Mose 5 19

1 “Ne Yehowa, wò Mawu la tsrɔ̃ dukɔ siwo teƒe xɔ ge nàla, eye ne èle woƒe duwo kple aƒewo me la,

When the Lord thy God hath destroyed the nations, whose land he will deliver to thee, and thou shalt possess it, and shalt dwell in the cities and houses thereof:

2 ekema nàtia du etɔ̃ siwo le anyigba si Yehowa, wò Mawu la le nàwom la titina lɔƒo la na ɖokuiwò.

Thou shalt separate to thee three cities in the midst of the land, which the Lord will give thee in possession,

3 Ɖe mɔwo ɖe wo dome, eye nàma anyigba si Yehowa, wò Mawu la le nawòm abe wò domenyinu ene la ɖe akpa etɔ̃ me, ale be ne ame aɖe wu nɔvia la, wòasi ayi afi ma.

Paving diligently the way: and thou shalt divide the whole province of thy land equally into three parts: that he who is forced to flee for manslaughter, may have near at hand whither to escape.

4 “Nu si ta wòle be du siawo nanɔ anyi ɖo la woe nye:

This shall be the law of the slayer that fleeth, whose life is to be saved: He that killeth his neighbour ignorantly, and who is proved to have had no hatred against him yesterday and the day before:

5 Ne ame aɖe kple nɔvia aɖe woyi nake fɔ ge le ave me, eye fia la dzo le esi, eye wòwu nɔvia la, amewula la asi ayi du mawo dometɔ ɖeka me, eye wòanɔ dedie.

But to have gone with him to the wood to hew wood, and in cutting down the tree the axe slipped out of his hand, and the iron slipping from the handle struck his friend, and killed him: he shall flee to one of the cities aforesaid, and live:

6 Ne menye nenema o la, hlɔ̃biala la ati eyome kple dɔmedzoe, atui ne sitsoƒedu la gbɔ didi akpa, eye wòawui togbɔ be medze na ku hafi o, elabena menye ɖe wòɖoe hafi wu nɔvia o.

Lest perhaps the next kinsman of him whose blood was shed, pushed on by his grief should pursue, and apprehend him. if the way be too long, and take away the life of him who is not guilty of death, because he is proved to have had no hatred before against him that was slain.

7 Nu sia ta meɖoe na wò be nàtia du etɔ̃ da ɖi na ɖokuiwò.

Therefore I command thee, that thou separate three cities at equal distance one from another.

8 “Yehowa wò Mawu akeke wò anyigba la ƒe liƒowo ɖe edzi abe ale si wòdo ŋugbe na tɔgbuiwòwo ene, eye wòatsɔ anyigba blibo si ŋugbe wòdo la na wò.

And when the Lord thy God shall have enlarged thy borders, as he swore to thy fathers, and shall give thee all the land that he promised them,

9 Esia aku ɖe ale si nèwɔ eƒe se siwo katã mele dedem na wò egbe, be nàlɔ̃ Yehowa wò Mawu, eye nàzɔ ɖe eƒe ɖoɖowo nu la dzi. Ne esia va eme la, ele be nàgawɔ du bubu etɔ̃ Sitsoƒeduwoe.

(Yet so, if thou keep his commandments, and do the things which I command thee this day, that thou love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways at all times) thou shalt add to thee other three cities, and shalt double the number of the three cities aforesaid:

10 Ale nàte ŋu axɔ ame maɖifɔwo ɖe agbe le anyigba si Yehowa wò Mawu tsɔ na wò la dzi, eye ʋukɔkɔɖi dzodzro ƒe agba manɔ dziwò o.

That innocent blood may not be shed in the midst of the land which the Lord thy God will give thee to possess, lest thou be guilty of blood.

11 “Ke ne ame aɖe lé fu nɔvia, de xa ɖi nɛ hewui, eye wòsi yi sitsoƒedu siawo dometɔ ɖeka me la,

But if any man hating his neighbour, lie in wait for his life, and rise and strike him, and he die, and he flee to one of the cities aforesaid,

12 eƒe dumemetsitsiwo aɖo du ɖee, ana woakplɔe ava aƒee, eye woatsɔe ade asi na ame kuku la ƒe hlɔ̃biala be wòawui.

The ancients of his city shall send, and take him out of the place of refuge, and shall deliver him into the hand of the kinsman of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die.

13 Mègakpɔ nublanui nɛ o! Ɖe hlɔ̃dolawo katã ɖa le Israelviwo dome! Eya ko hafi nu sia nu ayi edzi nyuie na mi.

Thou shalt not pity him, and thou shalt take away the guilt of innocent blood out of Israel, that it may be well with thee.

14 “Ne èva ɖo anyigba si Yehowa, wò Mawu la le na wò ge la dzi la, ɖo ŋku edzi be, mèkpɔ mɔ aho ame aɖeke ƒe liƒotiwo agbugbɔ wo atu ale be nàfi eƒe anyigba gbeɖegbeɖe o.”

Thou shalt not take nor remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which thy predecessors have set in thy possession. which the Lord thy God will give thee in the land that thou shalt receive to possess.

15 “Mègabu fɔ ame aɖeke le ɖasefo ɖeka ko ƒe ɖaseɖiɖi ta o. Ele be ɖasefoawo nade eve godoo; anyo wu ne woade etɔ̃.

One witness shall not rise up against any man, whatsoever the sin or wickedness be: but in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand.

16 Ne ame aɖe ɖi aʋatsoɖase hegblɔ be yekpɔ ame aɖe wòwɔ nu vɔ̃ esime amea mewɔ nu vɔ̃ la o la,

If a lying witness stand against a man, accusing him of transgression,

17 na woakplɔ ame eveawo ayi nunɔlawo kple ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo gbɔ le Yehowa ŋkume.

Both of them, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges that shall be in those days.

18 Woabia gbe wo tsitotsito, eye ne wokpɔ be ɖasefo la ka aʋatso la,

And when after most diligent inquisition, they shall find that the false witness hath told a lie against his brother:

19 woahe to si wòbu be woahe na ame kemɛ la hafi la na eya ŋutɔ boŋ. To mɔ sia dzi, eye nàɖe nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ ɖa le mia dome.

They shall render to him as he meant to do to his brother, and thou shalt take away the evil out of the midst of thee:

20 “Ekema ame siwo asee la avɔ̃ na aʋatsoɖaseɖiɖi.

That others hearing may fear, and may not dare to do such things.

21 Mègakpɔ nublanui na aʋatsoɖasefo aɖeke o. Le nya sia tɔgbiwo me la, se si dzi nàkpɔe nye: agbe ɖe agbe teƒe, ŋku ɖe ŋku teƒe, aɖu ɖe aɖu teƒe, asi ɖe asi teƒe, afɔ ɖe afɔ teƒe.”

Thou shalt not pity him, but shalt require life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.