The Sabbath Year
1The Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai. He said, 2“Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘You will enter the land I am going to give you. When you do, you must honor the Lord every seventh year by not farming the land that year. 3For six years plant your fields. Trim the branches in your vineyards and gather your crops. 4But the seventh year must be a year of sabbath rest for the land. The land must rest during it. It is a sabbath year to honor the Lord. Do not plant your fields. Do not trim the branches in your vineyards. 5Do not gather what grows without being planted. And do not gather the grapes from the vines you have not taken care of. The land must have a year of rest. 6Anything the land produces during the sabbath year will be food for you. It will be for you and your male and female servants. Your hired workers will eat it. So will people who live with you for a while. 7And so will your livestock and the wild animals that are in your land. Anything the land produces can be eaten.
The Year of Jubilee
8“ ‘Count off seven sabbath years. Count off seven times seven years. The seven sabbath years add up to a total of 49 years. 9The tenth day of the seventh month is the day when sin is paid for. On that day blow the trumpet all through your land. 10Set the 50th year apart. Announce freedom all over the land to everyone who lives there. The 50th year will be a Year of Jubilee for you. Each of you must return to your own family property. And each of you must return to your own tribe. 11The 50th year will be a Year of Jubilee for you. Do not plant anything. Do not gather what grows without being planted. And do not gather the grapes from the vines you have not taken care of. 12It is a Year of Jubilee. It will be holy for you. Eat only what the fields produce.
13“ ‘In the Year of Jubilee all of you must return to your own property.
14“ ‘Suppose you sell land to any of your own people. Or you buy land from them. Then do not take advantage of each other. 15The price you pay must be based on the number of years since the last Year of Jubilee. Here is how the price you charge must be decided. It must be based on the number of years left for gathering crops before the next Year of Jubilee. 16When there are many years left, you must raise the price. When there are only a few years left, you must lower the price. That is because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops the land will produce. 17Do not take advantage of each other. Instead, have respect for your God. I am the Lord your God.
18“ ‘Follow my rules. Be careful to obey my laws. Then you will live safely in the land. 19The land will produce its fruit. You will eat as much as you want. And you will live there in safety. 20Suppose you say, “In the seventh year we will not plant anything or gather our crops. So what will we eat?” 21I will send you a great blessing in the sixth year. The land will produce enough for three years. 22While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat food from the old crop. You will continue to eat food from it until the crops from the ninth year are gathered.
23“ ‘The land must not be sold without a way of getting it back. That is because it belongs to me. You are only outsiders and strangers in my land. 24You must make sure that you can buy the land back. That applies to all the land that belongs to you.
25“ ‘Suppose one of your own people becomes poor. And suppose they have to sell some of their land. Then their nearest relative must come and buy back what they have sold. 26But suppose they do not have anyone to buy it back for them. And suppose things go well for them and they earn enough money to buy it back themselves. 27Then they must decide how much the crops have become worth since the time they sold the land. They must take that amount off the price the land was sold for. They must give the one selling it back to them the money that is left. Then they can go back to their own property. 28But suppose they have not earned enough money to pay them back. Then the buyer they sold the land to will keep it until the Year of Jubilee. At that time it will be returned to them. Then they can go back to their property.
29“ ‘Suppose someone sells a house in a city that has a wall around it. Then for a full year after they sell it they have the right to buy it back. 30But suppose they do not buy it back before the full year has passed. Then the house in the walled city will continue to belong to the buyer and the buyer’s children. It will not be returned to the seller in the Year of Jubilee. 31But houses in villages that do not have walls around them must be treated like property outside walled cities. Those houses can be bought back at any time. And they must be returned in the Year of Jubilee.
32“ ‘The Levites always have the right to buy back their houses in the towns that belong to them. 33So their property among the Israelites can be bought back. That applies to a house sold in any of their towns. Any house that is sold must be returned to its original owner in the Year of Jubilee. That is because the houses of the Levites will always belong to them. 34But the grasslands around their towns must never be sold. They will belong to them for all time to come.
