Exodus 23
1 “Do not tell to others (false rumors/untrue reports) about other people. Do not help someone who is guilty by (testifying falsely/lying) [about what happened].
“Ị gaghị agbasa akụkọ ụgha ọbụla. Esokwala mmadụ ọjọọ nwekọọ ihe ọbụla site nʼịgba ama ị maara na ọ bụghị eziokwu.
2 Do not join a group of people who are planning to do something evil. Do not testify the way the [crowd wants you to], if that will prevent [the judge from deciding the case] justly/fairly.
“Ị gaghị eso igwe mmadụ mee ihe ọjọọ. Mgbe ị na-agba akaebe nʼụlọikpe, ị gaghị esonye igwe mmadụ ndị na-atụgharị ikpe ziri ezi.
3 When a poor person is on trial, do not [testify in] his favor [just] because he is poor [and you feel sorry for him].
Nʼebe nwa ogbenye nọ, ị gaghị ekpelara ya nʼoge ikpe nʼihi na ọ bụ nwa ogbenye.
4 If you see someone’s bull or donkey when it is wandering away [loose], take it back to [its owner, even if the owner] is your enemy.
“Ọ bụrụ na ị hụ ehi, maọbụ ịnyịnya ibu nke kpafuru akpafu, ọ bụrụkwa na ọ bụ nke onye iro gị, duru ya dulatara onye iro gị ahụ.
5 If you see someone’s donkey that has fallen down [because of its heavy load], help the owner to get the donkey up again, [even if] he is someone who hates you. Do not just walk away [without helping him].
Ọ bụrụ na ị hụ onye kpọrọ gị asị ka ọ na-agbalị iwelite ịnyịnya ibu ya nke dara nʼihi ibu dị arọ o bu, elefula ya anya, kama gaa nyere ya aka bulite ịnyịnya ahụ.
6 Decide the cases of poor people who are on trial [as] fairly [as you decide the cases of other people].
“Ewezugala ikpe ziri ezi nʼebe ndị ogbenye nọ, nʼihi ọnọdụ ogbenye ha.
7 Do not accuse people falsely. Do not decide that innocent and righteous [DOU] people should be executed, because I will (punish/not forgive) people who do such an evil thing.
Ebola mmadụ ibe gị ebubo ụgha. Esonyekwala gbuo onye aka ya dị ọcha, maọbụ onye na-eme ihe ziri ezi. Nʼihi na mụ onwe m agaghị ahapụ onye na-emebi iwu na-ataghị ya ahụhụ kwesiri ya.
8 Do not accept money that is a bribe, because officials who accept bribes are not able to [MTY] decide what is right to do, and they do not allow innocent people to be treated fairly.
“Erikwala ngarị, nʼihi na iri ngarị na-eme ka ndị na-ahụ ụzọ kpuo ìsì, meekwa ka okwu onye aka ya dị ọcha gbagọọ agbagọ.
9 Do not mistreat foreigners [who live among you]. You know [how people often treat] foreigners, because the Egyptians [did not treat you well when] you were foreigners there.
“Abụkwala onye na-emegbu ndị ọbịa, nʼihi na ị maara ihe banyere ọnọdụ ndị ọbịa nke ọma. Gị onwe gị bụrịị ọbịa nʼIjipt.
10 Plant [seeds] in your ground and gather the harvest for six years.
“Afọ isi ka ị ga-agha mkpụrụ nʼala ubi gị, ghọọkwa ihe omume ya.
11 But during the seventh year you must not plant anything. [If things grow without your planting seeds], allow poor people [to harvest and] eat the crops. If there are still crops (left over/that they do not harvest), allow wild animals to eat them. Do the same thing with your grapevines/vineyards and your olive trees.
Ma nʼafọ nke asaa, arụla ọrụ ọbụla nʼala ahụ ọzọ, hapụ ka ala ahụ zuru ike. Mgbe ahụ ndị ogbenye nʼetiti unu ga-aga nʼebe ahụ weta ihe oriri. Mkpụrụ ndị ọzọ fọdụrụ ga-adịrị ụmụ anụ ọhịa dị iche iche. Iwu ndị a ga-adịrị ubi vaịnị na ubi oliv unu niile.
12 [You may] work for six days [each week], but on the seventh day you must rest [and not work]. And on the seventh day you must allow your work animals and your slaves and the foreigners [who live among you] also [to rest and] be refreshed.
