2 Mose 22

1 “Sɛ obi kɔwia nantwie anaa odwan na ɔkum no anaa ɔtɔn no a, ɔde anantwie enum bɛsi nantwie baako ananmu. Na ɔde nnwan ɛnan asi odwan baako biara ananmu.

Yahweh also said, “If someone steals a bull or a sheep, and then slaughters it [to sell it or to sacrifice it] or sells its [meat to someone else], he must pay five bulls for the bull [that he stole], and [he must pay] four sheep for the sheep [that he stole].

2 “Sɛ mohunu ɔkorɔmfoɔ sɛ ɔrebu efie bi awura mu na wɔkum no a, deɛ ɔkumm no no nni fɔ.

If a thief is caught while he is breaking into someone else’s house [at night], if [the one who catches him] kills the thief, he is not guilty of murdering him.

3 Na sɛ asɛm no si awia deɛ a, wɔmfa no sɛ ɛyɛ awudie enti onipa a ɔkumm ɔkorɔmfoɔ no di fɔ. “Sɛ mokyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ bi a, momma ɔntua nneɛma a wawia no nyinaa ho ka na sɛ wantumi antua a, montɔn no sɛ akoa mfa no ntua ɛka no.

But if that happens during the daytime, [the one who killed the thief] is guilty of murdering him. The thief must pay for what he stole. If he has no [animals with which to pay for the one that he stole], he must be sold to [become someone’s else’s slave and the money must be used] to pay for what he stole.

4 Sɛ mokyere no sɛ ɔrewia nantwie anaa afunumu anaa odwan a ɔnwuiɛ anaa biribi foforɔ bi a, mommɔ no dekodeɛ a ɔwiaeɛ no ho ka mpemanim.

If the thief still has the animal when he is caught, whether it is a bull or a donkey or a sheep, and it is still alive, the thief must give back [the stolen animal as well as giving] two [additional] animals for each one that he stole.

5 “Sɛ obi boapa gyaa nʼaboa ma ɔkɔ obi afuom kɔdidi hɔ, sɛe afudeɛ a, ɔmfa ɔno ara nʼafudeɛ mu deɛ ɛsɔ ani pa ara no mmɛtua ka.

If someone allows his animals to (graze/eat the grass) in his field or in his vineyard, and if they stray away and eat the crops in another person’s field, the owner of the animals must pay [the owner of those crops] by giving him the best crops from his own field or vineyard.

6 “Sɛ obi rehye nʼafuo, na ogya no tra kɔtɔ ɔfoforɔ afuo mu, hye, sɛe nʼafudeɛ a, deɛ ɔsɔɔ ogya no bɛtua afudeɛ a asɛe no nyinaa ho ka.

Suppose someone starts a fire in his own field, and the fire spreads through the grass and starts burning in someone else’s field, and the fire burns grain that is growing or grain that is already [cut and] stacked. Then the person who started the fire must pay completely for the damage.

7 “Sɛ obi ma ɔfoforɔ sika anaa ade foforɔ bi sɛ ɔmfa nsie ma no na wɔwia na sɛ wɔkyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ no a, ɔbɛtua no mpemanim.

Suppose someone gives to another person some money or other valuable goods and asks him to guard them [in his house for a while]. If those things are stolen from that person’s house, if the thief is caught, he must pay back twice [as much as he stole].

8 Na sɛ wɔankyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ no a, wɔde onipa a wɔde agyapadeɛ no hyɛɛ ne nsa no bɛba Onyankopɔn anim abɛhwehwɛ sɛ nʼankasa na ɔwiaa ne yɔnko no anaasɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno.

But if the thief is not caught, the owner of the house [from which the things were stolen] must stand before the judges, so that the judges can determine whether [the owner of the house] was the one who took the other man’s goods [and sold them to someone else].

9 Sɛ ɛba sɛ nantwie, afunumu, odwan, ntoma anaa biribi foforɔ bi yera na deɛ nʼadeɛ ayera no de nʼani kari obi sɛ ɔno na wafa dekodeɛ no, na onii no sane sɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno na wafa a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde nnipa baanu no nyinaa ba Onyankopɔn anim ma ɔhwehwɛ mu. Ɔhwehwɛ mu na deɛ ɔbɛdi fɔ no, ɔbɛtua adeɛ a ɛyeraeɛ no ho ka mmɔho mmienu ama ɔbaako no.

If two people argue about which one of them owns a bull or a donkey or a sheep or some clothing, or something else that has been lost, the two people who each claim/say that the item belongs to them must stand before the judges. The one whom the judges declare is lying must pay back [to the real owner] twice as many bulls or donkeys or sheep or pieces of clothing.

10 “Sɛ obi de afunumu, nantwie, odwan anaa aboa foforɔ bi ma ne yɔnko bi ayɛn na aboa no wu anaa ɔpira anaa ɔdwane na sɛ obi anhunu ammɛka a,

Suppose someone gives his donkey or bull or sheep or some other animal to someone else and asks him to take care of it [for a while], and the animal dies or is injured or is stolen while no one is watching.

11 ɛsɛ sɛ deɛ ɔgyee aboa no ayɛn no ka ntam wɔ Awurade anim sɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno na wawia aboa no na deɛ ne dea no gye to mu a, ɔnnye biribiara nsi ananmu.

Then the person [who was taking care of the animal] must (swear/solemnly declare), knowing that God is listening, that he did not steal the animal. If he did not steal it the owner of the animal must accept/believe that the other person is telling the truth, and the other person will not have to pay anything back to the owner.

12 Nanso, sɛ wia na wɔwiaa aboa no anaa dekodeɛ no wɔ ne nkyɛn deɛ a, na ɛsɛ sɛ sohwɛfoɔ a wɔwiaa aboa no anaa dekodeɛ no firii ne nkyɛn no tua ne wura no ka.

