Torati 19
1 Wakati Bwana Mungu wenu atakapokuwa amewaangamiza mataifa ambayo nchi yao anawapa ninyi, wakati mtakapokuwa mmewafukuza na kuishi katika miji yao na nyumba zao,
When Yhwh thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land Yhwh thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
2 ndipo mtenge miji mitatu iliyopo katikati ya nchi kwa ajili yenu, katika nchi ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa kuimiliki.
Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which Yhwh thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3 Jengeni barabara katika miji hiyo na kuigawa mara tatu, nchi anayowapa Bwana Mungu wenu kama urithi, ili kwamba yeyote amuuaye mtu aweze kukimbilia humo.
Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which Yhwh thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
4 Hii ndiyo kanuni kuhusu mtu amuuaye mwingine na kukimbilia humo kuokoa maisha yake, yaani, yeye amuuaye jirani yake bila kukusudia, wala hakumchukia kabla ya hapo.
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 Kwa mfano, mtu aweza kwenda msituni na jirani yake kukata miti, naye anapozungusha shoka kuangusha mti, shoka linaweza kuchomoka kutoka kwenye mpini na kumpiga jirani yake na kumuua. Yule mtu anaweza kukimbilia katika mmojawapo ya miji hii na kuokoa maisha yake.
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 Kama sivyo, mlipiza kisasi cha damu anaweza kumfuatilia kwa hasira kali, naye akamkamata na kumuua kama umbali ni mrefu sana hata ingawa hastahili kifo, kwa sababu amemuua jirani yake bila kukusudia.
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 Hii ndiyo sababu nimewaagiza ninyi kutenga miji mitatu ya makimbilio kwa ajili yenu.
Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
8 Kama Bwana Mungu wenu akipanua nchi yenu, kama alivyoahidi kwa kiapo kwa baba zenu na kuwapa nchi yote aliyowaahidi,
And if Yhwh 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 kwa sababu mmefuata kwa uangalifu sheria zote ninazowaamuru leo, kumpenda Bwana Mungu wenu na kuenenda siku zote katika njia zake, ndipo mtenge miji mingine, mitatu zaidi.
If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love Yhwh thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
10 Fanyeni hivi ili damu isiyo na hatia isimwagwe katika nchi yenu, ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa kama urithi wenu, ili kwamba msije mkawa na hatia ya kumwaga damu.
That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which Yhwh thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
11 Lakini kama mtu anamchukia ndugu yake, akamvizia, akamshambulia na kumuua, kisha akakimbilia katika mmojawapo ya miji hii,
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 wazee wa mji wake watatuma ujumbe kwake, kumleta kutoka mji ule na kumkabidhi mlipiza kisasi cha damu kumuua.
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 Msimwonee huruma. Lazima mwondoe katika Israeli hatia ya umwagaji damu isiyo na hatia ili kwamba mpate kufanikiwa.
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 Usisogeze jiwe la mpaka wa jirani yako ambao uliwekwa na wale waliokutangulia katika urithi upokeao katika nchi Bwana Mungu wako anayowapa kuimiliki.
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 Yhwh thy God giveth thee to possess it.
15 Shahidi mmoja hatoshi kumtia hatiani mtu kwa uhalifu au kosa lolote ambalo anaweza kuwa amelitenda. Lazima shauri lolote lithibitishwe kwa ushuhuda wa mashahidi wawili au watatu.
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 Kama shahidi mwenye nia ya kumdhuru mwingine akisimama kumshtaki mtu kwa uhalifu,
If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
17 watu wawili wanaohusika katika mabishano lazima wasimame mbele za Bwana na mbele ya makuhani na waamuzi ambao wako kazini wakati huo.
Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Yhwh, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;
18 Waamuzi lazima wafanye uchunguzi kwa makini na shahidi akionekana kuwa ni mwongo, akitoa ushuhuda wa uongo dhidi ya ndugu yake,
And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
19 basi mtende kama alivyotaka kumtendea ndugu yake. Ni lazima mwondoe uovu miongoni mwenu.
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 Watu watakaosalia watasikia hili na kuogopa, uovu kama huo kamwe hautatendeka tena miongoni mwenu.
And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
21 Msionyeshe huruma, uhai kwa uhai, jicho kwa jicho, jino kwa jino, mkono kwa mkono, mguu kwa mguu.
And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
