Amanani 35
1 Ngasemagcekeni aseMowabi kusekele umfula uJodani nganeno malungana leJerikho, uThixo wathi kuMosi,
Yahweh told this to Moses/me [while the Israeli people were] on the plain in the Moab region near the Jordan [River], across from Jericho:
2 “Laya abako-Israyeli ukuthi bakhethe elifeni labo amadolobho bawanike abaLevi ukuze bahlale kuwo. Njalo babanike lamadlelo eduze lamadolobho lawo.
“Tell the Israeli people that from the land that they will receive, they must give to the descendants of Levi some cities in which they can live. They must also give them some land around these cities.
3 Ngalokho bazakuba lamadolobho okuhlala kanye lamadlelo enkomo zabo, imihlambi yezimvu kanye leyezinye izifuyo zabo zonke.
Those will be for the descendants of Levi to live in, and around the cities will be land for their cattle and flocks of sheep and goats and other animals.
4 Amadlelo azingelezele amadolobho elizawanika abaLevi, azakuba zingalo eziyinkulungwane ukuqhela kwawo kusukela emidulini yamadolobho.
“The land that you give them for their animals must extend out for (1,500 feet/450 meters) from the walls of the cities.
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.”
Also measure (3,000 feet/900 meters) in each direction out from the walls of each city. That additional land will be land for their animals outside the walls of the cities.”
6 “Phakathi kwamadolobho elizawanika abaLevi, ayisithupha azakuba ngawokuphephela, yikho lapho okuzakuthi umuntu angabulala omunye abalekele khona. Phezu kwalawo, bapheni amanye amadolobho angamatshumi amane lamabili.
“Six of the cities that you give to the descendants of Levi will be cities to which people [can run] to be safe. If someone [accidentally] kills someone else, the one who killed that person may run to one of those cities to be safe.
7 Wonke esehlangene abaLevi bapheni amadolobho angamatshumi amane lasificaminwembili, kuhlanganisa lamadlelo abo.
You must also give to the descendants of Levi 42 other cities and the land around those cities, for their animals,
8 Amadolobho eliwanika abaLevi elizweni labako-Israyeli kawabiwe ngokuya ngelifa lesizwana ngasinye: Thathani amadolobho amanengi esizwaneni esilamadolobho amanengi, kodwa lithathe amalutshwana kwesilamalutshwana.”
The Israeli tribes that have the most people must give them more cities than the tribes that have fewer people give. Each tribe must give some of its cities to the descendants of Levi, but the tribes that have more land must give more cities, and the tribes that have less land will give fewer cities.”
9 Ngakho uThixo wasesithi kuMosi:
Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
10 “Khuluma labako-Israyeli njalo ubatshele uthi: ‘Ekuchapheni kwenu uJodani lingena eKhenani,
“Tell this to the Israeli people: When you cross the Jordan [River] and enter the Canaan [region],
11 khethani amanye amadolobho abe ngawokuphephela, lapho okuzakuthi nxa umuntu ebulele omunye ngengozi abalekele khona.
you must choose some cities to which people can run to be safe/protected. If someone kills another person (accidentally/without planning to do that), the one who killed that person may run to one of those cities and be safe.
12 Azakuba zindawo zokuphephela ukuzivikela kwabaphindiselayo, ukuze kuthi lowo owetheswa icala lokubulala angafi engakathonisiswa phambi kwebandla.
One of the relatives of the person who was killed may think he must avenge his relative’s death [by killing the murderer]. But in that city, the killer will be safe [because the people in that city would kill those relatives if they tried to get revenge there]. The man who killed someone accidentally [must] be put on trial in a court.
13 Amadolobho ayisithupha la elibapha wona azakuba ngamadolobho enu okuphephela.
You must set apart six cities to be cities to which someone who killed another person accidentally may run and be safe.
14 Bapheni amathathu ngakulelicele lomfula uJodani kuthi amathathu abe ngamadolobho okuphephela eKhenani.
There must be three of those cities on the east side of the Jordan [River] and three that will be [on the west side], in the Canaan region.
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.
Those six cities will be cities where Israeli people may run to and be safe, and where foreigners and other people who are living among you can also run to and be safe. Any of those people who accidentally kills someone may run to one of those cities [and be safe/protected there].
16 Nxa indoda itshaya umuntu ngento eyinsimbi afe, ingumbulali; umbulali kumele abulawe.
“But [you must consider that] anyone who kills another person with an iron weapon or with a big rock or with a piece of wood, is a murderer, and the one who killed the other person must be executed.
17 Kumbe nxa omunye ephethe ilitshe abesetshaya omunye afe, ungumbulali; umbulali kumele abulawe.
18 Njalo nxa omunye ephethe ulutho oluyisigodo abesetshaya omunye afe, ungumbulali; umbulali kumele abulawe.
19 Umphindiseli wegazi kumele ambulale umbulali; nxa ehlangana laye, kumele ambulale.
A relative of the person who was murdered must be the one who executes the murderer as soon as he finds him.
