Exodus 21

1 “These are the ordinances that you are to set before them:

1 “Hizi ndizo sheria utakazoweka mbele ya Waisraeli:

2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything.

2 “Kama ukimnunua mtumwa wa Kiebrania, atakutumikia kwa miaka sita. Lakini katika mwaka wa saba, atakuwa huru naye atakwenda zake pasipo kulipa chochote.

3 If he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him.

3 Kama akija peke yake, atakwenda huru peke yake, lakini kama akija na mke, ataondoka pamoja naye.

4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

4 Kama bwana wake alimpatia mke naye akamzalia wana au binti, mwanamke pamoja na watoto wake watakuwa mali ya bwana wake na huyo mwanaume ataondoka peke yake.

5 But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to go free,’

5 “Lakini kama mtumishi akisema, ‘Ninampenda bwana wangu, mke wangu pamoja na watoto na sitaki kuwa huru,’

6 then his master is to bring him before the judges. And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life.

6 ndipo bwana wake atakapolazimika kumpeleka mbele ya waamuzi. Kisha atampeleka kwenye mlango au kizingiti na kutoboa sikio lake kwa shazia. Naye atamtumikia bwana wake maisha yake yote.

7 And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do.

7 “Kama mtu akimuuza binti yake kuwa mtumwa, hataachwa huru kama watumwa wa kiume waachiwavyo.

8 If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.

8 Kama hakumpendeza bwana wake aliyemchagua, huyo bwana atamwacha akombolewe. Hatakuwa na haki ya kumuuza kwa wageni, kwa sababu huyo bwana atakuwa amekosa uaminifu.

9 And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter.

9 Kama akimchagua aolewe na mwanawe, ni lazima ampe haki za kuwa binti yake.

10 If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife.

10 Ikiwa huyo mwana aliyeozwa mtumwa mwanamke ataoa mwanamke mwingine, ni lazima aendelee kumtosheleza huyo mke wa kwanza kwa chakula, mavazi na haki zote za ndoa.

11 If, however, he does not provide her with these three things, she is free to go without monetary payment.

11 Iwapo hatamtosheleza kwa mambo hayo matatu, huyo mke wa kwanza ataondoka na kuwa huru bila malipo yoyote ya fedha.

12 Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.

12 “Yeyote ampigaye mtu na kumuua ni lazima auawe hakika.

13 If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

13 Hata hivyo, kama hakumuua kwa makusudi, lakini Mungu akaruhusu itendeke, basi atakimbilia mahali nitakapomchagulia.

14 But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

14 Lakini kama mtu akipanga na kumuua mwingine kwa makusudi, mwondoe katika madhabahu yangu na kumuua.

15 Whoever strikes his father or mother must surely be put to death.

15 “Yeyote amshambuliaye baba yake au mama yake ni lazima auawe.

16 Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.

16 “Yeyote amtekaye nyara mwingine akamuuza au akamweka kwake, akikamatwa ni lazima auawe.

17 Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.

17 “Yeyote atakayemlaani baba yake au mama yake ni lazima auawe.

18 If men are quarreling and one strikes the other with a stone or a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed,

18 “Kama watu wakigombana na mmoja akimpiga mwingine kwa jiwe au kwa ngumi yake na hakufa bali akaugua na kulala kitandani,

19 then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, as long as the other can get up and walk around outside with his staff. Nevertheless, he must compensate the man for his lost work and see that he is completely healed.

19 yule aliyempiga ngumi hatahesabiwa kuwa na hatia kama mwenzake ataamka na kujikongoja kwa fimbo yake, lakini hata hivyo, ni lazima amlipe fidia ya muda wake aliopoteza na awajibike mpaka apone kabisa.

20 If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.

20 “Kama mtu akimpiga mtumwa wake wa kiume au wa kike kwa fimbo na mtumwa huyo akafa papo hapo, ni lazima aadhibiwe

21 However, if the servant gets up after a day or two, the owner shall not be punished, since the servant is his property.

