Deuteronomy 15

1 At the terme of seuen yeeres thou shalt make a freedome.

Every seven years you shall make a release.

2 And this is the maner of the freedome: euery creditour shall quite ye lone of his hand which he hath lent to his neighbour: he shall not aske it againe of his neighbour, nor of his brother: for the yeere of the Lords freedome is proclaimed.

And this [is] the ordinance of the release: you shall remit every private debt which your neighbour owes you, and you shall not ask payment of it from your brother; for it has been called a release to the Lord your God.

3 Of a stranger thou mayest require it: but that which thou hast with thy brother, thine hand shall remit:

Of a stranger you shall ask again whatever he has of your, but to your brother you shall remit his debt to you.

4 Saue when there shall be no poore with thee: for the Lord shall blesse thee in the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, for an inheritance to possesse it:

For [thus] there shall not be a poor person in the midst of you, for the Lord your God will surely bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you by inheritance, that you should inherit it.

5 So that thou hearken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to obserue and doe all these commandements, which I commande thee this day.

And if you shall indeed listen to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep and do all these commandments, as many as I charge you this day,

6 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee, as he hath promised thee: and thou shalt lend vnto many nations, but thou thy selfe shalt not borow, and thou shalt reigne ouer many nations, and they shall not reigne ouer thee.

(for the Lord your God has blessed you in the way of which he spoke to you, ) then you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.

7 If one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother:

And if there shall be in the midst of you a poor [man] of your brethren in one of your cities in the land, which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, neither shall you by any means close up your hand from your brother who is in lack.

8 But thou shalt open thine hand vnto him, and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath.

You shall surely open your hands to him, and shall lend to him as much as he wants according to his need.

9 Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart, to say, The seuenth yeere, the yeere of freedome is at hand: therefore it grieueth thee to looke on thy poore brother, and thou giuest him nought, and he crie vnto the Lord against thee, so that sinne be in thee:

Take heed to yourself that there be not a secret thing in your heart, an iniquity, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, draws near; and your eye shall be evil to your brother that is in lack, and you shall not give to him, and he shall cry against you to the Lord, and there shall be great sin in you.

10 Thou shalt giue him, and let it not grieue thine heart to giue vnto him: for because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in al thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand to.

You shall surely give to him, and you shall lend him as much as he wants, according as he is in need; and you shall not grudge in your heart as you give to him, because on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your works, and in all things on which you shall lay your hand.

11 Because there shall be euer some poore in the land, therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother, to thy needie, and to thy poore in thy land.

For the poor shall not fail off your land, therefore I charge you to do this thing, saying, You shall surely open your hands to your poor brother, and to him that is distressed upon your land.

12 If thy brother an Ebrewe sell himselfe to thee, or an Ebrewesse, and serue thee sixe yeere, euen in the seuenth yeere thou shalt let him goe free from thee:

And if your brother [or sister], a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, be sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall send him out free from you.

13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him goe away emptie,

And when you shall send him out free from you, you shall not send him out empty.

14 But shalt giue him a liberall reward of thy sheepe, and of thy corne, and of thy wine: thou shalt giue him of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.

You shall give him provision for the way from your flock, and from your corn, and from your wine; as the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.

15 And remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God deliuered thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.

And you shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from thence; therefore I charge you to do this thing.

16 And if he say vnto thee, I will not go away from thee, because he loueth thee and thine house, and because he is well with thee,

And if he should say to you, I will not go out from you, because he continues to love you and your house, because he is well with you;

17 Then shalt thou take a naule, and perce his eare through against the doore, and he shall be thy seruant for euer: and vnto thy maid seruant thou shall doe likewise.

then you shall take an awl, and bore his ear through to the door, and he shall be your servant for ever; and in like manner shall you do to your maidservant.

18 Let it not grieue thee, when thou lettest him goe out free from thee: for he hath serued thee sixe yeeres, which is the double worth of an hired seruant: and the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all that thou doest.

It shall not seem hard to you when they are sent out free from you, because [your servant] has served you six years according to the annual hire of a hireling; so the Lord your God shall bless you in all things whatever you may do.

19 All the first borne males that come of thy cattell, and of thy sheepe, thou shalt sanctifie vnto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt do no worke with thy first borne bullocke, nor sheare thy first borne sheepe.

Every firstborn that shall be born amongst your kine and your sheep, you shall sanctify the males to the Lord your God; you shall not work with your firstborn calf, and you shall not shear the firstborn of your sheep.

20 Thou shalt eate it before the Lord thy God yeere by yeere, in the place which the Lord shall chose, both thou, and thine household.

You shall eat it before the Lord year by year in the place which the Lord your God shall choose, you and your house.

21 But if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or haue any euill fault, thou shalt not offer it vnto the Lord thy God,

And if there be in it a blemish, if it be lame or blind, an evil blemish, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.

22 But shalt eate it within thy gates: the vncleane, and the cleane shall eate it alike, as the roe bucke, and as the hart.

You shall eat it in your cities; the unclean in you and the clean shall eat it in like manner, as the doe or the stag.

23 Onely thou shalt not eate the blood thereof, but powre it vpon the ground as water.

Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth as water.