20 Loba ngubani olomona ohlezi eqophile engafuqa omunye loba amjikijele ngolutho oluthile ngabomo kubangele ukufa kwakhe
If someone shoves another person [over a cliff] or throws something at another person
21 loba kuthi ngolaka amtshaye ngenqindi afe, lowomuntu kumele abulawe; ungumbulali. Umphindiseli wegazi kumele abulale umbulali nxa ehlangana laye.
or hits that person with his hand/fist and causes that person to die, if he did it because he hated that person, then you must consider that he is a murderer, and must be executed. A relative of the person who was killed must be the one who executes the murderer as soon as he finds him.
22 Kodwa nxa kungayisikho ngolaka, umuntu aqabuke esefuqe omunye loba amjikijele ngolutho engaqondile
“But someone might accidentally shove someone else, or accidentally throw something at another person and hit him, not because he hates that person.
23 loba engamboni, amgxobe ngelitshe elingambulala, afe, ngakho njengoba engasisositha sakhe njalo engaqondanga ukumlimaza,
Or he might drop a rock on someone that he did not see. If the one who does that does not plan to hurt anyone and does not hate the person that was killed,
24 ibandla kumele lahlulele phakathi kwakhe lomphindiseli wegazi kulandelwa lezi zimiso.
the people of that city must decide whether the relative of the dead person [has the right to get revenge], or whether the one who killed the other person [truly did it (accidentally/without planning to do it)].
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.
[If they decide that the killer planned to kill the other person, they must not allow him to stay in their city. But if they decide that it was done accidentally], they must protect the killer from being killed by the dead person’s relative. They must send the killer to one of the cities where he will be safe/protected, and allow him to stay there until the Supreme Priest dies. [After that, the killer may go back to his home, because the dead person’s relative no longer has the right to get revenge].
26 Kodwa lowo owetheswa icala angaba ngaphandle kwedolobho lokuphephela lelo ayabe ebalekele kulo
“But [while the Supreme Priest is still living], the person who is in that safe city must not leave that city.
27 kuthi umphindiseli wegazi amfumane ngaphandle kwalelodolobho, umphindiseli wegazi angambulala lowo owetheswe icala kodwa angabi lacala lokubulala.
If he goes outside the city, and if a relative of the dead person finds him, that relative is permitted to kill that person, [and people will not consider that the relative is guilty of murder.]
28 Owetheswe icala kumele ahlale edolobheni lakhe lokuphephela kuze kufe umphristi omkhulu; uzaze abuyele emzini wakhe kuphela nxa umphristi omkhulu esefile.
The killer must stay in that city where he will be safe/protected until the Supreme Priest dies. [He will be safe from revenge after that, because the death of the Supreme Priest will be considered to be a sacrifice to atone for that murder]. After that, the killer may return to his home.
29 Le kumele kube yimithetho yesimiso kini lakuzizukulwane ezizayo, loba kungaphi lapho elizahlala khona.
“You must always obey those regulations, wherever you live.
30 Loba ngubani obulala umuntu kumele abulawe njengombulali ngobufakazi balabo abayabe bebonile kuphela. Kodwa akungabikho loyedwa ozabulawa ngobufakazi bofakazi oyedwa.
“If someone [is accused of] killing another person, the one who is accused may be executed only if there are people who saw him do it. There must be more than one witness; no one is permitted to be executed if there was only one (witness/person who saw him do it).
31 Lingemukeli inhlawulo yokuhlenga impilo yombulali, yena kumele afe, loba kutheni kabulawe.
“If there is a murderer who truly should be executed, do not [spare his life by] accepting (a ransom/money for him not to be killed). He must be executed.
32 Lingemukeli inhlawulo yokuhlenga loba ngubani obalekele edolobheni lokuphephela libe selimvumela ukuba abuyele ukuyahlala emzini wakhe umphristi omkhulu engakafi.
“If someone has run to a city where he will be safe/protected, do not allow him to give you money in order that you will permit him to return to his home before the Supreme Priest dies.
33 Lingalingcolisi ilizwe lelo elihlala kulo. Ukuchitha igazi kungcolisa ilizwe, njalo indlela yokubuyisana ingeke yenzelwe lapho okuchithwe khona igazi, ngaphandle kwegazi lalowo olichithileyo.
“You must execute people who truly murder others. If you did not do that, you would be causing the people who live in the land to become unacceptable to me. Anyone who deliberately kills an innocent person must be executed.
34 Lingalingcolisi ilizwe elihlezi kilo kanye lalapho engihlala khona, ngoba Mina, Thixo, ngihlala phakathi kwabako-Israyeli.’”
I am Yahweh, and I live among you Israelis, so do not spoil/pollute the land by allowing people to murder others without being punished.”
