Amanani 35

1 Ngasemagcekeni aseMowabi kusekele umfula uJodani nganeno malungana leJerikho, uThixo wathi kuMosi,

And the Lord also spoke these things to Moses in the plains of Moab, above the Jordan, opposite Jericho:

2 “Laya abako-Israyeli ukuthi bakhethe elifeni labo amadolobho bawanike abaLevi ukuze bahlale kuwo. Njalo babanike lamadlelo eduze lamadolobho lawo.

“Instruct the sons of Israel, so that they may give to the Levites, from their possessions,

3 Ngalokho bazakuba lamadolobho okuhlala kanye lamadlelo enkomo zabo, imihlambi yezimvu kanye leyezinye izifuyo zabo zonke.

cities as dwelling places, with their surrounding suburbs, so that they may lodge in the towns, and so that the suburbs may be for cattle and beasts of burden.

4 Amadlelo azingelezele amadolobho elizawanika abaLevi, azakuba zingalo eziyinkulungwane ukuqhela kwawo kusukela emidulini yamadolobho.

The suburbs shall extend from the outer walls of the cities, all around, for the space of one thousand steps.

5 Ngempumalanga, ngaphandle kwedolobho, kuzakuba zingalo eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili kube njalo laseningizimu izingalo eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili, entshonalanga izingalo eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili, kufane laseceleni lenyakatho izingalo eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili, idolobho liphakathi laphakathi. Le kuzakuba yindawo yabo yamadlelo emadolobheni.”

Facing the east, there shall be two thousand cubits, and facing the south, similarly, there shall be two thousand cubits. Toward the sea, also, which looks out toward the west, there shall be the same measure, and the northern region shall be bounded by equal limits. And the cities shall be in the center, and the suburbs shall be outside.

6 “Phakathi kwamadolobho elizawanika abaLevi, ayisithupha azakuba ngawokuphephela, yikho lapho okuzakuthi umuntu angabulala omunye abalekele khona. Phezu kwalawo, bapheni amanye amadolobho angamatshumi amane lamabili.

Now, from the towns which you shall give to the Levites, six shall be separated for the assistance of fugitives, so that he who has shed blood may flee to them. And, aside from these, there shall be forty-two other towns,

7 Wonke esehlangene abaLevi bapheni amadolobho angamatshumi amane lasificaminwembili, kuhlanganisa lamadlelo abo.

that is, all together forty-eight with their suburbs.

8 Amadolobho eliwanika abaLevi elizweni labako-Israyeli kawabiwe ngokuya ngelifa lesizwana ngasinye: Thathani amadolobho amanengi esizwaneni esilamadolobho amanengi, kodwa lithathe amalutshwana kwesilamalutshwana.”

And concerning these cities, which shall be given from the possessions of the sons of Israel: from those who have more, more shall be taken, and from those who have less, less shall be taken. Each shall give towns to the Levites according to the measure of their inheritance.”

9 Ngakho uThixo wasesithi kuMosi:

The Lord said to Moses:

10 “Khuluma labako-Israyeli njalo ubatshele uthi: ‘Ekuchapheni kwenu uJodani lingena eKhenani,

“Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: When you will have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11 khethani amanye amadolobho abe ngawokuphephela, lapho okuzakuthi nxa umuntu ebulele omunye ngengozi abalekele khona.

discern which cities ought to be for the protection of fugitives who have shed blood unwillingly.

12 Azakuba zindawo zokuphephela ukuzivikela kwabaphindiselayo, ukuze kuthi lowo owetheswa icala lokubulala angafi engakathonisiswa phambi kwebandla.

And when a fugitive is in these, the kinsman of the deceased shall not be able to kill him, until he stands in the sight of the multitude and his case is judged.

13 Amadolobho ayisithupha la elibapha wona azakuba ngamadolobho enu okuphephela.

Then, among those cities which are separated for relief to fugitives,

14 Bapheni amathathu ngakulelicele lomfula uJodani kuthi amathathu abe ngamadolobho okuphephela eKhenani.

three shall be across the Jordan, and three in the land of Canaan,

15 Amadolobho la ayisithupha azakuba yindawo yokuphephela kwabako-Israyeli, labezizweni kanye labo bonke abantu abahlezi phakathi kwabo, ukuze kuthi loba ngubani obulele omunye ngengozi abalekele khona.

as much for the sons of Israel as for newcomers and sojourners, so that anyone who has shed blood unwillingly may flee to these places.

16 Nxa indoda itshaya umuntu ngento eyinsimbi afe, ingumbulali; umbulali kumele abulawe.

If anyone will have struck someone with iron, and he who was struck will have died, then he shall be guilty of homicide, and he himself shall die.

17 Kumbe nxa omunye ephethe ilitshe abesetshaya omunye afe, ungumbulali; umbulali kumele abulawe.

If he will have thrown a stone, and he who has been struck lies dead, then he shall be punished similarly.

