Kutoka 23
1 “Usieneze habari za uongo. Usimsaidie mtu mwovu kwa kuwa shahidi mwenye nia ya kudhuru wengine.
You shall not receive a vain report: you shall not agree with the unjust [man] to become an unjust witness.
2 “Usifuate umati wa watu katika kutenda mabaya. Unapotoa ushahidi kwenye mashtaka, usipotoshe haki ukijumuika na umati wa watu,
You shall not associate with the multitude for evil; you shall not join yourself with a multitude to turn aside with the majority so as to shut out judgement.
3 nawe usimpendelee mtu maskini katika mashtaka yake.
And you shall not spare a poor man in judgement.
4 “Kama ukikutana na maksai au punda wa adui yako anapotea, hakikisha umemrudisha kwake.
And if you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray, you shall turn them back and restore them to him.
5 Ukiona punda wa mtu anayekuchukia ameanguka na mzigo wake, usimwache hapo alipoangukia; hakikisha kuwa umemsaidia.
And if you see your enemy's ass fallen under its burden, you shall not pass by it, but shall help to raise it with him.
6 “Usiwanyime haki watu wako walio maskini katika mashtaka yao.
You shall not wrest the sentence of the poor in his judgement.
7 Ujiepushe na mashtaka ya uongo, wala usimuue mtu asiye na hatia au mtu mwaminifu, kwa maana sitamhesabia hana hatia yeye aliye na hatia.
You shall abstain from every unjust thing: you shall not kill the innocent and just, and you shall not justify the wicked for gifts.
8 “Usipokee rushwa, kwa kuwa rushwa hupofusha wale waonao, na kupinda maneno ya wenye haki.
And you shall not receive gifts; for gifts blind the eyes of the seeing, and corrupt just words.
9 “Usimwonee mgeni; ninyi wenyewe mnajua jinsi mgeni anavyojisikia, kwa sababu mlikuwa wageni Misri.
And you shall not afflict a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger; for you were yourselves strangers in the land of Egypt.
10 “Kwa muda wa miaka sita mtapanda mashamba yenu na kuvuna mazao,
Six years you shall sow your land, and gather in the fruits of it.
11 lakini katika mwaka wa saba usiilime ardhi wala kuitumia, ili watu walio maskini miongoni mwenu waweze kupata chakula kutoka kwenye hayo mashamba, nao wanyama pori wapate chakula kwa yale mabaki watakayobakiza. Utafanya hivyo katika shamba lako la mizabibu na la mizeituni.
But in the seventh year you shall let it rest, and leave it, and the poor of your nation shall feed; and the wild beasts of the field shall eat that which remains: thus shall you do to your vineyard and to your oliveyard.
12 “Kwa siku sita fanya kazi zako, lakini siku ya saba usifanye kazi, ili maksai wako na punda wako wapate kupumzika, naye mtumwa aliyezaliwa nyumbani mwako, pamoja na mgeni, wapate kustarehe.
Six days shall you do your works, and on the seventh day there shall be rest, that your ox and your ass may rest, and that the son of your maidservant and the stranger may be refreshed.
13 “Uzingatie kutenda kila kitu nilichokuambia. Usiombe kwa majina ya miungu mingine, wala usiyaruhusu kusikika kinywani mwako.
Observe all things whatever I have commanded you; and you shall make no mention of the name of other gods, neither shall they be heard out of your mouth.
14 “Mara tatu kwa mwaka utanifanyia sikukuu.
Keep you a feast to me three times in the year.
15 “Utaadhimisha Sikukuu ya Mikate Isiyotiwa Chachu; kwa siku saba utakula mikate isiyotiwa chachu kama nilivyokuagiza. Fanya jambo hili kwa wakati uliopangwa katika mwezi wa Abibu, ndio mwezi wa nne, kwa sababu katika mwezi huo ulitoka Misri. “Mtu yeyote asije mbele yangu mikono mitupu.
Take heed to keep the feast of unleavened bread: seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I charged you at the season of the month of new [corn], for in it you came out of Egypt: you shall not appear before me empty.
16 “Utaadhimisha Sikukuu ya Mavuno kwa malimbuko ya mazao yako uliyopanda katika shamba lako. “Utaadhimisha Sikukuu ya Kukusanya mavuno mwishoni mwa mwaka, unapokusanya mavuno yako toka shambani.
And you shall keep the feast of the harvest of first fruits of your labours, whatever you shall have sown in your field, and the feast of completion at the end of the year in the gathering in of your fruits out of your field.
17 “Mara tatu kwa mwaka wanaume wote watakuja mbele za Bwana Mwenyezi.
Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God.
