1 Ndị Kọrint 7
1 Ugbu a, okwu banyere ihe unu dere nʼakwụkwọ: “Ọ dị mma ka nwoke ghara ịmetụ nwanyị aka.”
With reference to the subjects about which you wrote to me: It is good for a man to remain single.
2 Ma nʼihi ọtụtụ ihe omume banyere ịkwa iko, ka nwoke ọbụla nwee nwunye nke aka ya, nwanyị ọbụla di nke aka ya.
But, owing to the prevalence of immorality, I advise every man to have his own wife, and every woman her husband.
3 Ka nwoke ọbụla jisie ike na-akwụ nwunye ya ụgwọ mmekọ o ji ya. Nwanyị ọbụla ga-emekwara di ya otu aka ahụ.
A husband should give his wife her due, and a wife her husband.
4 Nʼihi na nwanyị ọbụla lụrụ di adịghịkwa achị ahụ ya, kama ọ bụ di ya na-achị ya. Otu aka ahụ, di anakwaghị achị ahụ ya, kama ọ bụ nwunye ya na-achị ya.
It is not the wife, but the husband, who exercises power over her body; and so, too, it is not the husband, but the wife, who exercises power over his body.
5 Ka di na nwunye hapụ igbochi ibe ha mmekọrịta nke anụ ahụ ruuru ha. Karịakwa maọbụ na mkpebi ha nwere nʼetiti onwe ha ịnọrọ iche nwa oge nta nʼihi inyefe onwe ha ikpe ekpere. Mgbe oge a gasịrị, ha ga-agakwa nʼihu na mmekọrịta ha, ka e site otu a hapụ inye ekwensu ohere ịnwa ha ọnwụnwa nʼihi enweghị ike ha ijide onwe ha aka.
Do not deprive each other of what is due – unless it is only for a time and by mutual consent, so that your minds may be free for prayer until you again live as man and wife – otherwise Satan might take advantage of your want of self-control and tempt you.
6 Anaghị m enye nke a dị ka iwu, kama ọ bụ alo ka m na-atụnyere unu.
I say this, however, as a concession, not as a command.
7 Asị m kwuo, aga m asị na ọ ga-aka mma ka mmadụ niile nọrọ dị ka m. Ma onye ọbụla nwere onyinye nke Chineke nyere ya. O nyere otu onye nke a, onye ọzọ nke ọzọ.
I should wish everyone to be just what I am myself. But everyone has his own gift from God – one in one way, and one in another.
8 Ma ana m agwa ndị na-anọghị nʼọnọdụ di na nwunye na ndị di ha nwụrụ anwụ, na ọ ka mma ka ha nọdụ na-alụghị di maọbụ nwunye, dịka m onwe m nọ.
My advice, then, to those who are not married, and to widows, is this: It would be good for them to remain as I am myself.
9 Ma ọ bụrụ na ha apụghị ijide onwe ha, ha gaa chọrọ di maọbụ nwunye lụọ. Ọ ka mma ịlụ di maọbụ nwunye, karịa mmadụ ịgba ara site nʼagụụ nke anụ ahụ.
But, if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be consumed with passion.
10 Ugbu a, unu ndị nwere di na ndị nwere nwunye niile, enwere m iwu m na-enye unu. (O sighị nʼaka m, kama o si nʼaka Onyenwe anyị): O kwesighị ka nwanyị ọbụla hapụ di ya.
To those who are married my direction is – yet it is not mine, but the Master’s – that a woman is not to leave her husband
11 A sịkwa na ọ hapụ di ya, ya nọọrọ onwe ya, maọbụ ya laghachikwuru di ya. Ka nwoke ọbụla gharakwa ịgba nwunye ya alụkwaghị m.
(If she has done so, she should remain as she is, or else be reconciled to her husband) and also that a man is not to divorce his wife.
12 Ma ana m agwa mmadụ ndị ọzọ (nke a abụghị iwu nke Onyenwe anyị nyere). Ọ bụrụ na nwanna alụọ nwanyị nke na-ekweghị ekwe, ya achụpụla ya ma ọ bụrụ na nwanyị ahụ achọọ ịnọgide dịka nwunye ya.
To all others I say – I, not the Master – If a follower of the Lord is married to a woman, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with him, he should not divorce her;
13 Ọ bụrụkwa na nwanyị kwere ekwe alụọ di nke na-ekweghị ekwe, ya agbarala di ya alụkwaghị m, ma ọ bụrụ na di ya chọrọ ịnọgide dịka di ya.
and a woman who is married to a man, who is an unbeliever but willing to live with her, should not divorce her husband.
14 Nʼihi na edoola di ahụ na-ekweghị ekwe nsọ site na nwunye ya, otu a kwa a na-edokwa nwunye ahụ na-ekweghị ekwe nsọ site na di ya, bụ onye kwere ekwe. Ọ bụrụ na ọ dịghị otu a, ụmụ unu ga-abụ ndị na-adịghị ọcha. Ma otu ọ dị, ha dị nsọ.
