Enable translation service in PhalconPHP. Use it as $this->translation or $this->getDI()->get('translation')

services.php

/**
 * Translation service
 *
 * @return array
 */
$di->set('translation', function () use ($di) {

    $request = $di->get('request');
    $session = $di->get('session');

    $language = $request->getBestLanguage();

    // TODO mraspor Add cookie check for lang
    if ($session->has('lang') && null != $session->get('lang')) {
        $language = $session->get('lang');
    }

    // Use the user's language, if the file doesn't exist use the default one,
    if (file_exists(__DIR__ . '/../messages/' . $language . '.php')) {
        $messages = require_once __DIR__ . '/../messages/' . $language . '.php';
    } else {
        // Default language
        $messages = require_once __DIR__ . '/../messages/en.php';
    }

    // Return translated content
    return new \Phalcon\Translate\Adapter\NativeArray(array(
        'content' => $messages,
    ));

}, true);