35“ ‘Suppose any of your own people become poor. And suppose they can’t take care of themselves. Then help them just as you would help an outsider or a stranger. In that way, the poor can continue to live among you. 36Do not charge them interest of any kind. Instead, have respect for God. Then those who have become poor can continue to live among you. 37If you lend them money, you must not charge them interest. And you must not sell them food for more than it cost you. 38I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. I did it to give you the land of Canaan. I wanted to be your God.
39“ ‘Suppose any of your own people become poor. And suppose they sell themselves to you. Then do not make them work as slaves. 40You must treat them like hired workers. Or you must treat them like those living among you for a while. They must work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41Then they and their children must be set free. They will go back to their own tribes. They will go back to the property their people have always owned. 42The Israelites are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. So they must not be sold as slaves. 43Show them pity when you rule over them. Have respect for God.
44“ ‘You must get your male and female slaves from the nations that are around you. You can buy slaves from them. 45You can also buy as slaves some of the people living among you for a while. You can also buy members of their families born among you. They will become your property. 46You can leave them to your children as their share of your property. You can make them slaves for life. But when you rule over your own people, you must be kind to them.
47“ ‘Suppose an outsider living among you for a while becomes rich. Then suppose any of your own people become poor. Then they sell themselves to the outsider living among you. Or they sell themselves to a member of the outsider’s family. 48Then they keep the right to buy themselves back after they have sold themselves. One of their relatives can buy them back. 49An uncle or a cousin can buy them back after they have sold themselves. In fact, any relative in their tribe can do it. Or suppose things go well for them. Then they can buy themselves back. 50They and their buyer must count the number of years from the time of the sale up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for their freedom must be based on the amount paid to a hired man for that number of years. 51Suppose there are many years until the Year of Jubilee. Then for their freedom they must pay a larger share of the price paid for them. 52But suppose there are only a few years left until the Year of Jubilee. Then they must count the number of years that are left. The payment for their freedom must be based on that number. 53They must be treated as workers hired from year to year. You must make sure that those they must work for are kind to them when they rule over them.
54“ ‘Suppose they are not bought back in any of those ways. Then they and their children must still be set free in the Year of Jubilee. 55That’s because the Israelites belong to me. They are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
Mwaka Wa Sabato
(Kumbukumbu 15:1-11)
125:1 Kut 19:11Bwana akamwambia Mose katika Mlima Sinai, 225:2 Kut 23:10; Law 26:34-35; 2Nya 36:21“Sema na Waisraeli uwaambie: ‘Mtakapoingia katika nchi ninayowapa ninyi, nchi yenyewe ni lazima ishike Sabato kwa ajili ya Bwana. 325:3 Kut 23:10; 25:4Kwa miaka sita mtapanda mazao katika mashamba yenu, nanyi kwa miaka sita mtaikata mizabibu yenu matawi na kuvuna mazao yake. 425:4 Law 26:35; 2Nya 36:21; Isa 36:16; 37:30Lakini mwaka wa saba nchi lazima iwe na Sabato ya mapumziko, Sabato kwa Bwana. Msipande mbegu katika mashamba yenu, wala msikate mizabibu yenu matawi. 525:5 2Fal 19:29; Mwa 40:10; Hes 6:3; 13:20; Kum 23:24; Neh 13:15; Isa 5:2; 37:30Msivune na kuweka akiba kinachoota chenyewe, wala kuvuna na kusindika zabibu ambayo hamkuhudumia mashamba yake. Nchi lazima iwe na mwaka wa mapumziko. 6Chochote nchi itoacho katika mwaka wa Sabato kitakuwa chakula chenu wenyewe, watumishi wenu wa kiume na wa kike, mfanyakazi aliyeajiriwa, na mkazi wa muda anayeishi miongoni mwenu, 725:7 Kut 23:11vilevile malisho ya mifugo yenu na wanyama pori katika nchi yenu. Chochote nchi itakachozalisha kinaweza kuliwa.
