Leviticus 17

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Bwana akamwambia Mose,

2 Speak to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel, saying to them: This is the word, which the Lord hath commanded, saying:

“Sema na Aroni na wanawe, pamoja na Waisraeli wote, uwaambie: ‘Hili ndilo Bwana aliloagiza:

3 Any man whosoever of the house of Israel if he kill an ox, or a sheep, or a goat in the camp, or without the camp,

Mwisraeli yeyote atakayetoa dhabihu ya maksai, mwana-kondoo au mbuzi ndani ya kambi au nje yake,

4 And offer it not at the door of the tabernacle an oblation to the Lord, shall be guilty of blood: as if he had shed blood, so shall he perish from the midst of his people.

badala ya kuileta kwenye ingilio la Hema la Kukutania ili kuileta kama sadaka kwa Bwana mbele ya Maskani ya Bwana, mtu huyo atahesabiwa kuwa na hatia ya kumwaga damu; ni lazima akatiliwe mbali na watu wake.

5 Therefore the children of Israel shall bring to the priest their victims, which they kill in the field, that they may be sanctified to the Lord before the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and they may sacrifice them for peace offerings to the Lord.

Hii ni ili Waisraeli wamletee Bwana dhabihu wanazozifanya sasa mahali pa wazi mashambani. Ni lazima wazilete kwa makuhani, yaani kwa Bwana, katika ingilio la Hema la Kukutania, na kutoa dhabihu kama sadaka za amani.

6 And the priest shall pour the blood upon the altar of the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and shall burn the fat for a sweet odour to the Lord.

Kuhani atanyunyiza damu kwenye madhabahu ya Bwana katika ingilio la Hema la Kukutania, na kuyateketeza mafuta ya hiyo dhabihu kuwa harufu nzuri ya kumpendeza Bwana.

7 And they shall no more sacrifice their victims to devils, with whom they have committed fornication. It shall be an ordinance for ever to them and to their posterity.

Hawatatoa kamwe dhabihu zao kwa sanamu za mbuzi ambazo wamekuwa wakijifanyia nazo ukahaba. Hili litakuwa agizo la kudumu kwao na kwa ajili ya vizazi vijavyo.’

8 And thou shalt say to them: The man of the house of Israel, and of the strangers who sojourn among you, that offereth a holocaust or a victim,

“Waambie: ‘Mwisraeli yeyote au mgeni yeyote anayeishi miongoni mwao atakayetoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa au dhabihu

9 And bringeth it not to the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, that it may be offered to the Lord, shall perish from among his people.

bila kuileta kwenye ingilio la Hema la Kukutania ili kutoa dhabihu kwa Bwana, mtu huyo ni lazima akatiliwe mbali na watu wake.

10 If any man whosoever of the house of Israel, and of the strangers that sojourn among them, eat blood, I will set my face against his soul, and will cut him off from among his people:

“‘Mwisraeli yeyote au mgeni anayeishi miongoni mwao ambaye atakunywa damu yoyote, nitakuwa kinyume cha mtu huyo atakayekunywa damu na kumkatilia mbali na watu wake.

11 Because the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you, that you may make atonement with it upon the altar for your souls, and the blood may be for an expiation of the soul.

Kwa kuwa uhai wa kiumbe uko ndani ya damu, nami nimewapa hiyo damu ili mfanyie upatanisho kwa ajili yenu wenyewe juu ya madhabahu; damu ndiyo ifanyayo upatanisho kwa ajili ya maisha ya mtu.

12 Therefore I have said to the children of Israel: No soul of you, nor of the strangers that sojourn among you, shall eat blood.

Kwa hiyo, ninawaambia Waisraeli, “Hakuna hata mmoja wenu anayeruhusiwa kunywa damu, wala mgeni anayeishi miongoni mwenu haruhusiwi kunywa damu.”

13 Any man whosoever of the children of Israel, and of the strangers that sojourn among you, if by hunting or fowling, he take a wild beast or a bird, which is lawful to eat, let him pour out its blood, and cover it with earth.

“‘Mwisraeli yeyote au mgeni anayeishi miongoni mwenu ambaye atamwinda mnyama au ndege anayeruhusiwa kuliwa ni lazima aimwage damu na kuifunika kwa udongo,

14 For the life of all flesh is in the blood: therefore I said to the children of Israel: You shall not eat the blood of any flesh at all, because the life of the flesh is in the blood, and whosoever eateth it, shall be cut off.

kwa sababu uhai wa kila kiumbe ni katika damu yake. Ndiyo sababu nimewaambia Waisraeli, “Kamwe msinywe damu ya kiumbe chochote, kwa sababu uhai wa kila kiumbe ni katika damu yake; yeyote atakayekunywa damu ni lazima akatiliwe mbali.”

15 The soul that eateth that which died of itself, or has been caught by a beast, whether he be one of your own country or a stranger, shall wash his clothes and himself with water, and shall be defiled until the evening: and in this manner he shall be made clean.

“‘Mtu yeyote, awe mzawa au mgeni, ambaye atakula mzoga wa kitu chochote ama kilichouawa na wanyama mwitu ni lazima afue nguo zake na aoge kwa maji, naye atakuwa najisi kwa kawaida ya ibada mpaka jioni, kisha atakuwa safi.

16 But if he do not wash his clothes, and his body, he shall bear his iniquity.

Lakini kama hakufua nguo zake na kuoga, atakuwa na hatia kwa kosa hilo.’”