< 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.
“Mègatsɔ nyitsu alo alẽ si le dɔ lém alo esi nane wɔ la sa vɔe na Yehowa, wò Mawu la gbeɖegbeɖe o. Yehowa, wò Mawu la bua nunana siawo abe ŋunyɔnu ene.
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,
“Ne ame aɖe, ŋutsu alo nyɔnu, le du aɖe me le anyigba blibo la dzi da le wò nubabla si nèwɔ kple Yehowa wò Mawu dzi
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;
to mawu bubuwo, ɣe, ɣleti alo ɣletiviwo subɔsubɔ me, nu siwo ŋu mede se na mi le vevie la,
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,
ku nya la me tsitotsito gbã, ne nàkpɔ be ɖikeke aɖe le nya la ƒe nyateƒenyenye me hã.
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.
Ne nya la nye nyateƒe la, ekema woahe ŋutsu la alo nyɔnu la ayi dua godo, eye woaƒu kpee le afi ma wòaku.
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.
Ke mègawu ame aɖeke le ɖasefo ɖeka pɛ ko ƒe ɖaseɖiɖi ta o. Ele be ɖasefoawo nade eve alo etɔ̃ kokoko.
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.
Na ɖasefoawo naƒu kpee gbã hafi ame bubuawo naƒui. To esia me la, àɖe nu vɔ̃wo katã ɖa le mia dome.”
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.
“Ne nya aɖe dzɔ si sesẽ akpa na wò dɔdrɔ̃, le kpɔɖeŋu me, ne wotsɔ hlɔ̃nya aɖe ɖe ame aɖe ŋu le esime ɖaseɖiɖi gobii aɖeke mele eŋu o, alo ne wote ame aɖe ɖe eme la, ekema ele be nàtsɔ nya la ayi Yehowa, wò Mawu la ƒe kɔkɔeƒe,
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;
na nunɔlawo kple Levitɔwo, eye ʋɔnudrɔ̃la si le nya drɔ̃m le ɣe ma ɣi la natso nya la me.
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:
Le eƒe nyametsotso megbe la, womagbugbɔ nya la adrɔ̃ o. Woawɔ ɖe se la dzi nyaɖenyanui.
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.
Ele be woawɔ ɖe ʋɔnudrɔ̃la la ƒe nyametsotso dzi pɛpɛpɛ.
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.
Ne ame si ŋu wotsɔ nya la ɖo gbe be yemaxɔ nunɔla la alo ʋɔnudrɔ̃la si Yehowa Mawu ɖo na nyadɔdrɔ̃ la ƒe nyametsotso o la, nu si woawɔe koe nye be woawui. Ele be woaɖe nu vɔ̃ wɔla siawo tɔgbi ɖa le Israelviwo dome.
13 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and no more act presumptuously.
Ekema ame sia ame ase nya si dzɔ ɖe ame si gbe be yemaxɔ Yehowa ƒe nyametsotso o la dzi. Nu sia ana woavɔ̃, eye womagatsi tsitre ɖe ʋɔnudrɔ̃ƒe la ƒe nyametsotso ŋu o.”
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;
“Ne èva ɖo anyigba si Yehowa, wò Mawu, le na wò ge dzi, eye nèxɔe la, de asi tamebubu me be, ‘Ele be fia nanɔ mía si abe dukɔ bubu siwo ƒo xlã mí la ene!’
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.
Kpɔ egbɔ be yeɖo ame si, Yehowa, wò Mawu la atia la fiae. Ele be wòanye Israelvi, menye amedzro o.
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.
Kpɔ egbɔ be meƒle sɔ geɖewo na eɖokui o, eye medɔ eƒe amewo ɖe Egipte be woaƒle sɔwo tso afi ma vɛ na ye hã o, elabena Yehowa gblɔ na wò be, ‘Mègatrɔ yi Egipte gbeɖe o.’
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Mele be fia la naɖe srɔ̃ geɖe o; ne menye nenema o la, eƒe dzi atrɔ ɖa tso Yehowa gbɔ. Mele be wòakpɔ hotsui guduu hã o.
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;
“Ne woɖoe fiae, eye wònɔ eƒe fiazikpui dzi abe fia ene la, ekema ele be wòaŋlɔ se siawo katã tso agbalẽ si le Levitɔwo, ame siwo nye nunɔlawo la si me.
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;
Ele be eƒe seawo ƒe ŋɔŋlɔ sia nanɔ esi ɣe sia ɣi, eye wòaxlẽ nu tso eme gbe sia gbe le eƒe agbe me ale be, wòasrɔ̃ ale si wòavɔ̃ Yehowa, eƒe Mawu la to seawo katã dzi wɔwɔ me.
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.
Se siawo xexlẽ ɣe sia ɣi ana be fia la mabu be yenyo wu Israelvi bubuawo o. Kpe ɖe esia ŋu la, axe mɔ nɛ be matrɔ tso Mawu ƒe seawo gbɔ le mɔ suetɔ kekeake nu o, eye wòana be eƒe fiaɖuɖu nadidi, eye wòadze edzi. Ekema via ŋutsuwo aɖu fia ɖe eyome.”