Mwaka Wa Yubile
8“ ‘Hesabu Sabato saba za miaka, yaani miaka saba mara saba, ili Sabato saba za miaka utakuwa muda wa miaka arobaini na tisa. 925:9 Law 16:29; 23:24; Hes 10:8; Yos 6:4; Amu 3:27; 7:16; 1Sam 13:3; Isa 27:13; Zek 9:14; Kut 30:10Ndipo tarumbeta itapigwa kila mahali katika siku ya kumi ya mwezi wa saba. Katika Siku ya Upatanisho, piga tarumbeta katika nchi yako yote. 1025:10 Isa 61:1; Yer 34:8, 15, 17; Lk 4:19; Law 27:17, 21; Hes 36:4; Eze 46:17; Kut 20:2; Ezr 6:3; Gal 5:1Mwaka wa hamsini mtauweka wakfu na kutangaza uhuru katika nchi kwa wakazi wake wote. Itakuwa ni yubile25:10 Yubile ni baragumu iliopigwa kila mwaka wa hamsini; ni Sabato ya nchi ya kila mwaka wa hamsini uliokuwa mwaka wa ukombozi, yaani kuachia huru. kwenu; kila mmoja wenu atairudia mali ya jamaa yake, na kila mmoja kurudi kwenye ukoo wake. 11Mwaka wa hamsini utakuwa yubile kwenu, msipande wala msivune kile kiotacho chenyewe, au kuvuna zabibu zisizohudumiwa. 12Kwa kuwa ni yubile, nayo itakuwa takatifu kwenu; mtakula tu kile kilichotoka moja kwa moja mashambani.
13“ ‘Katika huu Mwaka wa Yubile, kila mmoja atarudi kwenye mali yake mwenyewe.
1425:14 Law 19:13; 1Sam 12:3-4; 1Kor 6:8; Za 10:18; Mik 2:2“ ‘Ikiwa utauza ardhi kwa mmoja wa wazawa wa nchi yako, au ukinunua ardhi kutoka kwake, mmoja asimpunje mwingine. 1525:15 Law 27:18, 23Utanunua ardhi kwa mzawa wa nchi yako kwa misingi ya hesabu ya miaka baada ya Yubile. Naye ataiuza kwako kwa misingi ya hesabu ya miaka iliyobaki kwa kuvuna mavuno. 16Miaka inapokuwa mingi, utaongeza bei, nayo miaka ikiwa michache, utapunguza bei, kwa sababu kile anachokuuzia kwa hakika ni hesabu ya mazao. 1725:17 Law 19:13, 14, 32; Ay 31:16; Mit 22:22; Yer 7:5-6; 21:12; 22:3; Zek 7:9-10; 1The 4:6; Mit 14:31; Eze 22:29Mmoja asimpunje mwingine, bali utamcha Mungu wako. Mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wako.
1825:18 Mwa 26:5; Law 26:4-5; Kum 12:10; 33:28; Ay 5:22; Za 4:8; Yer 23:6; 30:10; 32:37; 33:16; Eze 28:26; 34:25; 38:14“ ‘Fuateni amri zangu, mwe waangalifu kutii amri zangu, nanyi mtaishi salama katika nchi. 1925:19 Law 26:4; Kum 11:14; 28:12; Isa 55:10; Mt 6:25; Hes 11:4-13; 2Fal 6:15Kisha nchi itazaa matunda yake, nanyi mtakula na kushiba na kuishi humo kwa salama. 20Mwaweza kuuliza, “Tutakula nini katika mwaka wa saba ikiwa hatutapanda wala kuvuna mazao yetu?” 2125:21 Kum 28:8-12; Za 133:3; 134:3; 147:13; Eze 44:30; Hag 2:19; Mal 3:10; Kut 16:5Nitawapelekeeni baraka ya pekee katika mwaka wa sita, kwamba nchi itazalisha mazao ya kutosha kwa miaka mitatu. 2225:22 Law 26:10; 2Fal 19:29; Yos 5:11Mnapopanda mwaka wa nane, mtakula mavuno ya miaka iliyopita. Pia mtaendelea kuyala mazao hayo hadi mvune mavuno ya mwaka wa tisa.