18 Njalo nxa omunye ephethe ulutho oluyisigodo abesetshaya omunye afe, ungumbulali; umbulali kumele abulawe.

If he who has been struck with wood passes away, he shall be avenged by the blood of the one who struck him.

19 Umphindiseli wegazi kumele ambulale umbulali; nxa ehlangana laye, kumele ambulale.

The close relative of the deceased shall put to death the murderer; as soon as he apprehends him, he shall put him to death.

20 Loba ngubani olomona ohlezi eqophile engafuqa omunye loba amjikijele ngolutho oluthile ngabomo kubangele ukufa kwakhe

If, out of hatred, anyone assaults a man, or throws anything at him with ill intent,

21 loba kuthi ngolaka amtshaye ngenqindi afe, lowomuntu kumele abulawe; ungumbulali. Umphindiseli wegazi kumele abulale umbulali nxa ehlangana laye.

or, while being his enemy, strikes him with his hand, and so he has died, the attacker shall be guilty of murder. The kinsman of the deceased, as soon as he finds him, shall cut his throat.

22 Kodwa nxa kungayisikho ngolaka, umuntu aqabuke esefuqe omunye loba amjikijele ngolutho engaqondile

But if by chance, and without hatred

23 loba engamboni, amgxobe ngelitshe elingambulala, afe, ngakho njengoba engasisositha sakhe njalo engaqondanga ukumlimaza,

or animosity, he will have done any of these things,

24 ibandla kumele lahlulele phakathi kwakhe lomphindiseli wegazi kulandelwa lezi zimiso.

and this has been proven in the hearing of the people, and the questions have been aired, between the one who struck and the close relative,

25 Ibandla kumele livikele owetheswa icala lokubulala kumphindiseli wegazi njalo abuyiselwe edolobheni lokuphephela azabe ebalekele kulo. Kumele ahlale khonale kuze kufe umphristi omkhulu, owagcotshwa ngamafutha angcwele.

then the innocent one shall be freed from the hand of the revenger, and he shall be returned by this judgment into the city to which he had fled, and he shall stay there until the high priest, who has been anointed with the holy oil, dies.

26 Kodwa lowo owetheswa icala angaba ngaphandle kwedolobho lokuphephela lelo ayabe ebalekele kulo

If the one who has killed has been found beyond the limits of the cities which have been assigned to the exiled,

27 kuthi umphindiseli wegazi amfumane ngaphandle kwalelodolobho, umphindiseli wegazi angambulala lowo owetheswe icala kodwa angabi lacala lokubulala.

and he has been struck by him who is avenging blood, he who killed him shall not be harmed.

28 Owetheswe icala kumele ahlale edolobheni lakhe lokuphephela kuze kufe umphristi omkhulu; uzaze abuyele emzini wakhe kuphela nxa umphristi omkhulu esefile.

For the fugitive ought to have resided in the city, until the death of the high priest. Then, after he is dead, the one who has killed shall be returned to his own land.

29 Le kumele kube yimithetho yesimiso kini lakuzizukulwane ezizayo, loba kungaphi lapho elizahlala khona.

These things shall be a perpetual ordinance in all your habitations.

30 Loba ngubani obulala umuntu kumele abulawe njengombulali ngobufakazi balabo abayabe bebonile kuphela. Kodwa akungabikho loyedwa ozabulawa ngobufakazi bofakazi oyedwa.

The punishment of a murderer shall be based upon testimony; but no one shall be condemned upon the testimony of only one person.

31 Lingemukeli inhlawulo yokuhlenga impilo yombulali, yena kumele afe, loba kutheni kabulawe.

You shall not accept money from him who is guilty of blood, and he shall be put to death promptly.

32 Lingemukeli inhlawulo yokuhlenga loba ngubani obalekele edolobheni lokuphephela libe selimvumela ukuba abuyele ukuyahlala emzini wakhe umphristi omkhulu engakafi.

Exiles and fugitives, prior to the death of the high priest, are by no means able to be returned to their own cities.

33 Lingalingcolisi ilizwe lelo elihlala kulo. Ukuchitha igazi kungcolisa ilizwe, njalo indlela yokubuyisana ingeke yenzelwe lapho okuchithwe khona igazi, ngaphandle kwegazi lalowo olichithileyo.

Do not pollute the land of your habitation, so as to stain it with the blood of the innocent; neither is it able to be expiated in any way other than by the blood of him who has shed the blood of another.

34 Lingalingcolisi ilizwe elihlezi kilo kanye lalapho engihlala khona, ngoba Mina, Thixo, ngihlala phakathi kwabako-Israyeli.’”

And so shall your possession be cleansed, while I myself am abiding with you. For I am the Lord, who lives among the sons of Israel.”