Deuteronomy 21

1 If one is found slain, lying in a field in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who killed him,

1 »Cuando hayas entrado en el territorio que el Señor tu Dios te da, si se encuentra en el campo un cadáver y no se sabe quién ha sido el homicida,

2 your elders and judges must come out and measure the distance from the victim to the neighboring cities.

2 los ancianos determinarán cuál es la ciudad que está más cerca del cadáver.

3 Then the elders of the city nearest the victim shall take a heifer that has never been yoked or used for work,

3 En seguida los ancianos de aquella ciudad tomarán una ternera que no haya trabajado

4 bring the heifer to a valley with running water that has not been plowed or sown, and break its neck there by the stream.

4 y la llevarán a un arroyo en un valle que no haya sido arado ni sembrado, y allí le quebrarán el cuello.

5 And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every dispute and case of assault.

5 »Entonces vendrán los sacerdotes (porque el Señor tu Dios los ha escogido para que sirvan delante de él, pronuncien su bendición, decidan en los juicios y dicten sentencia)

6 Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken,

6 y los ancianos de la ciudad más cercana se lavarán las manos sobre la ternera

7 and they shall declare, “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.

7 y dirán: “Nuestras manos no han derramado esta sangre ni nuestros ojos lo han visto.

8 Accept this atonement, O LORD, for Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, and do not hold the shedding of innocent blood against them.” And the bloodshed will be atoned for.

8 Oh Señor, perdona a tu pueblo Israel, al que has reunido, y no lo culpes de la muerte de un hombre inocente”.

9 So you shall purge from among you the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

9 Quedarás libre de culpa al seguir las instrucciones del Señor.

10 When you go to war against your enemies and the LORD your God delivers them into your hand and you take them captive,

10 »Cuando salgas a la guerra, y el Señor tu Dios te entregue a tus enemigos en tus manos,

11 if you see a beautiful woman among them, and you desire her and want to take her as your wife,

11 y veas entre los cautivos a una muchacha hermosa a la que deseas por esposa,

12 then you shall bring her into your house. She must shave her head, trim her nails,

12 llévala a tu casa contigo. Deberá afeitarse la cabeza, cortarse las uñas

13 and put aside the clothing of her captivity. After she has lived in your house a full month and mourned her father and mother, you may have relations with her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.

13 y cambiarse de ropa, poniendo a un lado la que estaba usando cuando fue capturada. A continuación permanecerá en tu casa llorando a su padre y a su madre por todo un mes. Hecho esto, podrás casarte con ella.

14 And if you are not pleased with her, you are to let her go wherever she wishes. But you must not sell her for money or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.

14 Sin embargo, si después de casarte con ella te das cuenta de que no te gusta, deberás dejarla libre. No podrás venderla ni tratarla como esclava, por cuanto la has humillado.

15 If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son,

15 »Si un hombre tiene dos esposas pero sólo ama a una de ellas, y las dos le han dado hijos, y la madre de su primogénito es la que no ama,

16 when that man assigns his inheritance to his sons he must not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over the son of the unloved wife.

16 no debe darle una herencia mayor al hijo de la esposa que él ama.

17 Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.

17 Debe darle la doble porción acostumbrada al hijo mayor porque es el principio de su vigor, y tiene los derechos de primogenitura aun cuando es el hijo de la esposa que su padre no ama.

18 If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined,

18 »Si un hombre tiene un hijo soberbio y rebelde que no obedece a su padre ni a su madre aun cuando ellos lo hayan castigado,

19 his father and mother are to lay hold of him and bring him to the elders of his city, to the gate of his hometown,

19 el padre y la madre lo llevarán delante de los ancianos de la ciudad

20 and say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he does not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.”

20 y declararán: “Este hijo nuestro es soberbio y rebelde, y no obedece, es glotón y borracho”.

21 Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. So you must purge the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.

21 Entonces los hombres de la ciudad lo apedrearán hasta darle muerte. De esta manera desarraigarás el mal de en medio de ti, y todos los jóvenes de Israel oirán lo ocurrido y tendrán temor.

22 If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree,

22 »Si un hombre ha cometido un crimen digno de muerte, y se le ejecuta colgándolo de un madero,

23 you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.

23 su cuerpo no pasará la noche en el madero. Deberás sepultarlo el mismo día, porque es una maldición de Dios el que es colgado en un madero. No contaminarás la tierra que el Señor tu Dios te ha dado.