2325:23 Hes 36:7; 1Fal 21:3; Eze 46:18; Kut 19:5; Mwa 23:4; Ebr 11:13“ ‘Kamwe ardhi isiuzwe kwa mkataba wa kudumu, kwa sababu nchi ni mali yangu, nanyi ni wageni na wapangaji wangu. 2425:24 Rut 4:7; Yer 32:8Katika nchi yote mtakayoshika kuwa milki yenu, ni lazima mtoe ukombozi wa ardhi.
2525:25 Rut 2:20; 4:4; Yer 32:7; Law 27:13-31“ ‘Ikiwa mmoja wa wazawa wa nchi yako amekuwa maskini na akauza baadhi ya mali yake, ndugu yake wa karibu atakuja na kukomboa kile ndugu yako alichokiuza. 26Iwapo mtu huyo hana jamaa wa karibu wa kukomboa mali hiyo kwa ajili yake, lakini yeye mwenyewe akafanikiwa na kupata mali itoshayo kuikomboa, 27ataamua tena thamani yake kwa miaka tangu alipoiuza, na kurudisha kiasi kilichobaki cha thamani kwa mtu ambaye alikuwa amemuuzia mali hiyo, naye ataweza kuirudia mali yake. 28Lakini kama hatapata njia ya kumlipa mnunuzi, ile mali aliyouza itabaki kumilikiwa na mnunuzi mpaka Mwaka wa Yubile. Mali hiyo itarudishwa mwaka wa Yubile, naye ataweza kuirudia mali yake.
29“ ‘Ikiwa mtu atauza nyumba iliyo ndani ya mji uliozungukwa kwa ukuta, yeye anayo haki ya kuikomboa mwaka mzima baada ya mauzo ya hiyo nyumba. Wakati huo anaweza kuikomboa. 30Ikiwa haikukombolewa kabla ya mwaka mmoja kamili kupita, nyumba iliyo ndani ya mji uliozungukwa kwa ukuta itakuwa mali ya kudumu ya mnunuzi na wazao wake. Haitarudishwa mwaka wa Yubile. 31Lakini nyumba zilizo vijijini bila ya kuwa na kuta zilizozizunguka zitahesabiwa kama mashamba. Zinaweza kukombolewa, nazo zirudishwe katika mwaka wa Yubile.
3225:32 Hes 35:1-8; Yos 21:2“ ‘Walawi siku zote wana haki ya kukomboa nyumba zao katika miji ya Walawi wanayoimiliki. 33Kwa hiyo mali ya Mlawi inaweza kukombolewa, yaani nyumba iliyouzwa katika mji wowote wanaoushikilia itarudishwa mwaka wa Yubile, kwa sababu nyumba zilizo katika miji ya Walawi ni mali yao miongoni mwa Waisraeli. 3425:34 Hes 35:2-5; Eze 48:14; Mdo 4:36Lakini nchi ya malisho iliyo mali ya miji yao kamwe isiuzwe, ni milki yao ya kudumu.
3525:35 Kum 24:14-15; 15:8; Za 37:21-26; Mit 21:26; Lk 6:35; Mdo 11:29; Rum 12:18; 1Yn 3:17; Kum 15:7“ ‘Ikiwa mmoja wa wazawa wa nchi yako amekuwa maskini, naye akashindwa kujitegemeza mwenyewe katikati yako, msaidie kama vile ambavyo ungelimsaidia mgeni au kama mkazi wa muda, ili aweze kuendelea kuishi katikati yako. 3625:36 Kut 22:25; Yer 15:10; Law 19:32; Kum 23:19; Neh 5:7; Za 15:5; Mit 28:8; Eze 18:8Usichukue riba wala faida yoyote kutoka kwake, bali utamwogopa Mungu wako, ili mzawa wa nchi yako aweze kuendelea kuishi katikati yako. 3725:37 Kut 22:25Usimkopeshe fedha ili alipe na riba, wala usimuuzie chakula kwa faida. 3825:38 Mwa 10:19; 17:7; Law 11:45Mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wako, niliyekuleta kutoka nchi ya Misri nikupe nchi ya Kanaani, nami niwe Mungu wako.
