1 “Kuzakuthi lapho uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu esebhubhise izizwe zelizwe lelo alinika lona, futhi lani selizixotshile njalo lahlala emadolobheni kanye lasezindlini zazo, 2 kulapho-ke eselingazikhethela amadolobho amathathu enkabazwe yelizwe lelo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona ukuba libe ngelenu. 3 Yakhani imigwaqo eqonda kuwo njalo lehlukanise ilizwe lelo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinike lona njengelifa lenu libe yizigaba ezintathu, ukuze kuthi loba ngubani obulala umuntu abalekele khona.

4 Lesi yisimiso maqondana lomuntu obulala omunye abesebalekela khona ukuze asindise impilo yakhe, lowo obulala umakhelwane wakhe engakunxwanelanga ngomona njalo engamqophanga. 5 Njengokuthi, umuntu angaya egangeni ukuyagamula inkuni lomakhelwane wakhe, kuthi lapho egamula isihlahla ngehloka lakhe, ihloka likhumuke emphinini litshaye umakhelwane wakhe afe. Lowomuntu angabalekela kwelinye lamadolobho lawo ukuze asindise impilo yakhe. 6 Phela kungenzeka ukuthi umphindiseli wegazi axotshane lombulali ngentukuthelo, amfice nxa umango umude kakhulu, ambulale lanxa lowombulali ubengafanelanga ukufa, ngoba engambulalanga ngabomo langenxa yenzondo umakhelwane wakhe. 7 Yikho-nje ngilaye ukuthi lizehlukanisele amadolobho amathathu.

8 Nxa uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu angaqhelisa isabelo senu njengokuthembisa kwakhe okhokho benu ngesifungo, aliphe lonke ilizwe abathembisa lona, 9 ngoba lilandela ngokunanzelela yonke imithetho engililaya yona lamuhla, ukuthanda uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu lokuhamba kokuphela ngezindlela zakhe, kufanele ukuthi likhethe amanye njalo amadolobho amathathu. 10 Kwenzeni lokhu ukuze kungachitheki igazi elingelacala elizweni lenu, lelo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona njengelifa lenu, njalo lokuthi lingabi lecala lokuchitha igazi.

11 Kodwa nxa umuntu emzonda umakhelwane wakhe, amcathamele, amtshaye ambulale, abesebalekela kwelinye lamadolobho la, 12 abakhokheli bedolobho lakibo bazamthumela abantu, bamlande kulelodolobho babuye laye, bamnikele kumphindiseli wegazi ukuba afe. 13 Lingamzweli isihawu. Kufanele liqede ububi bokuchitha igazi elingelacala ko-Israyeli ukuze kulilungele.

14 Lingabosusa izikhonkwane zomngcele wendawo kamakhelwane wenu ezabethelwa ngabalandulelayo kulo ilifa eliliphiwa elizweni uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona ukuba libe ngelenu.”

15 “Ufakazi oyedwa angeke afakaze kwanele ukuthi umuntu olomlandu wokwenza loba licala bani etheswe icala. Indaba ingaqiniswa ngofakazi ababili loba abathathu.

16 Nxa ufakazi wamanga emelana lendoda eyetheswa icala, 17 amadoda la womabili axabeneyo afanele ukuthi ame phambi kukaThixo phambi kwabaphristi kanye labehluleli abayabe besesikhundleni ngalesosikhathi. 18 Abahluleli kumele bachwayisise ngokupheleleyo kuthi lapho bangafumana ukuthi ufakazi uqamba amanga, esipha ubufakazi bamanga ngomzalwane wakhe, 19 lizakwenza kuye khonokho abehlose ukukwenza kumzalwane wakhe. Kumele liqede ububi phakathi kwenu. 20 Abanye bonke abantu bazakuzwa ngalokhu besabe, ngakho akusayikwenziwa futhi phakathi kwenu ububi obunjalo. 21 Lingabi lozwelo: ukuphila akwenanwe yikuphila, ilihlo ngelihlo, izinyo ngezinyo, isandla ngesandla, unyawo ngonyawo.”

<- UDutheronomi 18UDutheronomi 20 ->