UDutheronomi 15

1 Ekupheleni kweminyaka yonke eyisikhombisa uzakwenza inkululeko.

Every seven years you shall make a release.

2 Njalo le yindlela yenkululeko: Wonke umkweledisi oweboleka umakhelwane wakhe uzakhulula isikwelede; kayikusibamba ngamandla kumakhelwane wakhe kumbe kumfowabo, ngoba kumenyezelwe inkululeko eNkosini.

And this [is] the ordinance of the release: you shall remit every private debt which your neighbour owes you, and you shall not ask payment of it from your brother; for it has been called a release to the Lord your God.

3 Kowezizweni uzasibamba ngamandla; kodwa lokho okwakho okukumfowenu isandla sakho sizakukhulula;

Of a stranger you shall ask again whatever he has of your, but to your brother you shall remit his debt to you.

4 ukuze kungabi lomyanga phakathi kwakho; ngoba iNkosi izakubusisa lokukubusisa elizweni iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunika lona ukuthi libe yilifa ukudla ilifa lalo,

For [thus] there shall not be a poor person in the midst of you, for the Lord your God will surely bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you by inheritance, that you should inherit it.

5 kuphela uba ulalela lokulalela ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ugcine ukuyenza limithetho yonke engikulaya yona lamuhla.

And if you shall indeed listen to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep and do all these commandments, as many as I charge you this day,

6 Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho izakubusisa njengokuthembisa kwayo kuwe. Njalo uzakweboleka izizwe ezinengi, kodwa wena kawuyikweboleka kuzo; uzabusa izizwe ezinengi, kodwa wena kaziyikukubusa.

(for the Lord your God has blessed you in the way of which he spoke to you, ) then you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.

7 Uba kukhona phakathi kwakho umyanga ongomunye wabafowenu, kwelinye lamasango akho, elizweni lakho, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekunika lona, ungenzi lukhuni inhliziyo yakho, ungamvaleli umfowenu ongumyanga isandla sakho,

And if there shall be in the midst of you a poor [man] of your brethren in one of your cities in the land, which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, neither shall you by any means close up your hand from your brother who is in lack.

8 kodwa uzamvulela lokumvulela isandla sakho, umeboleke lokumeboleka okwanela ukuswela kwakhe, lokho akuswelayo.

You shall surely open your hands to him, and shall lend to him as much as he wants according to his need.

9 Ziqaphele hlezi kube khona ilizwi enhliziyweni yakho embi lisithi: Umnyaka wesikhombisa, umnyaka wenkululeko useduze; lelihlo lakho libe libi limelane lomfowenu ongumyanga, ukuze ungamniki, abesekhala ngawe eNkosini, njalo kube yisono kuwe.

Take heed to yourself that there be not a secret thing in your heart, an iniquity, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, draws near; and your eye shall be evil to your brother that is in lack, and you shall not give to him, and he shall cry against you to the Lord, and there shall be great sin in you.

10 Umnike lokumnika, lenhliziyo yakho ingadani nxa umnika; ngoba ngenxa yalinto iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho izakubusisa emsebenzini wonke wakho lakukho konke obeka kukho isandla sakho.

You shall surely give to him, and you shall lend him as much as he wants, according as he is in need; and you shall not grudge in your heart as you give to him, because on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your works, and in all things on which you shall lay your hand.

11 Ngoba umyanga kayikuphela phakathi kwelizwe. Ngakho ngiyakulaya ngithi: Uzamvulela kakhulu isandla sakho umfowenu, umyanga wakho, loswelayo wakho, elizweni lakho.

For the poor shall not fail off your land, therefore I charge you to do this thing, saying, You shall surely open your hands to your poor brother, and to him that is distressed upon your land.

12 Uba umfowenu, umHebheru loba umHebherukazi, ethengiswa kuwe, akusebenzele iminyaka eyisithupha, ngakho ngomnyaka wesikhombisa uzamyekela ukuthi ahambe ekhululekile asuke kuwe.

And if your brother [or sister], a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, be sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall send him out free from you.

13 Lalapho umyekela ukuthi ahambe ekhululekile esuka kuwe, ungamyekeli ukuthi ahambe engaphathanga lutho;

And when you shall send him out free from you, you shall not send him out empty.

14 uzamnakekela lokumnakekela ezimvini zakho, lokwebala lokubhulela lakho, lokwesikhamelo sakho sewayini; kulokho iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ekubusise ngakho uzamupha.

You shall give him provision for the way from your flock, and from your corn, and from your wine; as the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.

15 Njalo uzakhumbula ukuthi wawuyisigqili elizweni leGibhithe, lokuthi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho yakuhlenga. Ngalokho ngiyakulaya linto lamuhla.

And you shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from thence; therefore I charge you to do this thing.

16 Kodwa kuzakuthi, uba esithi kuwe: Kangiyikusuka kuwe, ngoba ethanda wena lendlu yakho, ngoba kulungile kuye elawe,

And if he should say to you, I will not go out from you, because he continues to love you and your house, because he is well with you;

17 uzathatha usungulo, ubhobozele indlebe yakhe ngalo esivalweni, ukuze abe yisigqili sakho laphakade. Lakuso isigqilikazi sakho wenze njalo.

then you shall take an awl, and bore his ear through to the door, and he shall be your servant for ever; and in like manner shall you do to your maidservant.

18 Kakungabi lukhuni emehlweni akho nxa umyekela ehamba ekhululekile kuwe; ngoba ngokuphindwe kabili kweholo lesiqatshwa ukusebenzele iminyaka eyisithupha. Ngakho iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho izakubusisa kukho konke okwenzayo.

It shall not seem hard to you when they are sent out free from you, because [your servant] has served you six years according to the annual hire of a hireling; so the Lord your God shall bless you in all things whatever you may do.

19 Wonke amazibulo azazalwa enkomeni zakho lezimvini zakho, amaduna, uzawangcwelisela iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho; kawuyikusebenza ngezibulo lejongosi lakho, futhi kawuyikugunda izibulo lezimvu zakho.

Every firstborn that shall be born amongst your kine and your sheep, you shall sanctify the males to the Lord your God; you shall not work with your firstborn calf, and you shall not shear the firstborn of your sheep.

20 Phambi kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho uzalidla, umnyaka ngomnyaka, endaweni iNkosi ezayikhetha, wena lendlu yakho.

You shall eat it before the Lord year by year in the place which the Lord your God shall choose, you and your house.

21 Kodwa uba kulesici kulo, liqhula, loba liyisiphofu, loba lilasiphi isici esibi, ungalihlabeli iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho.

And if there be in it a blemish, if it be lame or blind, an evil blemish, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.

22 Uzalidla phakathi kwamasango akho, ongahlambulukanga lohlambulukileyo bazalidla bendawonye, njengomziki lanjengendluzele.

You shall eat it in your cities; the unclean in you and the clean shall eat it in like manner, as the doe or the stag.

23 Kuphela igazi lalo ungalidli; ulichithele emhlabathini njengamanzi.

Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth as water.