UDutheronomi 19
1 “Kuzakuthi lapho uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu esebhubhise izizwe zelizwe lelo alinika lona, futhi lani selizixotshile njalo lahlala emadolobheni kanye lasezindlini zazo,
WHEN the Lord thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
2 kulapho-ke eselingazikhethela amadolobho amathathu enkabazwe yelizwe lelo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona ukuba libe ngelenu.
Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3 Yakhani imigwaqo eqonda kuwo njalo lehlukanise ilizwe lelo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinike lona njengelifa lenu libe yizigaba ezintathu, ukuze kuthi loba ngubani obulala umuntu abalekele khona.
Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
4 Lesi yisimiso maqondana lomuntu obulala omunye abesebalekela khona ukuze asindise impilo yakhe, lowo obulala umakhelwane wakhe engakunxwanelanga ngomona njalo engamqophanga.
And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;
5 Njengokuthi, umuntu angaya egangeni ukuyagamula inkuni lomakhelwane wakhe, kuthi lapho egamula isihlahla ngehloka lakhe, ihloka likhumuke emphinini litshaye umakhelwane wakhe afe. Lowomuntu angabalekela kwelinye lamadolobho lawo ukuze asindise impilo yakhe.
As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
6 Phela kungenzeka ukuthi umphindiseli wegazi axotshane lombulali ngentukuthelo, amfice nxa umango umude kakhulu, ambulale lanxa lowombulali ubengafanelanga ukufa, ngoba engambulalanga ngabomo langenxa yenzondo umakhelwane wakhe.
Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
7 Yikho-nje ngilaye ukuthi lizehlukanisele amadolobho amathathu.
Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
8 Nxa uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu angaqhelisa isabelo senu njengokuthembisa kwakhe okhokho benu ngesifungo, aliphe lonke ilizwe abathembisa lona,
And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
9 ngoba lilandela ngokunanzelela yonke imithetho engililaya yona lamuhla, ukuthanda uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu lokuhamba kokuphela ngezindlela zakhe, kufanele ukuthi likhethe amanye njalo amadolobho amathathu.
If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
10 Kwenzeni lokhu ukuze kungachitheki igazi elingelacala elizweni lenu, lelo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona njengelifa lenu, njalo lokuthi lingabi lecala lokuchitha igazi.
That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
11 Kodwa nxa umuntu emzonda umakhelwane wakhe, amcathamele, amtshaye ambulale, abesebalekela kwelinye lamadolobho la,
But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
12 abakhokheli bedolobho lakibo bazamthumela abantu, bamlande kulelodolobho babuye laye, bamnikele kumphindiseli wegazi ukuba afe.
Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
13 Lingamzweli isihawu. Kufanele liqede ububi bokuchitha igazi elingelacala ko-Israyeli ukuze kulilungele.
Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
14 Lingabosusa izikhonkwane zomngcele wendawo kamakhelwane wenu ezabethelwa ngabalandulelayo kulo ilifa eliliphiwa elizweni uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona ukuba libe ngelenu.”
Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
15 “Ufakazi oyedwa angeke afakaze kwanele ukuthi umuntu olomlandu wokwenza loba licala bani etheswe icala. Indaba ingaqiniswa ngofakazi ababili loba abathathu.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
16 Nxa ufakazi wamanga emelana lendoda eyetheswa icala,
If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
17 amadoda la womabili axabeneyo afanele ukuthi ame phambi kukaThixo phambi kwabaphristi kanye labehluleli abayabe besesikhundleni ngalesosikhathi.
Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;
18 Abahluleli kumele bachwayisise ngokupheleleyo kuthi lapho bangafumana ukuthi ufakazi uqamba amanga, esipha ubufakazi bamanga ngomzalwane wakhe,
And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
19 lizakwenza kuye khonokho abehlose ukukwenza kumzalwane wakhe. Kumele liqede ububi phakathi kwenu.
Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
20 Abanye bonke abantu bazakuzwa ngalokhu besabe, ngakho akusayikwenziwa futhi phakathi kwenu ububi obunjalo.
And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
21 Lingabi lozwelo: ukuphila akwenanwe yikuphila, ilihlo ngelihlo, izinyo ngezinyo, isandla ngesandla, unyawo ngonyawo.”
And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