3925:39 1Fal 5:13; 9:23; Yer 34:14; Kut 21:2; 22:3; Kum 15:12“ ‘Ikiwa mmoja wa wazawa wa nchi yako amekuwa maskini katikati yako, naye akajiuza kwako, usimfanye atumike kama mtumwa. 40Atatendewa kama mfanyakazi aliyeajiriwa, au kama mkazi wa muda katikati yako, naye atatumika mpaka Mwaka wa Yubile. 41Ndipo yeye na watoto wake wataachiwa, naye atarudi kwa watu wa ukoo wake, na kwenye mali ya baba zake. 4225:42 Rum 6:22; 1Kor 7:23Kwa sababu Waisraeli ni watumishi wangu niliowaleta kutoka nchi ya Misri, kamwe wasiuzwe kama watumwa. 4325:43 Kut 1:13; Eze 34:4; Kol 4:1; Mwa 42:18; Isa 47:6; Efe 6:9; Kum 25:18; Mal 3:5Usiwatawale kwa ukatili, lakini utamcha Mungu wako.
44“ ‘Watumwa wako wa kiume na wa kike watatoka katika mataifa yanayokuzunguka; kutoka kwao waweza kununua watumwa. 45Pia waweza kununua baadhi ya wakazi wa muda wanaoishi katikati yako, na jamaa ya koo zao waliozaliwa katika nchi yako, nao watakuwa mali yako. 46Hao waweza kuwarithisha watoto wako kuwa urithi wao, na wanaweza kuwafanya watumwa maisha yao yote, lakini usiwatawale ndugu zako Waisraeli kwa ukatili.
4725:47 Neh 5:5; Ay 24:9“ ‘Ikiwa mgeni au mkazi wa muda katikati yako atakuwa tajiri, na mmoja wa wazawa wa nchi yako akawa maskini, naye akajiuza kwa yule mgeni anayeishi katikati yako, au kwa mmoja wa jamaa wa koo za wageni, 48anayo haki ya kukombolewa baada ya kujiuza. Mmoja wa jamaa zake aweza kumkomboa: 49Mjomba wake, au binamu yake, au yeyote aliye ndugu wa damu katika ukoo wake aweza kumkomboa. Au ikiwa atafanikiwa, anaweza kujikomboa mwenyewe. 5025:50 Ay 7:1; 14:6; Isa 16:14; 21:16Yeye na huyo aliyemnunua watahesabu muda kuanzia mwaka aliojiuza hadi Mwaka wa Yubile. Mahali pa kuanzia bei ya kuachiwa kwake itakadiriwa kwa ujira unaolipwa mfanyakazi aliyeajiriwa kwa idadi ya hiyo miaka. 51Ikiwa imebaki miaka mingi, ni lazima atalipia ukombozi wake fungu kubwa la bei iliyolipwa kumnunua yeye. 52Ikiwa miaka iliyobaki ni michache kufikia Mwaka wa Yubile, atafanya hesabu yake, naye atalipa malipo yanayostahili kwa ajili ya ukombozi wake. 5325:53 Kol 4:1Atatendewa kama mtu wa kuajiriwa mwaka hadi mwaka; lazima uone kwamba yule aliyemnunua hamtawali kwa ukatili.
54“ ‘Hata ikiwa hakukombolewa kwa njia mojawapo ya hizi, yeye na watoto wake wataachiwa katika Mwaka wa Yubile, 5525:55 Law 11:44-45kwa maana Waisraeli ni mali yangu kama watumishi. Wao ni watumishi wangu, niliowatoa kutoka nchi ya Misri. Mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wako.