For, through his wife, the husband who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ’s people; and the wife who is an unbeliever has become associated with Christ’s people through the Lord’s follower whom she has married. Otherwise your children would be “defiled,” but, as it is, they belong to Christ’s people.
15 Ma ọ bụrụ na onye ahụ nke na-ekweghị ekwe ekewapụ onwe ya, ya dịrị otu ahụ, nke a emeghị ka nwanna anyị nwoke maọbụ nwanna anyị nwanyị bụrụ ohu nʼọnọdụ dị otu a, nʼihi na Chineke kpọrọ anyị ka anyị bie ndụ udo.
However, if the unbeliever wishes to be separated, let them be so. Under such circumstances neither is bound; God has called you to live in peace.
16 Gị nwunye, ị mara maọbụ gị ga-azọpụta di gị? Ma, gị bụ di, si aṅa mara maọbụ gị ga-azọpụta nwunye gị?
How can you tell, wife, whether you may not save your husband? And how can you tell, husband, whether you may not save your wife?
17 Ka onye ọbụla bie ndụ ya dịka amara Onyenwe anyị nyere ya si dị, nakwa nʼọnọdụ nke Chineke kpọrọ ya. Nke a bụ iwu m na-enye nʼụlọ chọọchị niile.
In any case, a person should continue to live in the condition which the Lord has allotted to them, and in which they were when God called them. This is the rule that I lay down in every church.
18 Akpọrọ onye ọbụla mgbe e biri ya ugwu? Ya achọla iwepụ akara obibi ugwu ya. Ka onye a na-ebighị ugwu tupu ọkpụkpọ ya hapụ inye onwe ya nsogbu ịchọ ụzọ a ga-esi bie ya ugwu.
Was a man already circumcised when he was called? Then he should not efface his circumcision. Has a man been called when uncircumcised? Then he should not be circumcised.
19 Nʼihi na ọ dịghị mkpa ma e biri gị ugwu ma e bighị gị ugwu. Ihe kachasị mkpa bụ idebe iwu Chineke.
Circumcision is nothing; the want of it is nothing; but to keep the commands of God is everything.
20 Ka onye ọbụla nọgide dịka ọ dị mgbe a kpọrọ ya.
Let everyone remain in that condition of life in which they were when the call came to them.
21 Ị bụ ohu mgbe a kpọrọ gị? Echegbula onwe gị nʼihi ya. Kama ọ bụrụ na ọ dị ụzọ ị pụrụ isi nwere onwe gị, were ohere ahụ mee ihe ugbu a.
Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that trouble you. No, even if you are able to gain your freedom, still do your best.
22 Nʼihi na onye ọbụla Onyenwe anyị Chineke kpọrọ mgbe o bụ ohu, aghọọla onye nweere onwe ya nʼime Onyenwe anyị. Otu aka ahụ, onye nwerela onwe ya mgbe Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ ya aghọọla ohu nke Kraịst.
For the person who was a slave when they were called to the master’s service is the Master’s freedman; so, too, the person who was free when called is Christ’s slave.
23 Akwụọla ụgwọ isi unu, unu abụkwala ohu mmadụ ọzọ.
You were bought, and the price was paid. Do not let yourselves become slaves to people.
24 Ụmụnna m, nʼọnọdụ ọbụla mmadụ nọ mgbe a kpọrọ ya, ya nọgidesie ike nʼime Chineke.
Friends, let everyone remain in the condition in which they were when they were called, in close communion with God.
25 Ihe banyere ụmụ agbọghọ na-amaghị nwoke. Enweghị m iwu ọbụla site nʼaka Onyenwe anyị banyere ajụjụ a, ma aga m ekwu uche nke aka m dịka onye sitere nʼebere nke Onyenwe anyị kwesiri ntụkwasị obi.
With regard to unmarried women, I have no command from the Master to give you, but I tell you my opinion, and the Master in his mercy has made me worthy to be trusted.
26 Echere m na ọ ka mma ugbu a, nʼihi nsogbu nke na-abịanụ ka onye ọbụla nọdụrụ onwe ya dịka o siri nọrọ ugbu a.
I think, then, that, in view of the time of suffering that has now come upon us, what I have already said is best – that a man should remain as he is.
27 Ị lụọla nwanyị? Achọla nkewa. Ọ bụ na ị lụbeghị nwanyị? Ejela ịchọ onye ị ga-alụ.
Are you married to a wife? Then do not seek to be separated. Are you separated from a wife? Then do not seek for a wife.
28 Ma ọ bụrụ na i kpebie nʼobi gị ịlụ nwunye, i meghị mmehie ọbụla; ọ bụrụkwa na nwaagbọghọ ekpebie na ọ ga-alụ di, o meghị mmehie. Ndị lụrụ di na nwunye ga-enwe ọtụtụ nsogbu nʼime ụwa. Ọ ga-amasị m igbochiri unu nsogbu ndị ahụ.
Still, if you should marry, that is not wrong; nor, if a young woman marries, is that wrong. But those who marry will have much trouble to bear, and my wish is to spare you.