But if the animal was stolen [while he was supposed to be taking care of it], the man who promised to take care of it must pay back the owner for the animal.

13 Sɛ akekaboa na ɔkumm no a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔde aboa no funu ba bɛkyerɛ. Ɔyɛ no saa a, ɔrentua ho ka biara.

If [he says that] the animal was killed by wild animals, he must bring back the remains of the animal that was killed and show it to the animal’s owner. If he does that, he will not have to pay anything for the animal.

14 “Sɛ obi fɛm aboa bi anaa biribi foforɔ bi firi ne yɔnko nkyɛn na sɛ aboa no wu anaa ɔpira ɛberɛ a ne wura no nni hɔ a, ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a ɔfɛm saa aboa no tua ka.

If someone borrows an animal, and if that animal is hurt or dies when its owner is not there, the one who borrowed it must pay the owner for the animal.

15 Na sɛ ne wura no wɔ hɔ deɛ a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔfɛmfoɔ no tua ka, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔbuu yei nyinaa fraa ɔfɛm no ho akatua mu.

But if that happens when the owner of the animal is there, the one who borrowed it will not have to pay back anything. If the man who borrowed it only rented it, the money that he paid to rent it will be enough to pay for the animal [dying or being injured].”

16 “Sɛ ɔbarima bi kɔdaadaa abaayewa bi a ɔnyɛɛ ne ho adeɛ na ɔne no da a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ne ho adeɛ na ɔware no.

“If a man persuades a girl/woman to have sex with him, a girl/woman who (is a virgin/has never had sex with any man) and who is not engaged to be married, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.

17 Sɛ abaayewa no agya se ɔmpene awadeɛ no so a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbarima no tua ne tiri sika.

But if her father refuses to allow her to marry him, he must pay to the woman’s father the amount of money that is equal to the amount of bride price money that men pay for virgins.

18 “Monkum mmaa nkonyaayifoɔ.

You must execute any woman who (practices sorcery/is a shaman).

19 “Ɔbarima biara a ɔbɛfa aboa bi no, wɔnkum no.

You must execute any person who has sex with an animal.

20 “Obiara a ɔbɛfiri Awurade akyiri abɔ onyame foforɔ bi afɔdeɛ no, wɔnkum no.

You [must offer sacrifices] only to Yahweh. You must execute anyone who offers a sacrifice to any [other] god.

21 “Monnhyɛ ɔhɔhoɔ aniɛyaadeɛ ɛkwan biara so; na monkae sɛ, na mo nso moyɛ ahɔhoɔ wɔ Misraim asase so.

You must not mistreat a foreigner [who comes to live among you]. Do not forget that you were previously foreigners in Egypt.

22 “Monnsisi akunafoɔ anaa nwisiaa;

You must not mistreat any widow or any orphan.

23 na sɛ moyɛ saa na wɔsu frɛ me a, mɛgye wɔn so.

If you mistreat them and they cry out to me [for help], I will hear them.

24 Mede mʼabufuo bɛtia mo na mama atamfoɔ dɔm akum mo na mo yerenom nso adane akunafoɔ ama mo mma nso ayɛ nwisiaa bi.

And I will be angry with you, and I will cause you to be killed in a war [MTY]. Your wives will become widows, and your children will no longer have fathers.

25 “Sɛ wobɔ wo yɔnko Hebrini bosea a, nnye ho mfɛntom biara.

If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest on the money.

26 Sɛ wogye ne ntoma de si awowa a, anadwo no ara, fa nʼadeɛ kɔma no.

If he gives you his cloak to guarantee [that he will pay the money back], you must give the cloak back to him before the sun goes down,

27 Ɛfiri sɛ, ebia na ntoma a ɔwɔ de kata ne ho de ka ne ho hye ara ne no; woagye yi, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na watumi ada? Sɛ woamfa ankɔma no na sɛ ɔsu frɛ me a, mɛtie na mahunu no mmɔbɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, meyɛ mmɔborɔhunufoɔ.

because he needs it to keep him warm [during the night]. (That is the only covering that poor people have when they sleep at night./What else will he cover himself with during the night?) [RHQ] [If you do not act mercifully toward him by returning his cloak], when he cries out to me asking for my help, I will help him, because I [always act] mercifully.

28 “Monnkasa ntia Onyankopɔn na monnome aban mu mpanimfoɔ anaa mo atemmufoɔ anaa wɔn a wɔdi mo so.

Do not (revile/speak evil about) me, and do not (curse/ask me to do harmful things to) any ruler of your people.

29 “Momfa mo nnɔbaeɛ mu nkyɛ mu edu mu baako mmrɛ me ntɛm so. “Saa ara nso na montua mo mmakan mmarima nkwagyeɛ ho ka no.

(Do not withhold from/Give) me the best parts of the grain that you harvest and of the olive oil and the wine that you produce.

30 Ma wo nantwie anaa wo dwan abakan no ne ne maame ntena nnanson, na ɛda a ɛtɔ so nwɔtwe no, fa no brɛ me.

You must dedicate your firstborn sons to me. Similarly, your firstborn [male] cattle and sheep belong to me. After those animals are born, allow them to stay with their mothers for seven days. On the eighth day, offer them to me [as a sacrifice].

31 “Esiane sɛ moyɛ kronkron ma me enti, monnwe aboa biara a akekaboa akyere no akum no. Monnya ne funu no ma nkraman mmɛwe.

You are people who are (completely dedicated to/set apart for) me. [And I detest] the meat of any animal that has been killed by wild animals. Therefore you should not eat such meat. Instead, throw it where the dogs [can eat it].”