ULevi 25

1 UThixo wathi kuMosi entabeni iSinayi,

Then the LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,

2 “Khuluma ebantwini bako-Israyeli uthi kubo: ‘Lapho lingena elizweni engizalinika lona, ilizwe lona ngokwalo kumele ligcinele uThixo iSabatha.

“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD.

3 Hlanyelani amasimu enu okweminyaka eyisithupha, kuthi kweminye iminyaka eyisithupha lithene amavini enu.

For six years you may sow your field and prune your vineyard and gather its crops.

4 Kodwa ngomnyaka wesikhombisa ilizwe kalibe leSabatha lokuphumula, iSabatha likaThixo. Lingahlanyeli amasimu enu loba lithene izihlahla ezivinini zenu.

But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land—a Sabbath to the LORD. You are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard.

5 Lingavuni imkhukhuzela kumbe likhe izithelo zamavini angalungiselwanga, ilizwe libe lomnyaka wokuphumula.

You are not to reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your untended vines. The land must have a year of complete rest.

6 Lokho okuzathelwa yilizwe ngomnyaka wesabatha kuzakuba yikudla kwenu, lokwezinceku lezincekukazi zenu, lokwezisebenzi eziqhatshiweyo kanye labemzini abahlala lani,

Whatever the land yields during the Sabbath year shall be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, the hired hand or foreigner who stays with you,

7 kanye lokwezifuyo zenu lezinyamazana zeganga elizweni lenu. Konke okuthelwa yilizwe kakudliwe.’”

and for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. All its growth may serve as food.

8 “‘Balani amasabatha ayisikhombisa eminyaka, iminyaka eyisikhombisa iphindwe kasikhombisa ukuze amasabatha eminyaka eyisikhombisa abe yisibanga seminyaka engamatshumi amane lesificamunwemunye.

And you shall count off seven Sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that the seven Sabbaths of years amount to forty-nine years.

9 Lapho-ke akutshaywe uphondo ezindaweni zonke ngosuku lwetshumi lwenyanga yesikhombisa; kuthi ngosuku lokuBuyisana kutshaywe uphondo kulolonke ilizwe lenu.

Then you are to sound the horn far and wide on the tenth day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement. You shall sound it throughout your land.

10 Umnyaka wamatshumi amahlanu wenzeni ube ngcwele, limemezele inkululeko elizweni lonke kubo bonke abahlezi kulo. Uzakuba lijubhili kini. Lowo lalowo wenu kuzamele abuyele emzini wakwabo, esizweni sakibo.

So you are to consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be your Jubilee, when each of you is to return to his property and to his clan.

11 Umnyaka wamatshumi amahlanu uzakuba lijubhili kini. Lingahlanyeli lutho, njalo lingavuni imikhukhuzela kumbe likhe izithelo zamavini angalungiselwanga.

The fiftieth year will be a Jubilee for you; you are not to sow the land or reap its aftergrowth or harvest the untended vines.

12 Ngoba uliJubhili, uzakuba ngcwele kini; dlanini kuphela lokho elikuthethe emasimini.

For it is a Jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You may eat only the crops taken directly from the field.

13 Ngalo umnyaka weJubhili, umuntu wonke kuzamele abuyele emzini wakwabo.

In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his own property.

14 Nxa uthengisela umuntu welizwe lakini isiqinti, kumbe usithenga kuye, lingaqilibezelani.

If you make a sale to your neighbor or a purchase from him, you must not take advantage of each other.

15 Nxa uthenga emuntwini welizwe lakini kuzakuya ngokuthi mingaki iminyaka eseyadlulayo emva kweJubhili. Yena uzakuthengisela ngokuthi mingaki iminyaka eseleyo ukuthi kuvunwe amabele.

You are to buy from your neighbor according to the number of years since the last Jubilee; he is to sell to you according to the number of harvest years remaining.

16 Nxa iminyaka iminengi uzakhweza intengo, kuthi nxa iminyaka imilutshwana wehlise intengo, ngoba okuyikho akuthengisela khona linani lezivuno zamabele.

You shall increase the price in proportion to a greater number of years, or decrease it in proportion to a lesser number of years; for he is selling you a given number of harvests.

17 Lingaqilibezelani; kodwa mesabeni uNkulunkulu wenu. NginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.

Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God; for I am the LORD your God.

18 Gcinani izimiso zami, lilalele imithetho yami ngokunanzelela ukuze lihlale livikelekile elizweni.

You are to keep My statutes and carefully observe My judgments, so that you may dwell securely in the land.

