Protection of Property
In Hebrew texts 22:1 is numbered 21:37, and 22:2-31 is numbered 22:1-30. 1“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.
2“If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; 3but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.
“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. 4If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.
5“If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.
6“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.
7“If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. 8But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must22:8 Or before God, and he will determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. 9In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.22:9 Or before God The one whom the judges declare22:9 Or whom God declares guilty must pay back double to the other.
10“If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, 11the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. 12But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. 13If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.
14“If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. 15But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.
Social Responsibility
16“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. 17If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
18“Do not allow a sorceress to live.
19“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.
20“Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
21“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.
22“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. 23If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.
25“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. 26If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, 27because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
28“Do not blaspheme God22:28 Or Do not revile the judges or curse the ruler of your people.
29“Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.22:29 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
“You must give me the firstborn of your sons. 30Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.
31“You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.
Agyapadeɛ Ho Banbɔ
1“Sɛ obi kɔwia nantwie anaa odwan na ɔkum no anaa ɔtɔn no a, ɔde anantwie enum bɛsi nantwie baako ananmu. Na ɔde nnwan ɛnan asi odwan baako biara ananmu.
2“Sɛ mohunu ɔkorɔmfoɔ sɛ ɔrebu efie bi awura mu na wɔkum no a, deɛ ɔkumm no no nni fɔ. 3Na sɛ asɛm no si awia deɛ a, wɔmfa no sɛ ɛyɛ awudie enti onipa a ɔkumm ɔkorɔmfoɔ no di fɔ.
“Sɛ mokyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ bi a, momma ɔntua nneɛma a wawia no nyinaa ho ka na sɛ wantumi antua a, montɔn no sɛ akoa mfa no ntua ɛka no. 4Sɛ mokyere no sɛ ɔrewia nantwie anaa afunumu anaa odwan a ɔnwuiɛ anaa biribi foforɔ bi a, mommɔ no dekodeɛ a ɔwiaeɛ no ho ka mpemanim.
5“Sɛ obi boapa gyaa nʼaboa ma ɔkɔ obi afuom kɔdidi hɔ, sɛe afudeɛ a, ɔmfa ɔno ara nʼafudeɛ mu deɛ ɛsɔ ani pa ara no mmɛtua ka.
6“Sɛ obi rehye nʼafuo, na ogya no tra kɔtɔ ɔfoforɔ afuo mu, hye, sɛe nʼafudeɛ a, deɛ ɔsɔɔ ogya no bɛtua afudeɛ a asɛe no nyinaa ho ka.
7“Sɛ obi ma ɔfoforɔ sika anaa ade foforɔ bi sɛ ɔmfa nsie ma no na wɔwia na sɛ wɔkyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ no a, ɔbɛtua no mpemanim. 8Na sɛ wɔankyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ no a, wɔde onipa a wɔde agyapadeɛ no hyɛɛ ne nsa no bɛba Onyankopɔn anim abɛhwehwɛ sɛ nʼankasa na ɔwiaa ne yɔnko no anaasɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno. 9Sɛ ɛba sɛ nantwie, afunumu, odwan, ntoma anaa biribi foforɔ bi yera na deɛ nʼadeɛ ayera no de nʼani kari obi sɛ ɔno na wafa dekodeɛ no, na onii no sane sɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno na wafa a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde nnipa baanu no nyinaa ba Onyankopɔn anim ma ɔhwehwɛ mu. Ɔhwehwɛ mu na deɛ ɔbɛdi fɔ no, ɔbɛtua adeɛ a ɛyeraeɛ no ho ka mmɔho mmienu ama ɔbaako no.
10“Sɛ obi de afunumu, nantwie, odwan anaa aboa foforɔ bi ma ne yɔnko bi ayɛn na aboa no wu anaa ɔpira anaa ɔdwane na sɛ obi anhunu ammɛka a, 11ɛsɛ sɛ deɛ ɔgyee aboa no ayɛn no ka ntam wɔ Awurade anim sɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno na wawia aboa no na deɛ ne dea no gye to mu a, ɔnnye biribiara nsi ananmu. 12Nanso, sɛ wia na wɔwiaa aboa no anaa dekodeɛ no wɔ ne nkyɛn deɛ a, na ɛsɛ sɛ sohwɛfoɔ a wɔwiaa aboa no anaa dekodeɛ no firii ne nkyɛn no tua ne wura no ka. 13Sɛ akekaboa na ɔkumm no a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔde aboa no funu ba bɛkyerɛ. Ɔyɛ no saa a, ɔrentua ho ka biara.
14“Sɛ obi fɛm aboa bi anaa biribi foforɔ bi firi ne yɔnko nkyɛn na sɛ aboa no wu anaa ɔpira ɛberɛ a ne wura no nni hɔ a, ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a ɔfɛm saa aboa no tua ka. 15Na sɛ ne wura no wɔ hɔ deɛ a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔfɛmfoɔ no tua ka, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔbuu yei nyinaa fraa ɔfɛm no ho akatua mu.
Abrabɔ Ho Mmara
16“Sɛ ɔbarima bi kɔdaadaa abaayewa bi a ɔnyɛɛ ne ho adeɛ na ɔne no da a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ne ho adeɛ na ɔware no. 17Sɛ abaayewa no agya se ɔmpene awadeɛ no so a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbarima no tua ne tiri sika.
18“Monkum mmaa nkonyaayifoɔ.
19“Ɔbarima biara a ɔbɛfa aboa bi no, wɔnkum no.
20“Obiara a ɔbɛfiri Awurade akyiri abɔ onyame foforɔ bi afɔdeɛ no, wɔnkum no.
21“Monnhyɛ ɔhɔhoɔ aniɛyaadeɛ ɛkwan biara so; na monkae sɛ, na mo nso moyɛ ahɔhoɔ wɔ Misraim asase so.
22“Monnsisi akunafoɔ anaa nwisiaa; 23na sɛ moyɛ saa na wɔsu frɛ me a, mɛgye wɔn so. 24Mede mʼabufuo bɛtia mo na mama atamfoɔ dɔm akum mo na mo yerenom nso adane akunafoɔ ama mo mma nso ayɛ nwisiaa bi.
25“Sɛ wobɔ wo yɔnko Hebrini bosea a, nnye ho mfɛntom biara. 26Sɛ wogye ne ntoma de si awowa a, anadwo no ara, fa nʼadeɛ kɔma no. 27Ɛfiri sɛ, ebia na ntoma a ɔwɔ de kata ne ho de ka ne ho hye ara ne no; woagye yi, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na watumi ada? Sɛ woamfa ankɔma no na sɛ ɔsu frɛ me a, mɛtie na mahunu no mmɔbɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, meyɛ mmɔborɔhunufoɔ.
28“Monnkasa ntia Onyankopɔn na monnome aban mu mpanimfoɔ anaa mo atemmufoɔ anaa wɔn a wɔdi mo so.
29“Momfa mo nnɔbaeɛ mu nkyɛ mu edu mu baako mmrɛ me ntɛm so.
“Saa ara nso na montua mo mmakan mmarima nkwagyeɛ ho ka no. 30Ma wo nantwie anaa wo dwan abakan no ne ne maame ntena nnanson, na ɛda a ɛtɔ so nwɔtwe no, fa no brɛ me.
31“Esiane sɛ moyɛ kronkron ma me enti, monnwe aboa biara a akekaboa akyere no akum no. Monnya ne funu no ma nkraman mmɛwe.