18 “Msitoe damu ya dhabihu kwangu pamoja na kitu chochote kilicho na chachu. “Mafuta ya mnyama wa sadaka ya sikukuu yangu yasibakizwe mpaka asubuhi.
For when I shall have cast out the nations from before you, and shall have widened your borders, you shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven, neither must the fat of my feast abide till the morning.
19 “Utaleta malimbuko bora ya ardhi yako katika nyumba ya Bwana Mungu wako. “Usimchemshe mwana-mbuzi katika maziwa ya mama yake.
You shall bring the first-offerings of the first fruits of your land into the house of the Lord your God. You shall not seethe a lamb in its mother's milk.
20 “Tazama, ninamtuma malaika akutangulie mbele yako akulinde njiani na kukuleta mpaka mahali nilipoandaa.
And, behold, I send my angel before your face, that he may keep you in the way, that he may bring you into the land which I have prepared for you.
21 Mtamtii na kusikiliza kile anachokisema. Usiasi dhidi yake; hatakusamehe uasi wako, kwa maana Jina langu limo ndani yake.
Take heed to yourself and listen to him, and disobey him not; for he will not give way to you, for my name is on him.
22 Kama ukitii kweli kweli kile asemacho na kufanya yote nisemayo, nitakuwa adui wa adui zako, na nitawapinga wale wakupingao.
If you will indeed hear my voice, and if you will do all the things I shall charge you with, and keep my covenant, you shall be to me a peculiar people above all nations, for the whole earth is mine; and you shall be to me a royal priesthood, and a holy nation: these words shall you speak to the children of Israel, If you shall indeed hear my voice, and do all the things I shall tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries.
23 Malaika wangu atatangulia mbele yako na kukuleta katika nchi ya Waamori, Wahiti, Waperizi, Wakanaani, Wahivi na Wayebusi, nami nitawafutilia mbali.
For my angel shall go as your leader, and shall bring you to the Amorite, and Chettite, and Pherezite, and Chananite, and Gergesite, and Evite, and Jebusite, and I will destroy them.
24 Usiisujudie miungu yao, au kuiabudu, wala kufuata desturi yao. Utayabomoa kabisa na kuvunjavunja mawe yao ya ibada vipande vipande.
You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them: you shall not do according to their works, but shall utterly destroy them, and break to pieces their pillars.
25 Utamwabudu Bwana Mungu wako, na baraka zake zitakuwa juu ya vyakula vyako na maji yako. Nami nitaondoa maradhi miongoni mwako,
And you shall serve the Lord your God, and I will bless your bread and your wine and your water, and I will turn away sickness from you.
26 na hakuna atakayeharibu mimba wala atakayekuwa tasa katika nchi yako. Nami nitakupa maisha makamilifu.
There shall not be on your land one that is impotent or barren. I will surely fulfil the number of your days.
27 “Nitapeleka utisho wangu mbele yako na kufadhaisha kila taifa utakalolifikia. Nitafanya adui zako wote wakupe kisogo na kukimbia.
And I will send terror before you, and I will strike with amazement all the nations to which you shall come, and I will make all your enemies to flee.
28 Nitatanguliza manyigu mbele yako kuwafukuza Wahivi, Wakanaani na Wahiti waondoke njiani mwako.
And I will send hornets before you, and you shall cast out the Amorites and the Evites, and the Chananites and the Chettites from you.
29 Lakini sitawafukuza kwa mara moja, kwa sababu nchi itabaki ukiwa na wanyama pori watakuwa wengi mno kwako.
I will not cast them out in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the beasts of the field multiply against you.
30 Nitawafukuza kidogo kidogo mbele yako, mpaka uwe umeongezeka kiasi cha kutosha kuimiliki nchi.
By little [and little] I will cast them out from before you, until you shall be increased and inherit the earth.
31 “Nitaweka mipaka ya nchi yako kuanzia Bahari ya Shamu hadi Bahari ya Wafilisti, na kuanzia jangwani hadi Mto Frati. Nitawatia watu wanaoishi katika nchi hizo mikononi mwako, nawe utawafukuza watoke mbele yako.
And I will set your borders from the Red Sea, to the sea of the Phylistines, and from the wilderness to the great river Euphrates; and I will give into your hand those that dwell in the land, and will cast them out from you.
32 Usifanye agano lolote nao wala na miungu yao.
You shall make no covenant with them and their gods.
33 Usiwaache waishi katika nchi yako, la sivyo watakusababisha utende dhambi dhidi yangu, kwa sababu ibada ya miungu yao hakika itakuwa mtego kwako.”
And they shall not dwell in your land, lest they cause you to sin against me; for if you should serve their gods, these will be an offence to you.