19 Ilizwe lizathela izithelo zalo, lina lidle lisuthe, lihlale kulo livikelekile.

Then the land will yield its fruit, so that you can eat your fill and dwell in safety in the land.

20 Lingabuza lithi, “Pho sizakudlani ngomnyaka wesikhombisa nxa singahlanyeli kumbe sivune amabele ethu na?”

Now you may wonder, ‘What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not sow or gather our produce?’

21 Mina ngizalilethela isibusiso ngomnyaka wesithupha, ilizwe lithele izithelo zeminyaka emithathu.

But I will send My blessing upon you in the sixth year, so that the land will yield a crop sufficient for three years.

22 Lapho selilima ngomnyaka wesificaminwembili lizakube lisidla amabele amadala, liqhubeke lisidla wona kuze kufike isivuno somnyaka wesificamunwemunye.

While you are sowing in the eighth year, you will be eating from the previous harvest, until the ninth year’s harvest comes in.

23 Ilizwe akumelanga lithengiswe kuze kube nininini, ngoba ilizwe ngelami njalo lihlala elizweni lami njengabezizweni.

The land must not be sold permanently, because it is Mine, and you are but foreigners and residents with Me.

24 Kulolonke ilizwe elingelenu, lungiselani ukuthi wonke umhlaba owathengwayo uhlengwe.

Thus for every piece of property you possess, you must provide for the redemption of the land.

25 Nxa omunye wakini esebe ngumyanga eseze ethengisa okunye kwempahla yakhe, isihlobo sakhe kasisize sihlenge lokho osekuthengiswe ngumuntu wakibo.

If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his nearest of kin may come and redeem what his brother has sold.

26 Kodwa-ke nxa umuntu engelaye ongamhlengela khona, abesebuya enotha yena ngokwakhe azuze okwanele ukuthi azihlengele,

Or if a man has no one to redeem it for him, but he prospers and acquires enough to redeem his land,

27 kabale imali elingana leminyaka leyo kusukela impahla leyo ithengisiwe, abuyisele imali esalayo kulowomuntu ayemthengisele, abesethatha impahla yakhe.

he shall calculate the years since its sale, repay the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and return to his property.

28 Kodwa-ke nxa engelamali eyaneleyo yokuyibuyisa leyompahla ayithengisayo, kayihlale kulowo owayithengayo kuze kufike umnyaka weJubhili. Izabuyiselwa kuye ngeJubhili, kulapho-ke azayithatha khona impahla yakhe.

But if he cannot obtain enough to repay him, what he sold will remain in possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. In the Jubilee, however, it is to be released, so that he may return to his property.

29 Nxa umuntu ethengisa indlu edolobheni elihonqolozelwe ngomthangala ulelungelo lokuyihlenga emva komnyaka ithengisiwe. Phakathi kwalesosikhathi angayihlenga.

If a man sells a house in a walled city, he retains his right of redemption until a full year after its sale; during that year it may be redeemed.

30 Nxa ingahlengwanga kuze kuphele umnyaka ogcweleyo, indlu esedolobheni elihonqolozelwe ngomthangala izakuba ngeyalowo owayithengayo, ibe ngeyakhe kokuphela lowo owayithengayo kanye lezizukulwane zakhe. Kayiyikubuyiselwa kowayengumniniyo ngeJubhili.

If it is not redeemed by the end of a full year, then the house in the walled city is permanently transferred to its buyer and his descendants. It is not to be released in the Jubilee.

31 Kodwa izindlu ezisemizini engahonqolozelwanga zizabalwa njengeganga elingelalutho. Kazihlengwe, njalo kumele zibuyiselwe kubanikazi ngeJubhili.

But houses in villages with no walls around them are to be considered as open fields. They may be redeemed, and they shall be released in the Jubilee.

32 AmaLevi ahlezi elelungelo lokuhlenga izindlu zawo emadolobheni angawamaLevi.

As for the cities of the Levites, the Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the cities they possess.

33 Ngakho-ke, impahla yamaLevi iyahlengeka, lokhu kutsho indlu ethengiswe loba kukuliphi idolobho elingelabo, kumele ibuyiselwe ngeJubhili, ngoba izindlu ezisemadolobheni amaLevi zililifa lawo ebantwini labako-Israyeli.

So whatever belongs to the Levites may be redeemed—a house sold in a city they possess—and must be released in the Jubilee, because the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the Israelites.

34 Kodwa amadlelo angaphandle kwamadolobho awo akumelanga athengiswe ngoba ayilifa lawo kuze kube nininini.

But the open pastureland around their cities may not be sold, for this is their permanent possession.