21 lakini ikiwa mtumwa ataamka baada ya siku moja au mbili, hataadhibiwa, kwa sababu yule mtumwa ni mali yake.

22 If men who are fighting strike a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands and as the court allows.

22 “Ikiwa watu wawili wanapigana na wakamuumiza mwanamke mjamzito, naye akazaa kabla ya wakati lakini hakuna majeraha makubwa, mhalifu atatozwa mali kiasi cha madai ya mume wa yule mwanamke, na jinsi mahakama itakavyoamua.

23 But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life—

23 Lakini kukiwa na jeraha kubwa, ni lazima ulipe uhai kwa uhai,

24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

24 jicho kwa jicho, jino kwa jino, mkono kwa mkono, mguu kwa mguu,

25 burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe.

25 kuchomwa moto kwa kuchomwa moto, jeraha kwa jeraha, mchubuko kwa mchubuko.

26 If a man strikes and blinds the eye of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the eye.

26 “Ikiwa mtu atampiga mtumwa mwanaume au mwanamke kwenye jicho na kuliharibu, ni lazima amwache huru yule mtumwa kama fidia ya hilo jicho.

27 And if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.

27 Kama akimvunja jino mtumwa wa kiume au wa kike, ni lazima amwache huru huyo mtumwa kwa kufidia hilo jino.

28 If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox must surely be stoned, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox shall not be held responsible.

28 “Kama fahali akimuua mwanaume au mwanamke kwa kumpiga kwa pembe, fahali huyo ni lazima auawe kwa kupigwa mawe, na nyama yake haitaliwa. Lakini mwenye fahali huyo hatawajibika.

29 But if the ox has a habit of goring, and its owner has been warned yet does not restrain it, and it kills a man or woman, then the ox must be stoned and its owner must also be put to death.

29 Lakini hata hivyo, ikiwa huyo fahali amekuwa na tabia ya kupiga kwa pembe, na mwenyewe ameonywa na hakutaka kumfungia naye akamuua mwanaume au mwanamke, huyo fahali ni lazima auawe kwa mawe na mwenye fahali pia auawe.

30 If payment is demanded of him instead, he may redeem his life by paying the full amount demanded of him.

30 Lakini ikiwa malipo yatatakiwa kwake, basi anaweza kulipa kinachodaiwa ili kuukomboa uhai wake.

31 If the ox gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule.

31 Sheria hii pia itatumika ikiwa fahali atampiga kwa pembe mwana au binti.

32 If the ox gores a manservant or maidservant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of that servant, and the ox must be stoned.

32 Ikiwa fahali atampiga mtumwa wa kike au wa kiume, mwenye fahali atalipa shekeli thelathini za fedha kwa bwana mwenye mtumwa, na fahali ni lazima auawe kwa mawe.

33 If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

33 “Kama mtu akiacha shimo wazi, ama akachimba shimo kisha asilifukie, na ngʼombe au punda akatumbukia ndani yake,

34 the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.

34 mwenye shimo ni lazima alipe hasara iliyotokea; ni lazima amlipe mwenye mnyama. Mnyama aliyekufa atakuwa wake.

35 If a man’s ox injures his neighbor’s ox and it dies, they must sell the live one and divide the proceeds; they also must divide the dead animal.

35 “Kama fahali wa mtu fulani atamuumiza fahali wa mtu mwingine na akafa, watamuuza yule aliye hai na wagawane sawa fedha pamoja na mnyama aliyekufa.

36 But if it was known that the ox had a habit of goring, yet its owner failed to restrain it, he shall pay full compensation, ox for ox, and the dead animal will be his.

36 Hata hivyo, kama ikifahamika kwamba fahali huyo alikuwa na tabia ya kupiga kwa pembe na mwenyewe hakumfunga, ni lazima mwenye fahali alipe mnyama kwa mnyama, na mnyama aliyekufa atakuwa wake.