Deuteronomii 15

1 Septimo anno facies remissionem,

At the end of every seven years there is to be a general forgiveness of debt.

2 quae hoc ordine celebrabitur. Cui debetur aliquid ab amico vel proximo ac fratre suo, repetere non poterit, quia annus remissionis est Domini.

This is how it is to be done: every creditor is to give up his right to whatever he has let his neighbour have; he is not to make his neighbour, his countryman, give it back; because a general forgiveness has been ordered by the Lord.

3 A peregrino et advena exiges: civem et propinquum repetendi non habebis potestatem.

A man of another nation may be forced to make payment of his debt, but if your brother has anything of yours, let it go;

4 Et omnino indigens et mendicus non erit inter vos: ut benedicat tibi Dominus Deus tuus in terra, quam traditurus est tibi in possessionem.

But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will certainly give you his blessing in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage;

5 Si tamen audieris vocem Domini Dei tui, et custodieris universa quae iussit, et quae ego hodie praecipio tibi, benedicet tibi, ut pollicitus est.

If only you give ear to the voice of the Lord your God, and take care to keep all these orders which I give you today.

6 Foenerabis gentibus multis, et ipse a nullo accipies mutuum. Dominaberis nationibus plurimis, et tui nemo dominabitur.

For the Lord your God will give you his blessing as he has said: you will let other nations have the use of your money, but you will not make use of theirs; you will be rulers over a number of nations, but they will not be your rulers.

7 Si unus de fratribus tuis, qui morantur intra portas civitatis tuae in terra, quam Dominus Deus tuus daturus est tibi, ad paupertatem devenerit: non obdurabis cor tuum, nec contrahes manum,

If in any of your towns in the land which the Lord your God is giving you, there is a poor man, one of your countrymen, do not let your heart be hard or your hand shut to him;

8 sed aperies eam pauperi, et dabis mutuum, quo eum indigere perspexeris.

But let your hand be open to give him the use of whatever he is in need of.

9 Cave ne forte subrepat tibi impia cogitatio, et dicas in corde tuo: Appropinquat septimus annus remissionis; et avertas oculos tuos a paupere fratre tuo, nolens ei quod postulat mutuum commodare: ne clamet contra te ad Dominum, et fiat tibi in peccatum.

And see that there is no evil thought in your heart, moving you to say to yourself, The seventh year, the year of forgiveness is near; and so looking coldly on your poor countryman you give him nothing; and he will make an outcry to the Lord against you, and it will be judged as sin in you.

10 Sed dabis ei: nec ages quippiam callide in eius necessitatibus sublevandis: ut benedicat tibi Dominus Deus tuus in omni tempore, et in cunctis ad quae manum miseris.

But it is right for you to give to him, without grief of heart: for because of this, the blessing of the Lord your God will be on all your work and on everything to which you put your hand.

11 Non deerunt pauperes in terra habitationis tuae: idcirco ego praecipio tibi ut aperias manum fratri tuo egeno et pauperi, qui tecum versatur in terra.

For there will never be a time when there are no poor in the land; and so I give orders to you, Let your hand be open to your countrymen, to those who are poor and in need in your land.

12 Cum tibi venditus fuerit frater tuus Hebraeus, aut Hebraea, et sex annis servierit tibi, in septimo anno dimittes eum liberum:

If one of your countrymen, a Hebrew man or woman, becomes your servant for a price and does work for you six years, in the seventh year let him go free.

13 et quem libertate donaveris, nequaquam vacuum abire patieris:

And when you make him free, do not let him go away with nothing in his hands:

14 sed dabis viaticum de gregibus, et de area, et torculari tuo, quibus Dominus Deus tuus benedixerit tibi.

But give him freely from your flock and from your grain and your wine: in the measure of the wealth which the Lord your God has given you, you are to give to him.

15 Memento quod et ipse servieris in Terra Aegypti, et liberaverit te Dominus Deus tuus, et idcirco ego nunc praecipio tibi.

And keep in mind that you yourself were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God made you free: so I give you this order today.

16 Sin autem dixerit: Nolo egredi: eo quod diligat te, et domum tuam, et bene sibi apud te esse sentiat:

But if he says to you, I have no desire to go away from you; because you and your family are dear to him and he is happy with you;

17 assumes subulam, et perforabis aurem eius in ianua domus tuae, et serviet tibi usque in aeternum. ancillae quoque similiter facies.

Then take a sharp-pointed instrument, driving it through his ear into the door, and he will be your servant for ever. And you may do the same for your servant-girl.

18 Non avertas ab eis oculos tuos, quando dimiseris eos liberos: quoniam iuxta mercedem mercenarii per sex annos servivit tibi: ut benedicat tibi Dominus Deus tuus in cunctis operibus quae agis.

Let it not seem hard to you that you have to send him away free; for he has been working for you for six years, which is twice the regular time for a servant: and the blessing of the Lord your God will be on you in everything you do.

19 De primogenitis, quae nascuntur in armentis, et in ovibus tuis, quidquid est sexus masculini, sanctificabis Domino Deo tuo. Non operaberis in primogenito bovis, et non tondebis primogenita ovium.

All the first males to come to birth in your herd and your flock are to be holy to the Lord your God: the first birth of your ox is not to be used for work, the wool of your first lamb is not to be cut.

20 In conspectu Domini Dei tui comedes ea per annos singulos in loco, quem elegerit Dominus, tu et domus tua.

But year by year you and all your house are to take a meal of it before the Lord, in the place of his selection.

21 Sin autem habuerit maculam, vel claudum fuerit, vel caecum, aut in aliqua parte deforme vel debile, non immolabitur Domino Deo tuo.

But if it has any mark on it, if it is blind or has damaged legs, or if there is anything wrong with it, it may not be offered to the Lord your God.

22 sed intra portas urbis tuae comedes illud: tam mundus quam immundus similiter vescentur eis quasi caprea, et cervo.

It may be used for food in your houses: the unclean and the clean may take of it, as of the gazelle and the roe.

23 Hoc solum observabis, ut sanguinem eorum non comedas, sed effundes in terram quasi aquam.

Only do not take its blood for food, but let it be drained out on the earth like water.