35 Nxa omunye wabantu bakini esiba ngumyanga owehluleka ukuziphilisa phakathi kwenu, msizeni njengelingakwenza kowezizweni kumbe ohlezi lani okwesikhatshana, ukuze aqhubeke ehlala lani.

Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you.

36 Akungabi lanzuzo eliyithatha kuye, kodwa mesabeni uNkulunkulu wenu, ukuze umuntu wakini aqhubeke ehlala lani.

Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you.

37 Lingameboleki imali ezalayo kumbe limthengisele ukudla kulenzuzo.

You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit.

38 Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu owalikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe, ukuba ngilinike ilizwe laseKhenani, ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu.

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

39 Nxa omunye wakini ko-Israyeli esiba ngumyanga phakathi kwenu aze azithengise kuwe, ungamsebenzisi njengesigqili.

If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor.

40 Kumele umphathe njengesisebenzi esiqhatshiweyo kumbe umuntu ohlezi okwesikhatshana phakathi kwenu. Kakusebenzele kuze kufike umnyaka weJubhili.

Let him stay with you as a hired worker or temporary resident; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee.

41 Lapho-ke yena labantwabakhe bazakhululwa, babuyele kwabosendo lwakibo lemfuyweni yabokhokho babo.

Then he and his children are to be released, and he may return to his clan and to the property of his fathers.

42 Ngenxa yokuthi abako-Israyeli bazinceku zami engazikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe, akumelanga bathengiswe njengezigqili.

Because the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, they are not to be sold as slaves.

43 Ungababusi ngochuku, kodwa mesabe uNkulunkulu wakho.

You are not to rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God.

44 Iziqgili zenu zesilisa lezesifazane zizavela ezizweni ezilihonqolezeleyo; kuzo yikho lapho elingathenga khona izigqili.

Your menservants and maidservants shall come from the nations around you, from whom you may purchase them.

45 Lingathenga lezakhamizi ezihlezi phakathi kwenu okwesikhatshana, labomndeni wazo abazalelwa elizweni lenu.

You may also purchase them from the foreigners residing among you or their clans living among you who are born in your land. These may become your property.

46 Lingabenza babe yilifa labantwabenu, libenze babe yizigqili zabo okwanininini, kodwa akumelanga libuse abako-Israyeli benu ngochuku.

You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But as for your brothers, the Israelites, no man may rule harshly over his brother.

47 Nxa owezizweni, kumbe umuntu ohlezi phakathi kwenu okwesikhatshana enotha, kuthi owakini abe ngumyanga azithengise kowezizweni ohlala phakathi kwenu loba kolilunga lomndeni wezizweni,

If a foreigner residing among you prospers, but your countryman dwelling near him becomes destitute and sells himself to the foreigner or to a member of his clan,

48 ulokhu elalo ilungelo lokuhlengwa emva kokuzithengisa kwakhe. Omunye wezihlobo zakhe angamhlenga.

he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his brothers may redeem him:

49 Umalumakhe kumbe umzawakhe, loba esinye isihlobo somdeni wakhe singamhlenga. Loba nxa enotha, angazihlenga yena ngokwakhe.

either his uncle or cousin or any close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself.

50 Yena lomthengi wakhe kababale isikhathi kusukela ngomnyaka azithengisa ngawo kusiyafika emnyakeni weJubhili. Intengo yokukhululwa kwakhe izakuhambelana lenani elinikwa umuntu oqhatshiweyo okwalesosikhathi seminyaka.

He and his purchaser will then count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale will be determined by the number of years, based on the daily wages of a hired hand.

51 Nxa kusele iminyaka eminengi, kumele ahlawulele ukuhlengwa kwakhe ngentengo eyingxenye enengi yentengo ayethengwe ngawo.

If many years remain, he must pay for his redemption in proportion to his purchase price.

52 Nxa sekusele iminyaka emilutshwana ukuba kufike umnyaka weJubhili, uzabala lokho, akhuphe intengo yokuhlengwa kwakhe okulingana leyominyaka.

If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, he is to calculate and pay his redemption according to his remaining years.

53 Uzabalwa njengomuntu oqhatshiweyo kusukela komunye umnyaka kusiya komunye. Kumele libone ukuthi lowo owamthengayo kambusi ngochuku.

He shall be treated like a man hired from year to year, but a foreign owner must not rule over him harshly in your sight.

54 Nxa engahlengwanga ngenye yalezizindlela, yena labantwabakhe bazakhululwa ngomnyaka weJubhili,

Even if he is not redeemed in any of these ways, he and his children shall be released in the Year of Jubilee.

55 ngoba abako-Israyeli ngabami, bazinceku zami. Bazinceku zami engazikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe. Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.’”

For the Israelites are My servants. They are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.