele ame siwo ƒe xɔse meli ke tututu haɖe o la dome la, megbɔa dzi ɖi na wo ale be woalɔ̃ be makpe ɖe yewo ŋu. Ɛ̃, medzea agbagba be masɔ kple ame sia ame le mɔ ɖe sia ɖe dzi, ale be makpɔ mɔnu aɖe kokoko aƒo nu nɛ tso Kristo ŋu be wòakpɔ ɖeɖe tso egbɔ.

23 I do all this for the sake of the good news so that I too may share in its blessings!

Mewɔ esia be makaka nyanyui la na amewo katã eye to esia me la, nye hã maxɔ yayra tɔxɛ.

24 Wouldn't you agree that there are many runners in a race, but only one gets the prize? So run your best, so you may win!

Ɖe mienyae be ne wole duɖime kem le dusiƒe la, dusilawo katãe kea duɖime, gake ame ɖeka koe xɔa dziɖuɖufetu la oa? Misi du la ale be miaxɔ dziɖuɖufetua.

25 Every competitor who participates in the games maintains a strict training discipline. Of course they do so to win a crown that doesn't last. But our crowns will last forever!

Ame sia ame si di be yeakpɔ gome le hoʋiʋli aɖe me la toa hehexɔxɔ sesẽwo me. Wowɔa esia be woaxɔ dziɖuɖukuku si gblẽna; ke míawo la, míekea duɖime be míaxɔ dziɖuɖukuku magblẽmagblẽ.

26 That's why I run straight in the right direction. I fight accurately, not punching the air.

Eya ta nyemele duɖime kem taɖodzinu manɔsitɔe o, eye nyemele kɔ dam abe ŋutsu si le kɔ dam ɖe yame la ene o,

27 I also treat my body severely to bring it under my control, for I don't want somehow to be disqualified after sharing the good news with everybody else.

ke boŋ meƒoa nye ŋutilã hewɔnɛ nye kluvie ale be nyemabu dziɖuɖufiakuku la o, le esime wònye nyee gblɔ agbenya la na amewo hafi.