< Deuteronomy 21 >
1 Then there shall be found in the land, which the Lord thy God will give thee, the corpse of a man slain, and it is not known who is guilty of the murder,
「在耶和華-你上帝所賜你為業的地上,若遇見被殺的人倒在田野,不知道是誰殺的,
2 Thy ancients and judges shall go out, and shall measure from the place where the body lieth the distance of every city round about:
長老和審判官就要出去,從被殺的人那裏量起,直量到四圍的城邑,
3 And the ancients of that city which they shall perceive to be nearer than the rest, shall take a heifer of the herd, that hath not drawn in the yoke, nor ploughed the ground,
看哪城離被殺的人最近,那城的長老就要從牛群中取一隻未曾耕地、未曾負軛的母牛犢,
4 And they shall bring her into a rough and stony valley, that never was ploughed, nor sown: and there they shall strike off the head of the heifer:
把母牛犢牽到流水、未曾耕種的山谷去,在谷中打折母牛犢的頸項。
5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come, whom the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister to him, and to bless in his name, and that by their word every matter should be decided, and whatsoever is clean or unclean should be judged.
祭司利未的子孫要近前來;因為耶和華-你的上帝揀選了他們事奉他,奉耶和華的名祝福,所有爭訟毆打的事都要憑他們判斷。
6 And the ancients of that city shall come to the person slain, and shall wash their hands over the heifer that was killed in the valley,
那城的眾長老,就是離被殺的人最近的,要在那山谷中,在所打折頸項的母牛犢以上洗手,
7 And shall say: Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.
禱告說:『我們的手未曾流這人的血;我們的眼也未曾看見這事。
8 Be merciful to thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, O Lord, and lay not innocent blood to their charge, in the midst of thy people Israel. And the guilt of blood shall be taken from them:
耶和華啊,求你赦免你所救贖的以色列民,不要使流無辜血的罪歸在你的百姓以色列中間。』這樣,流血的罪必得赦免。
9 And thou shalt be free from the innocent’s blood, that was shed, when thou shalt have done what the Lord hath commanded thee.
你行耶和華眼中看為正的事,就可以從你們中間除掉流無辜血的罪。」
10 If thou go out to fight against thy enemies, and the Lord thy God deliver them into thy hand, and thou lead them away captives,
「你出去與仇敵爭戰的時候,耶和華-你的上帝將他們交在你手中,你就擄了他們去。
11 And seest in the number of the captives a beautiful woman, and lovest her, and wilt have her to wife,
若在被擄的人中見有美貌的女子,戀慕她,要娶她為妻,
12 Thou shalt bring her into thy house: and she shall shave her hair, and pare her nails,
就可以領她到你家裏去;她便要剃頭髮,修指甲,
13 And shall put off the raiment, wherein she was taken: and shall remain in thy house, and mourn for her father and mother one month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and shalt sleep with her, and she shall be thy wife.
脫去被擄時所穿的衣服,住在你家裏哀哭父母一個整月,然後可以與她同房。你作她的丈夫,她作你的妻子。
14 Rut if afterwards she please thee not, thou shalt let her go free, but thou mayst not sell her for money nor oppress her by might because thou hast humbled her.
後來你若不喜悅她,就要由她隨意出去,決不可為錢賣她,也不可當婢女待她,因為你玷污了她。」
15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and the other hated, and they have had children by him, and the son of the hated be the firstborn,
「人若有二妻,一為所愛,一為所惡,所愛的、所惡的都給他生了兒子,但長子是所惡之妻生的。
16 And he meaneth to divide his substance among his sons: he may not make the son of the beloved the firstborn, and prefer him before the son of the hated.
到了把產業分給兒子承受的時候,不可將所愛之妻生的兒子立為長子,在所惡之妻生的兒子以上,
17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, and shall give him a double portion of all he hath: for this is the first of his children, and to him are due the first birthrights.
卻要認所惡之妻生的兒子為長子,將產業多加一分給他;因這兒子是他力量強壯的時候生的,長子的名分本當歸他。」
18 If a man have a stubborn and unruly son, who will not hear the commandments of his father or mother, and being corrected, slighteth obedience:
「人若有頑梗悖逆的兒子,不聽從父母的話,他們雖懲治他,他仍不聽從,
19 They shall take him and bring him to the ancients of his city, and to the gate of judgment,
父母就要抓住他,將他帶到本地的城門、本城的長老那裏,
20 And shall say to them: This our son is rebellious and stubborn, he slighteth hearing our admonitions, he giveth himself to revelling, and to debauchery and banquetings:
對長老說:『我們這兒子頑梗悖逆,不聽從我們的話,是貪食好酒的人。』
21 The people of the city shall stone him: and he shall die, that you may take away the evil out of the midst of you, and all Israel hearing it may be afraid.
本城的眾人就要用石頭將他打死。這樣,就把那惡從你們中間除掉,以色列眾人都要聽見害怕。」
22 When a man hath committed a crime for which he is to be punished with death, and being condemned to die is hanged on a gibbet:
「人若犯該死的罪,被治死了,你將他掛在木頭上,
23 His body shall not remain upon the tree, but shall be buried the same day: for he is accursed of God that hangeth on a tree: and thou shalt not defile thy land, which the Lord thy God shall give thee in possession.
他的屍首不可留在木頭上過夜,必要當日將他葬埋,免得玷污了耶和華-你上帝所賜你為業之地。因為被掛的人是在上帝面前受咒詛的。