29 Ihe unu kwesiri ịma, ụmụnna, bụ na oge anyị nwere fọdụrụ naanị ntakịrị, site ugbu a gaa nʼihu ndị nwere nwunye ga-adị ndụ ha dịka ndị na-enweghị.
What I mean, friends, is this – the time is short. Meanwhile, let those who have wives live as if they had none,
30 Ka ndị na-akwa akwa bie ndụ dịka ndị ihe anaghị ewute, ka ndị na-achị ọchị dịrị ka ndị obi na-adịghị atọ ụtọ. Ka ndị na-azụ ahịa dịrị dịka ndị na-enweghị ngwa ahịa ọbụla.
those who are weeping as if not weeping, those who are rejoicing as if not rejoicing, those who buy as if not possessing,
31 Ka ndị na-etinye oge nʼihe ụtọ nke ụwa hapụ ibi ndụ ịchọ iritecha ihe niile dị nʼụwa nʼuru. Nʼihi na ụwa, otu ọ dị ugbu a, bụ ihe na-agabiga agabiga.
and those who use the good things of the world as using them sparingly; for this world as we see it is passing away.
32 Unu emela ihe ga-ewetara unu oke echiche. Nwoke na-alụbeghị nwanyị nwere ohere iji oge ya niile rụọra Onyenwe anyị ọrụ. O nwekwara ohere ịgbalịsị ike ime ihe ga-atọ Onyenwe anyị ụtọ.
I want you to be free from anxiety. The unmarried man is anxious about the Master’s cause, desiring to please him;
33 Ma nwoke nwere nwunye na-echegbu onwe ya banyere ihe igbo mkpa nke ụwa a, otu ọ ga-esi mee ihe ga-atọ nwunye ya ụtọ.
while the married man is anxious about worldly matters, desiring to please his wife;
34 Ọ na-enwekwa obi abụọ nʼihe ọbụla ọ chọrọ ime. Otu a ka ọ dịkwa nye nwaagbọghọ na-alụbeghị di maọbụ onye nke na-amabeghị nwoke, nchegbu ya bụ banyere ihe nke Onyenwe anyị. Ọchịchọ ya bụ ka ọ dị nsọ nʼanụ ahụ ya na nʼime mmụọ ya. Ma nwanyị nwere di na-echegbu onwe ya banyere ihe nke ụwa a, otu ọ ga-esi mee ihe ga-atọ di ya ụtọ.
and so his interests are divided. Again, the unmarried woman, whether she is old or young, is anxious about the Master’s cause, striving to be pure both in body and in spirit, while the married woman is anxious about worldly matters, desiring to please her husband.
35 Ana m ekwu ihe ndị a maka ọ dị mma nke unu onwe unu, ọ bụghị ịgbalị igbochi unu, kama ọ bụ ka unu nwee ike bie ndụ unu nʼụzọ kwesiri ekwesi, werekwa ịhụnanya zuruoke rụọra Onyenwe anyị ọrụ.
I say this for your own benefit, not with any intention of putting a halter round your necks, but in order to secure for the Master seemly and constant devotion, free from all distraction.
36 Ọ bụrụ na nwoke ọbụla enweghị ike ijide onwe ya nʼihi agụụ mmekọrịta nke nwoke na nwanyị na-agụ ya nʼebe nwaagbọghọ ya na ya kpebiri ịlụ nọ, ya mee ihe ọ na-achọ, o meghị mmehie ọbụla, ha lụọ di na nwunye.
If, however, a father thinks that he is not acting fairly by his unmarried daughter, when she is past her youth, and if under these circumstances her marriage ought to take place, he should act as he thinks right. He is doing nothing wrong – let the marriage take place.
37 Ma ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla ekpebie nʼobi ya, ma nwee ike ijide onwe ya, ka o si nʼenweghị mmanye ọbụla idebe nwaagbọghọ e kwuru na ọ ga-alụ na-enweghị mmekọ ọbụla, ọ bụ ihe dị mma ka o mere.
On the other hand, a father, who has definitely made up his mind, and is under no compulsion, but is free to carry out his own wishes, and who has come to the decision, in his own mind, to keep his unmarried daughter at home will be doing right.
38 Ya mere, onye ahụ lụrụ nwaagbọghọ o kwuru na ọ ga-alụ mere nke ọma, ma onye kpebikwara na ọ gaghị alụ mekwara nke ọma karịa.
In short, the one who consents to his daughter’s marriage is doing right, and yet the other will be doing better.
39 Njikọta e jikọtara nwunye na di ya na-adị ire naanị mgbe di nwanyị dị ndụ. Ọ bụrụ na di ya anwụọ o nwere ike ịlụ di ọzọ, ma ọ lụọ ya nʼime Onyenwe anyị.
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; but, if the husband should pass to his rest, the widow is free to marry anyone she wishes, provided he is a believer.
40 Nʼuche m, ọ ga-enwe ọṅụ nʼobi ya karịa ma ọ bụrụ na ọ lụghị di ọzọ. Ana m echekwa na mụ onwe m nwekwara Mmụọ nke Chineke.
Yet she will be happier if she remains as she is – in my opinion, for I think that I also have the Spirit of God.