“Ị ga-arụ ọrụ gị niile nʼime ụbọchị isii. Ị ga-ezukwa ike nʼụbọchị nke asaa. Izuike a ga-adịkwara ehi gị na ịnyịnya ibu gị, na ndị ohu gị nọ nʼezinaụlọ gị na ndị ọbịa niile bi nʼetiti unu.
13 Make certain that you obey everything that I have commanded [you to do]. Do not pray to [MTY] other gods. Do not even mention their names.”
“Kpachapụnụ anya hụ na unu mezuru ihe niile ndị a m gwara unu. Unu akpọkwala chi ndị ọzọ aha. Unu ekwupụtakwala ihe banyere ha nʼọnụ unu.
14 “Every year you must celebrate three festivals to [honor] me.
“Ugboro atọ nʼafọ ka unu ga-emere m mmemme a.
15 [The first one] is the Festival of Bread That Has No Yeast. Celebrate it in the month [that is named] Abib. That is the month in which you left Egypt. Celebrate it in the way that I commanded you. And always bring [LIT] an offering when you come to worship me.
“Meenụ Mmemme Achịcha na-ekoghị eko, ụbọchị asaa ka unu ga-eri achịcha nke e jighị ihe na-eko achịcha mee. Unu ga-eri ya na mgbe a kara aka, nʼọnwa Abib. Nʼihi na ọ bụ nʼọnwa ahụ ka unu si nʼala Ijipt pụta. “Ọ dịghị onye ọbụla ga-agba aka efu bịa nʼihu m.
16 The second one is the Festival of Harvesting. During that festival you must offer to me the first parts/harvest of your crops that grow from the seeds that you planted. The third one is the Festival of Living in Temporary Shelters. That will be after you finish harvesting your grain and grapes and fruit.
“Mee Mmemme Owuwe Ihe ubi, bụ nke ị ga-eji mkpụrụ mbụ nke ihe niile ị kụrụ nʼubi unu. “Meekwanụ Mmemme Nchịkọta Ihe, nʼọgwụgwụ afọ ọbụla. Mgbe unu si nʼubi na-achịbata mkpụrụ ubi unu niile.
17 Every year, at each of these times, all the men must gather together to worship me, Yahweh God.
“Ugbo atọ nʼafọ ka ndị ikom niile ga-abịa chee onwe ha nʼihu Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị.
18 When you sacrifice an animal [and offer it] to me, you must not offer bread that has been baked with yeast. [When you] offer sacrifices, [burn] the fat [from the animals on that same day]. Do not allow any fat to remain until the next morning.
“Unu etinyekwala ihe ọbụla nke nwere ihe na-eko achịcha nʼime ya, mgbe unu na-achụ ọbara nke aja nʼihu m. “Maọbụ hapụ abụba nke aja mmemme m ka ọ dịgide ruo ụtụtụ.
19 Each year, when you harvest your crops, bring to the place where you worship me, Yahweh God, the first part of what you harvest. When you kill a (young animal/kid [or lamb or calf)], do not [prepare to eat it by] boiling it in its mother’s milk.”
“Wetanụ mkpụrụ mbụ niile nke ala ubi unu, bụ ndị kachasị mma, nʼụlọ Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke unu. “Unu esikwala nwa ewu nʼime mmiri ara nne ya.
20 “Note this: I am going to send an angel ahead of you, to guard you as you travel and to bring you safely to the place that I have prepared [for you]. Pay attention to what he says and obey him. Do not rebel against him, because he will have my authority [MTY] and he will (punish/not forgive) [LIT] you if you rebel against him.
“Lee, ana m eziga mmụọ ozi nʼihu unu, ichebe unu nʼije unu nakwa ịkpọbatakwa unu nʼebe ahụ M doziri nye unu.
Geenụ ya ntị, nụrụkwa olu ya. Unu enupukwarala ya isi, nʼihi na ọ gaghị agbaghara njehie unu niile, nʼihi na Aha m dị nʼime ya.
22 But if you pay attention to what he says and if you do all that I tell you [to do], I will fight strongly [DOU] against all of your enemies.
Ọ bụrụ na unu elezie anya nke ọma, gee ya ntị, mee ihe niile m nyere unu nʼiwu, mgbe ahụ, mụ onwe m ga-abụkwara ndị iro unu onye iro, megidekwa ndị na-emegide unu.
