Torati 21
1 Kama mtu akikutwa ameuawa, naye amelala kwenye shamba katika nchi ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa kuimiliki, wala haijulikani ni nani aliyemuua,
If, in the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you come across the dead body of a man in the open country, and you have no idea who has put him to death:
2 wazee wenu na waamuzi watatoka na kupima umbali kutoka maiti alipolala mpaka kwenye miji ya jirani.
Then your responsible men and your judges are to come out, and give orders for the distance from the dead body to the towns round about it to be measured;
3 Kisha wazee wa ule mji ulio karibu zaidi na yule maiti watamchukua mtamba ambaye hajapata kufanyishwa kazi na ambaye hajafungwa nira,
And whichever town is nearest to the body, the responsible men of that town are to take from the herd a young cow which has never been used for work or put under the yoke;
4 na kumpeleka kwenye bonde ambalo halijapata kulimwa au kupandwa mazao na ambapo kuna chemchemi itiririkayo. Huko kwenye hilo bonde, wazee watamvunja yule mtamba shingo.
And they are to take the cow into a valley where there is flowing water, and which is not ploughed or planted, and there the neck of the cow is to be broken:
5 Makuhani, hao wana wa Lawi, watasogea mbele, kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu, amewachagua kuhudumu na kutoa baraka katika jina la Bwana, na kuamua mashauri yote ya mabishano na mashambulio.
Then the priests, the sons of Levi, are to come near; for they have been marked out by the Lord your God to be his servants and to give blessings in the name of the Lord; and by their decision every argument and every blow is to be judged:
6 Ndipo wazee wote wa mji ulio karibu zaidi na huyo maiti watanawa mikono yao juu ya huyo mtamba ambaye shingo yake imevunjwa huko kwenye bonde,
And all the responsible men of that town which is nearest to the dead man, washing their hands over the cow whose neck was broken in the valley,
7 nao watatangaza: “Mikono yetu haikumwaga damu hii, wala macho yetu hayakuona likifanyika.
Will say, This death is not the work of our hands and our eyes have not seen it.
8 Ee Bwana, ukubali upatanisho kwa watu wako Israeli, ambao umewakomboa, wala usiwahesabie watu wako hatia ya damu ya mtu asiyekuwa na hatia.” Nayo damu iliyomwagika itakuwa imefanyiwa upatanisho.
Have mercy, O Lord, on your people Israel whom you have made free, and take away from your people the crime of a death without cause. Then they will no longer be responsible for the man's death.
9 Hivyo mtakuwa mmejitakasa wenyewe kutoka hatia ya kumwaga damu isiyokuwa na hatia, kwa kuwa mmefanya lile lililo sawa mbele za macho ya Bwana.
So you will take away the crime of a death without cause from among you, when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
10 Mkienda vitani kupigana na adui zenu naye Bwana Mungu wenu akawatia adui mikononi mwenu, nanyi mkachukua mateka,
When you go out to war against other nations, and the Lord your God gives them up into your hands and you take them as prisoners;
11 kama ukiona miongoni mwa mateka mwanamke mzuri wa sura nawe wavutwa naye, waweza kumwoa akawa mke wako.
If among the prisoners you see a beautiful woman and it is your desire to make her your wife;
12 Mlete nyumbani mwako, anyoe nywele na kukata kucha zake,
Then take her back to your house; and let her hair and her nails be cut;
13 avue nguo alizokuwa amevaa alipotekwa. Baada ya kuishi nyumbani mwako na kumwombolezea baba yake na mama yake kwa mwezi mzima, ndipo utakapoweza kumwendea na kuwa mume wake naye atakuwa mke wako.
And let her take off the dress in which she was made prisoner and go on living in your house and weeping for her father and mother for a full month: and after that you may go in to her and be her husband and she will be your wife.
14 Lakini kama hutaendelea kupendezwa naye, mwache aende popote anapotaka. Kamwe huwezi kumuuza au kumtendea kama mtumwa, kwa sababu utakuwa umemvunjia heshima.
But if you have no delight in her, you are to let her go wherever she will; you may not take a price for her as if she was your property, for you have made use of her for your pleasure.
15 Kama mwanaume ana wake wawili, naye anampenda mmoja na mwingine hampendi na wote wawili wamemzalia wana wa kiume, lakini mwana mzaliwa wa kwanza ni wa yule mke asiyempenda,
If a man has two wives, one greatly loved and the other hated, and the two of them have had children by him; and if the first son is the child of the hated wife:
16 wakati anapotoa wosia wa mali yake kwa wanawe, kamwe asitoe haki za mzaliwa wa kwanza kwa mwana wa mke ampendaye kwa upendeleo, badala ya mzaliwa hasa wa kwanza, ambaye ni mwana wa mke ambaye hampendi.
Then when he gives his property to his sons for their heritage, he is not to put the son of his loved one in the place of the first son, the son of the hated wife:
17 Ni lazima amkubali mwana wa mke asiyempenda kama mzaliwa wa kwanza kwa kumpa sehemu ya vile vyote alivyo navyo maradufu. Mwana huyo ni ishara ya kwanza ya nguvu za baba yake. Haki ya mzaliwa wa kwanza ni yake yeye.
But he is to give his first son his birthright, and twice as great a part of his property: for he is the first-fruits of his strength and the right of the first son is his.
18 Kama mtu ana mwana mkaidi na mwasi ambaye hamtii baba yake na mama yake, na hasikii wazazi wanapomrudi,
If a man has a son who is hard-hearted and uncontrolled, who gives no attention to the voice of his father and mother, and will not be ruled by them, though they give him punishment:
19 baba yake na mama yake watamleta kwa wazee kwenye lango la mji wake.
Then let his father and mother take him to the responsible men of the town, to the public place;
20 Watawaambia wazee, “Huyu mwanetu ni mkaidi na mwasi. Hatutii sisi, yeye ni mpotovu na mlevi.”
And say to them, This son of ours is hard-hearted and uncontrolled, he will not give attention to us; he gives himself up to pleasure and strong drink.
21 Kisha wanaume wote wa mjini mwake watampiga kwa mawe mpaka afe. Ndivyo imewapasa kuondoa maovu kati yenu. Israeli yote itasikia hili na kuogopa.
Then he is to be stoned to death by all the men of the town: so you are to put away the evil from among you; and all Israel, hearing of it, will be full of fear.
22 Kama mtu ana hatia ya kosa linalompasa kuuawa naye akauawa, mwili wake utaangikwa mtini,
If a man does a crime for which the punishment is death, and he is put to death by hanging him on a tree;
23 kamwe msiuache mwili wake mtini usiku kucha. Hakikisheni mnauzika mwili wake siku ile ile, kwa sababu kila mtu anayeangikwa mtini yupo chini ya laana ya Mungu. Msiinajisi nchi ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa kama urithi wenu.
Do not let his body be on the tree all night, but put it to rest in the earth the same day; for the man who undergoes hanging is cursed by God; so do not make unclean the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage.
