1
Bwana, Mungu wako, atakapoyakatilia mbali hayo mataifa yenye nchi akupayo Bwana, Mungu wako, nawe ukawafuata, na kukaa katika miji yao, na katika nyumba zao;
When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,
2
itenge miji mitatu iwe kwako katikati ya nchi yako, akupayo Bwana, Mungu wako, kuimiliki.
then you are to set apart for yourselves three cities within the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
3
Itengeze njia, igawanye na mipaka ya nchi yako, akurithishayo Bwana, Mungu wako, iwe mafungu matatu, ili kwamba kila mwenye kuua mtu apate kukimbilia huko.
You are to build roads for yourselves and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that any manslayer can flee to these cities.
4
Na hii ndiyo hukumu ya mwenye kuua mtu, atakayekimbilia huko awe hai; atakayemwua mwenziwe pasipo kukusudia, wala hakumchukia tangu hapo;
Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him:
5
kama aingiapo mtu na mwenziwe mwituni kwenda kukata kuni, akapeleka mkono wake na shoka ili kukata mti, likatoka shoka katika mpini, likampiga yule mwenziwe hata akafa; basi na akimbilie katika miji hii mmojawapo awe hai;
If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.
6
asije akaandamiwa mwuaji na mwenye kulipiza kisasi cha damu, moyo wake ukali na hasira, akampata kwa njia kuwa ndefu, akamwua; wala hana haki ya kuuawa, kwa kuwa hakumchukia tangu hapo.
Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.
7
Kwa sababu hii ninakuamuru, na kukuambia, Ujitengee miji mitatu.
This is why I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.
8
Na kama Bwana, Mungu wako, akiueneza mpaka wako kama alivyowaapia baba zako, akakupa na nchi yote aliyoahidi kwamba atawapa baba zako;
And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land He promised them,
9
nawe ukiyashika maagizo haya yote nikuagizayo leo, na kuyafanya, kumpenda Bwana, Mungu wako, na kwenda sikuzote katika njia zake, ndipo ujiongezee miji mitatu tena, pamoja na mitatu ile;
and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three.
10
isije ikamwagika damu ya asiye makosa kati ya nchi yako akupayo Bwana, Mungu wako, iwe urithi, ikawa na damu juu yako.
Thus innocent blood will not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.
11
Lakini mtu awaye yote akimchukia mwenziwe na kumwotea na kumwinukia, akampiga hata akafa; naye akakimbilia miji hii mmojawapo;
If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,
12
ndipo wazee wa mji wake wapeleke ujumbe kumtwaa huko, na kumuua katika mkono wa mwenye kulipiza kisasi cha damu, apate kufa.
the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.
13
Jicho lako lisimhurumie, lakini uondoe damu ya asiye makosa katika Israeli, ili upate kufanikiwa.
You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.
14
Usiiondoe alama ya mpaka wa jirani yako, waliouweka watu wa kale katika urithi wako, utakaorithi ndani ya nchi akupayo Bwana, Mungu wako, uimiliki.
You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors to mark the inheritance you shall receive in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
15
Shahidi mmoja asimwinukie mtu awaye yote kumshuhudia kwa uovu wo wote, wala kwa dhambi yo yote, katika makosa akosayo yo yote; jambo na lithibitishwe kwa vinywa vya mashahidi wawili, au watatu.
A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
16
Shahidi mdhalimu akimwinukia mtu ye yote na kushuhudia juu yake ya upotoe;
If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime,
17
ndipo wale watu washindanao kwa mambo yale na wasimame wote wawili mbele za Bwana, mbele ya makuhani na waamuzi watakaokuwapo siku hizo;
both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.
18
nao waamuzi na watafute kwa bidii; na tazama, yule shahidi akiwa shahidi wa uongo, naye ametoa ushahidi wa uongo juu ya nduguye;
The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother,
19
ndipo mtamfanyia kama alivyodhani kumfanyia nduguye; ndivyo utakavyoondoa uovu katikati yako.
you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you.
20
Na watakaosalia watasikia na kuogopa, wasifanye tena uovu mfano wa huo katikati yako.
Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you.
21
Wala jicho lako lisiwe na huruma; uzima kwa uzima, jicho kwa jicho, jino kwa jino, mkono kwa mkono, mguu kwa mguu.
You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.