23 My angel will go ahead of you, and will take you to where the Amor and Heth and Periz and Canaan and Hiv and Jebus people-groups live, and I will completely get rid of them.
Mmụọ ozi m ga-ejekwa nʼihu unu, ịkpọbatakwa unu nʼala ndị Amọrait, na ndị Het, na ndị Periz, na ndị Kenan, na ndị Hiv, na ndị Jebus. Aga m ehichapụ obodo ndị a niile.
24 Do not bow down before their gods/idols or worship them. And do not do the things [that they think that their gods want] them to do. Completely destroy their gods/idols, and smash to pieces their sacred stones.
Unu agaghị akpọ isiala nye chi ha niile. Unu efekwala ha, maọbụ gbasoro omenaala ha. Kama, kwatuonụ ha. Tipịasịakwanụ ebe nkume nsọ niile nke chi ha.
25 You must worship me, Yahweh God. [If you do that], I will bless your (OR, bless [you by giving you]) food and water, and I will protect you from becoming sick.
Ma unu ga-efe Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke unu. Mgbe ahụ, ngọzị ya ga-adịkwasị nri unu na mmiri ọṅụṅụ unu. Aga m ewezugakwa ọrịa nʼetiti unu.
26 No women in your land will have (miscarriages/babies that will die after being born prematurely), and no women will be unable to become pregnant. And I will enable you to live a long time.
Nwanyị aga na nwanyị ime ya na-apụ agaghị adị nʼala unu. Aga m emekwa ka unu nwee ogologo ndụ.
27 I will cause the people who oppose you to become very afraid of me. I will cause the people whom you fight against to become very confused. And then I will cause them to turn around and run away from you.
“Aga m ezipu oke ụjọ m ka ọ nọrọ unu nʼihu tinye ọgbaaghara nʼime mba niile unu ga-ezute. Aga m eme ka ndị iro unu tụgharịa gbaa ọsọ.
28 I will cause your enemies to become terrified. And I will expel the Hiv, Canaan, and Heth people-groups from your land.
Ọzọkwa, aga m eziga ebu ka ọ chụpụ ndị Hiv na ndị Kenan na ndị Het site nʼụzọ unu.
29 I will not expel [all of] them in less than one year. If I did that, your land would become deserted, and there would be very many wild animals ([that would attack you/you would not be able to control]).
Ma agaghị m achụpụ ha nʼotu afọ, nʼihi na nke a ga-eme ka ala ahụ niile tọgbọrọ nʼefu, ụmụ anụ ọhịa a baa ụba karịa unu.
30 I will expel those people-groups slowly, a few at a time, until the number of your people increases and you are able to live everywhere in the land.
Ma aga m achụpụ ha nwantịntị nwantịntị, tutu ruo oge unu ga-adị ọtụtụ, mgbe ọnụọgụgụ unu ga-akarị nke ha ukwuu, mgbe unu ga-ejupụta ala ahụ niile.
31 I will cause the borders of your land to extend from the (Red Sea/Gulf of Aqaba) [in the southeast] to the Mediterranean Sea [in the northwest], and from the [Sinai] Desert [in the southwest] to the [Euphrates] River [in the northeast of the country]. I will enable you [MTY] to expel the people who live there, so that you will expel them as you occupy more of the country.
“Aga m etinye oke ala unu site nʼOsimiri Uhie ruo nʼosimiri Mediterenịa, sitekwa nʼọzara ruo nʼosimiri Yufretis. Aga m enyefe ndị niile bi nʼala ahụ nʼaka unu. Unu ga-achụpụkwa ha.
32 You must not make any agreement/treaty with those people or with their gods.
Unu na ha agbala ndụ ọbụla. Unu na chi ha enwekwala mmekọ ọbụla.
33 Do not allow [those people] to live in your land, in order that they do not cause you to sin against me. If you worship their gods, [you will not be able to escape from worshiping them and sinning against me, just like someone caught] in a trap [is unable to escape] [MET].”
Unu ekwela ka ha biri nʼala unu, ma ọ bụghị ya, ha ga-eme ka unu mehie megide m, nʼihi nʼife chi ha dị iche iche aghaghị ịbụrụ unu ihe ịma nʼọnya.”
