Hesabu 35
1 Bwana akamwambia Mose katika nchi tambarare ya Moabu, kando ya Mto Yordani kuvukia Yeriko,
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 “Waagize Waisraeli kuwapa Walawi miji ya kuishi kutoka urithi ambao Waisraeli wataumiliki. Wape maeneo ya malisho kuzunguka hiyo miji.
“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 Kisha watakuwa na miji ya kuishi na maeneo ya malisho kwa ajili ya ngʼombe zao, mbuzi, kondoo na mifugo yao mingine yote.
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 “Maeneo ya malisho kuzunguka miji hiyo ambayo mtawapa Walawi yataenea mita 450 kutoka kwenye ukuta wa miji.
“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 Nje ya mji, pima mita 900 upande wa mashariki, upande wa kusini mita 900, upande wa magharibi mita 900, na upande wa kaskazini mita 900, na mji utakuwa katikati. Eneo hili litakuwa lao kwa ajili ya malisho.
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 “Miji sita mtakayowapa Walawi itakuwa ya makimbilio, ambayo mtu anayemuua mwenzake aweza kukimbilia humo. Zaidi ya hiyo, wapeni miji mingine arobaini na miwili.
“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 Kwa jumla inawapasa kuwapa Walawi miji arobaini na minane, pamoja na maeneo ya malisho yao.
You must also give to the descendants of Levi 42 other cities and the land around those cities, for their animals,
8 Miji ambayo mtawapa Walawi kutoka nchi ambayo Waisraeli wanamiliki itatolewa kwa uwiano wa urithi wa kila kabila. Chukua miji mingi kutoka lile kabila lenye miji mingi, lakini uchukue miji michache kutoka kwa kabila lile lenye miji michache.”
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 Kisha Bwana akamwambia Mose:
Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
10 “Sema na Waisraeli, uwaambie: ‘Mtakapovuka Yordani kuingia Kanaani,
“Tell this to the Israeli people: When you cross the Jordan [River] and enter the Canaan [region],
11 chagueni baadhi ya miji iwe miji yenu ya makimbilio, ambayo mtu ambaye ameua mwenzake bila kukusudia aweza kukimbilia humo.
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 Itakuwa mahali pa kukimbilia kutoka mlipiza kisasi, ili kwamba mtu aliyeshtakiwa kwa mauaji asife kabla ya kujitetea mbele ya mkutano.
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 Miji hii sita mtakayoitoa itakuwa miji yenu ya makimbilio.
You must set apart six cities to be cities to which someone who killed another person accidentally may run and be safe.
14 Mtatoa miji mitatu ngʼambo hii ya Yordani na miji mingine mitatu upande wa Kanaani kama miji ya makimbilio.
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 Miji hii sita itakuwa mahali pa makimbilio kwa ajili ya Waisraeli, wageni na watu wengine wanaoishi katikati yenu, ili kwamba mtu yeyote ambaye ameua mtu mwingine pasipo kukusudia aweze kukimbilia humo.
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 “‘Kama mtu akimpiga mwenzake kwa chuma naye mtu huyo akafa, mtu huyo ni muuaji; muuaji sharti atauawa.
“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 Au kama mtu analo jiwe mkononi mwake ambalo laweza kuua, naye akampiga mwenzake akafa, yeye ni muuaji; muuaji huyo sharti atauawa.
18 Au kama mtu ana chombo cha mti mkononi mwake ambacho chaweza kuua, naye akampiga mwenzake akafa, yeye ni muuaji; muuaji huyo sharti atauawa.
19 Mlipiza kisasi cha damu atamuua muuaji; wakati akikutana naye, atamuua.
A relative of the person who was murdered must be the one who executes the murderer as soon as he finds him.
20 Ikiwa mtu ana chuki ya siku nyingi na mwenzake akamsukuma au akamtupia kitu kwa kukusudia naye akafa,
If someone shoves another person [over a cliff] or throws something at another person
21 au ikiwa katika uadui akampiga ngumi naye akafa, mtu yule sharti atauawa; yeye ni muuaji. Mlipiza kisasi cha damu atamuua muuaji atakapokutana naye.
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 “‘Lakini kama mtu akimsukuma mwenziwe ghafula pasipo chuki, au kumtupia kitu pasipo kukusudia,
“But someone might accidentally shove someone else, or accidentally throw something at another person and hit him, not because he hates that person.
23 au, pasipo kumwona, akimwangushia jiwe ambalo laweza kumuua naye akafa, basi kwa kuwa hakuwa adui yake naye hakukusudia kumuumiza,
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 kusanyiko lazima liamue kati yake na mlipiza kisasi wa damu kufuatana na sheria hizi.
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 Kusanyiko ni lazima limlinde yule anayeshtakiwa kuua kutoka kwa mlipiza kisasi wa damu, na kumrudisha katika mji wa makimbilio alikokuwa amekimbilia. Lazima akae humo mpaka atakapokufa kuhani mkuu ambaye alikuwa amepakwa mafuta matakatifu.
[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 “‘Lakini kama mshtakiwa atatoka nje ya mipaka ya mji wa makimbilio ambao amekimbilia,
“But [while the Supreme Priest is still living], the person who is in that safe city must not leave that city.
27 na mlipiza kisasi wa damu akamkuta nje ya mji, mlipiza kisasi wa damu anaweza kumuua mshtakiwa huyo bila kuwa na hatia ya kuua.
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 Mshtakiwa lazima akae katika mji wake wa makimbilio mpaka atakapokufa kuhani mkuu; atarudi tu kwenye mali yake baada ya kifo cha kuhani mkuu.
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 “‘Hizi ndizo kanuni za sheria zitakazohitajiwa kwenu na katika vizazi vyenu vijavyo, popote mtakapoishi.
“You must always obey those regulations, wherever you live.
30 “‘Yeyote anayeua mtu atauawa kama muuaji ikiwa tu kuna ushuhuda wa mashahidi. Lakini hakuna mtu atakayeuawa kwa ushuhuda wa shahidi mmoja tu.
“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 “‘Usikubali fidia yoyote ya kuokoa uhai wa muuaji ambaye anastahili kufa. Mtu huyo hakika lazima auawe.
“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 “‘Usikubali fidia ya mtu yeyote ambaye amekimbilia katika mji wa makimbilio na kumruhusu kurudi kuishi katika nchi yake kabla ya kifo cha kuhani mkuu.
“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 “‘Msiinajisi nchi mnayoishi. Umwagaji damu hunajisi nchi, na upatanisho hauwezekani kufanyika katika nchi ambayo damu imemwagwa, isipokuwa tu kwa damu ya yule aliyeimwaga damu.
“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 Msiinajisi nchi mnayoishi, ambayo nami ninakaa, kwa kuwa Mimi, Bwana, ninakaa katikati ya Waisraeli.’”
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.”
