< Deuteronomy 17 >
1 Thou shalt not sacrifice to Jehovah thy God an ox or sheep wherein is a defect, or anything bad; for it is an abomination to Jehovah thy God.
有任何殘缺或瑕疵的牛羊,不可祭獻給上主你的天主,因為這為上主你的天主是可憎惡的事。
2 If there be found in thy midst in any of thy gates which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that doeth what is evil in the sight of Jehovah thy God, in transgressing his covenant,
在你中間,即在上主你的天主賜給你的一座城內,若發見一個男人或女人,做了上主你的天主眼中視為惡的事,違犯了他的盟約,
3 and goeth and serveth other gods, and boweth down to them, either to the sun or to the moon, or to the whole host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
去事奉敬拜其他的神,或太陽,或月亮,或任何天象,反對我所吩咐的事;
4 and it be told thee, and thou hearest of it; then thou shalt make thorough inquiry, and if it be truth [and] the thing be certain, that this abomination hath been wrought in Israel,
如果有人告訴了你,你一聽說,就應詳細調查。如果實有其事,真在以色列中做了這種可惡的事,
5 thou shalt bring forth that man or that woman, who committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, the man or the woman, and shalt stone them with stones, that they die.
就將那做這種惡事的男人或女人,帶到城門外,用石頭砸死他們。
6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is to die be put to death: he shall not be put to death at the mouth of one witness.
根據兩個或三個見證的口供,即可將這該死的人處以死刑;根據一個見證的口供,卻不可處以死刑。
7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people; and thou shalt put evil away from thy midst.
見證人應先下手,然後眾人纔下手將他處死:如此由你中間剷除了這邪惡。
8 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between cause and cause, and between stroke and stroke, matters of controversy within thy gates, then shalt thou arise, and go up to the place which Jehovah thy God will choose.
若在你城鎮內發生了訴訟案件:或是殺人,或是爭訟,或是毆傷,而又是你難以處決的案件,你應起來上到上主你的天主所選的地方,
9 And thou shalt come unto the priests, the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall declare unto thee the sentence of judgment;
去見肋未司祭和那在職的判官,詢問他們,他們要指教你怎樣判斷這案件。
10 and thou shalt do according to the tenor of the word, which they of that place which Jehovah will choose shall declare unto thee; and thou shalt take heed to do according to all that they instruct thee:
你應依照他們在上主所選的地方,有關那案件指教你的話去執行;凡他們教訓你的,應完全遵行。
11 according to the sentence of the law which they shall declare unto thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the word which they shall declare unto thee, to the right hand, or the left.
應全依照他們給你的指導,告訴你的判斷去執行;對他們告訴你的定案,不可偏左偏右。
12 And the man that shall act presumptuously, and not hearken unto the priest that standeth to serve there before Jehovah thy God, or unto the judge, that man shall die; and thou shalt put away evil from Israel.
若有人擅自行事,不聽從那侍立於上主你的天主前供職的司祭,或不聽從判官,應把這人處死。如此你由以色列中剷除了這邪惡;
13 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and no more act presumptuously.
民眾聽見了,必都害怕,再不敢擅自行事。
14 When thou comest unto the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are about me;
當你進入上主你的天主賜給你的土地,佔據了那地,安住在那裏以後,你如說:「我願照我四周的各民族,設立一位君王統治我,」
15 thou shalt only set him king over thee whom Jehovah thy God will choose: from among thy brethren shalt thou set a king over thee; thou mayest not set a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.
你應將上主你的天主所揀選的人,立為你的君王。應由你兄弟中立一人,作你的君王,不可讓不屬你兄弟的外方人統治你。
16 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor lead back the people to Egypt, to multiply horses; for Jehovah hath said unto you, Ye shall not return again any more that way.
但是,不可許他養許多馬,免得他叫人民回到埃及去買馬,因為上主曾對你們說過:「你們不可再回到那條路上去;」
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
也不可許他有許多妻妾,免得他的心迷於邪途;也不可許他過於積蓄金銀。
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests, the Levites;
幾時他登上了王位,依照肋未司祭處所存的法律書,給他抄寫一本,
19 and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them;
叫他帶在身邊一生天天閱讀,好使他學習敬畏上主他的天主,謹守遵行這法律上的一切話和這些規則。
20 that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his sons, in the midst of Israel.
如此他可避免對自己的同胞心高氣傲,偏離這些誡命,好使他和他的子孫在以色列中間久居王位。