Deuteronomy 15

1 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.

1 Kila mwisho wa miaka saba ni lazima mfute madeni.

2 This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed.

2 Hivi ndivyo itakavyofanyika: Kila mkopeshaji atafuta mkopo aliomkopesha Mwisraeli mwenzake. Hatamtaka Mwisraeli mwenzake au ndugu yake amlipe hilo deni, kwa sababu wakati wa Bwana wa kufuta madeni umetangazwa.

3 You may collect something from a foreigner, but you must forgive whatever your brother owes you.

3 Unaweza kudai malipo kwa mgeni, lakini lazima ufute kila deni ambalo unamdai ndugu yako.

4 There will be no poor among you, however, because the LORD will surely bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance,

4 Hata hivyo, hapatakuwepo maskini miongoni mwenu, kwa kuwa katika nchi Bwana Mungu wenu anayowapa kuimiliki kama urithi wenu, atawabariki sana,

5 if only you obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commandments I am giving you today.

5 ikiwa tutamtii Bwana Mungu wenu kikamilifu na kuwa waangalifu kuyafuata maagizo haya yote ninayowapa leo.

6 When the LORD your God blesses you as He has promised, you will lend to many nations but borrow from none; you will rule over many nations but be ruled by none.

6 Kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu atawabariki kama alivyoahidi, nanyi mtawakopesha mataifa mengi lakini hamtakopa kwa yeyote. Mtatawala mataifa mengi lakini hakuna taifa litakalowatawala ninyi.

7 If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.

7 Ikiwa kuna mtu maskini miongoni mwa ndugu zenu, katika mji wowote wa hiyo nchi ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa, msiwe na moyo mgumu wala usimfumbie mkono ndugu yako aliye maskini.

8 Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs.

8 Afadhali fungua mikono yako na umkopeshe kwa hiari chochote anachohitaji.

9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

9 Jihadhari usijiwekee wazo hili ovu: “Mwaka wa saba, mwaka wa kufuta madeni umekaribia,” usije ukaonyesha nia mbaya kwa ndugu yako mhitaji na ukaacha kumpa chochote. Anaweza kumlalamikia Bwana dhidi yako nawe utakuwa umepatikana na hatia ya dhambi.

10 Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.

10 Mpe kwa ukarimu na ufanye hivyo bila kinyongo moyoni, ndipo kwa sababu ya hili Bwana Mungu wenu atakubariki katika kazi zako zote na kwa kila kitu utakachokiwekea mkono wako.

11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land.

11 Siku zote watakuwepo watu maskini katika nchi. Kwa hiyo ninawaamuru mwe na mikono iliyokunjuliwa kuwaelekea ndugu zenu, kuwaelekea maskini na wahitaji katika nchi yenu.

12 If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free.

12 Kama Mwebrania mwenzako, mwanaume au mwanamke, akijiuza kwako na kukutumikia miaka sita, katika mwaka wa saba ni lazima umwache aende zake akiwa huru.

13 And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.

13 Nawe wakati utakapomwachia usimwache aende mikono mitupu.

14 You are to furnish him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.

14 Mpe kwa uhuru kutoka zizi lako la kondoo na mbuzi, kutoka sakafu yako ya kupuria nafaka na kutoka mashinikizo yako ya kukamulia divai. Mpe kama vile ambavyo Bwana Mungu wako alivyokubariki.

15 Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.

15 Kumbukeni kuwa ninyi mlikuwa watumwa huko Misri naye Bwana Mungu wenu aliwakomboa. Ndiyo sababu nimewapa agizo hili leo.

16 But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household and is well off with you,

16 Lakini mtumishi wako akikuambia, “Sitaki kukuacha,” kwa sababu anakupenda wewe na jamaa yako naye anaridhika nawe,

17 then take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he will become your servant for life. And treat your maidservant the same way.

17 ndipo utachukua chuma kidogo utoboe sikio lake mpaka hicho chuma kiingie kwenye ubao wa mlango, naye atakuwa mtumishi wako wa maisha. Ufanye vivyo hivyo kwa mtumishi wa kike.

18 Do not regard it as a hardship to set your servant free, because his six years of service were worth twice the wages of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in all you do.

18 Usifikiri kuwa kuna ugumu kumwacha mtumishi wako huru, kwa sababu utumishi wake kwako kwa miaka hii sita umekuwa wa thamani mara mbili ya ujira wa mtumishi wa kuajiriwa. Naye Bwana Mungu wenu atakubarikia kwa kila kitu utakachofanya.

19 You must set apart to the LORD your God every firstborn male produced by your herds and flocks. You are not to put the firstborn of your oxen to work, nor are you to shear the firstborn of your flock.

19 Wekeni wakfu kwa Bwana Mungu wenu kila mzaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume wa makundi yenu ya ngʼombe na ya mbuzi na kondoo. Maksai walio wazaliwa wa kwanza msiwafanyize kazi, wala msinyoe manyoya ya wazaliwa wa kwanza wa kondoo.

20 Each year you and your household are to eat it before the LORD your God in the place the LORD will choose.

20 Kila mwaka ninyi na jamaa zenu mtapaswa kuwala mbele za Bwana Mungu wenu pale mahali atakapopachagua.

21 But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.

21 Kama mnyama ana dosari, akiwa ni kilema au kipofu au kama ana kilema kibaya, kamwe usimtoe dhabihu kwa Bwana Mungu wenu.

22 Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer.

22 Itawapasa kumla ninyi wenyewe katika miji yenu. Wote wasio safi na walio safi kwa desturi za kiibada mwaweza kula kama vile mnavyokula paa au kulungu.

23 But you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

23 Lakini kamwe msinywe damu; imwageni ardhini kama maji.