The Seventh Year
(Leviticus 25.1-7)1 “At the end of every seventh year you are to cancel the debts of those who owe you money. 2 This is how it is to be done. Each of you who has lent money to any Israelite is to cancel the debt; you must not try to collect the money; the Lord himself has declared the debt canceled. 3 You may collect what a foreigner owes you, but you must not collect what any of your own people owe you.
4 “The Lord your God will bless you in the land that he is giving you. Not one of your people will be poor 5 if you obey him and carefully observe everything that I command you today. 6 The Lord will bless you, as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations, but you will not have to borrow from any; you will have control over many nations, but no nation will have control over you.
7 “If in any of the towns in the land that the Lord your God is giving you there are Israelites in need, then do not be selfish and refuse to help them. 8 Instead, be generous and lend them as much as they need. 9 Do not refuse to lend them something, just because the year when debts are canceled is near. Do not let such an evil thought enter your mind. If you refuse to make the loan, they will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be held guilty. 10 Give to them freely and unselfishly, and the Lord will bless you in everything you do. 11 There will always be some Israelites who are poor and in need, and so I command you to be generous to them.
The Treatment of Slaves
(Exodus 21.1-11)12 “If any Israelites, male or female, sell themselves to you as slaves, you are to release them after they have served you for six years. When the seventh year comes, you must let them go free. 13 When you set them free, do not send them away empty-handed. 14 Give to them generously from what the Lord has blessed you with—sheep, grain, and wine. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God set you free; that is why I am now giving you this command.
16 “But your slave may not want to leave; he may love you and your family and be content to stay. 17 Then take him to the door of your house and there pierce his ear; he will then be your slave for life. Treat your female slave in the same way. 18 Do not be resentful when you set slaves free; after all, they have served you for six years at half the cost of hired servants. Do this, and the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.
The First-Born Cattle and Sheep
19 “Set aside for the Lord your God all the first-born males of your cattle and sheep; don't use any of these cattle for work and don't shear any of these sheep. 20 Each year you and your family are to eat them in the Lord's presence at the one place of worship. 21 But if there is anything wrong with the animals, if they are crippled or blind or have any other serious defect, you must not sacrifice them to the Lord your God. 22 You may eat such animals at home. All of you, whether ritually clean or unclean, may eat them, just as you eat deer or antelope. 23 But do not use their blood for food; instead, you must pour it out on the ground like water.
1 Septītā gada beigās tev jātur atlaide. 2 Un šie ir atlaides noteikumi: ikvienam aizdevējam būs atlaist, ko tas savam tuvākam aizdevis; viņam nebūs likt nedz savu tuvāko, nedz savu brāli spaidos, jo šī atlaide ir pasludināta Tā Kunga dēļ. 3 No svešinieka atprasi, pat piedraudot, bet, kas pie tava brāļa, to lai tava roka atlaiž. 4 Lai tikai tavā tuvumā nebūtu neviena nabaga, jo Tas Kungs tevi svētīdams svētīs tai zemē, ko Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, tev dos iemantot par īpašumu, 5 ja tu tikai klausīdams klausīsi Tā Kunga, sava Dieva, balsij, lai turētu un darītu visus šos baušļus, ko es tev šodien pavēlu. 6 Jo Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, tevi svētīs, tieši kā Viņš to tev ir teicis; un tu aizdosi daudzām tautām, bet pats neaizņemsies, un tu valdīsi pār daudzām tautām, bet viņām pār tevi nebūs valdīt. 7 Kad tavā starpā būs kāds nabags vīrs, viens no taviem tautas brāļiem, kādos tavos vārtos tavā zemē, ko Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, tev dos, tad neapcietini savu sirdi un neaizslēdz savu roku sava nabaga brāļa priekšā, 8 bet atvērdams atver viņam savu roku un aizdodams aizdod viņam tik, cik viņam vajag trūcībā. 9 Sargies, ka tavā sirdī nav blēdības un ka tu nespriestu: septītais gads - atlaides gads ir tuvu. Un lai tava acs nebūtu nenovīdīga uz tavu nabago brāli, ka tu viņam nekā nedod: tad viņš tevis dēļ brēks uz To Kungu, un tas tev būs par grēku. 10 Dodams dod viņam, lai tava sirds nav ļauna, kad tu viņam dod, jo tādēļ Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, tevi svētīs visā tavā darbā un visās lietās, kur tu savu roku pieliksi, 11 jo tur, tanī zemē, netrūks arī nabagu, tāpēc Es tev pavēlu un saku: atvērdams atver savu roku savam brālim, kas top spaidīts un ir nabags tavā zemē. 12 Kad tev tiek pārdots tavs tautas brālis ebrejs vai ebreju sieva, tad lai viņš tev kalpo sešus gadus, bet septītajā gadā tev būs viņu atlaist brīvu prom no savas saimes. 13 Un, kad tu viņu atlaid brīvībā no savas saimes, tad neatlaid viņu tukšā, 14 apdāvinādams apdāvini viņu no saviem sīklopiem, no sava labības klona un no savas vīna spiedes; ar ko Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, tevi ir svētījis, no tā tev būs viņam dot. 15 Un piemini, ka tu esi bijis vergs Ēģiptes zemē, bet Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, tevi ir atbrīvojis, tāpēc es šodien tev dodu šo pavēli. 16 Bet, ja viņš tev sacīs: es negribu no tevis šķirties,- tāpēc ka viņš tevi un tava nama saimi mīl un ka tam ir pie tevis labi klājies,- 17 tad ņem īlenu un piedur viņa ausi pie durvīm, tad viņš tev būs par kalpu mūžīgi; tāpat dari arī savai kalponei. 18 Lai tev nenākas grūti viņu atlaist brīvībā, jo sešos gados viņš tev ir izkalpojis divkārtīgu algādža algu; tad arī tevi Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, svētīs pie visa, ko tu darīsi. 19 Ikvienu pirmdzimušo, kas ir tēviņš no taviem liellopiem un no taviem sīklopiem, novēli kā svētu Tam Kungam, savam Dievam; tu nedrīksti strādāt ar pirmdzimušu vērsi, un arī savu avju pirmdzimušo tu nedrīksti cirpt. 20 Tā Kunga, sava Dieva, priekšā tev un tavam namam tas ir jāēd gadu no gada tanī vietā, ko Tas Kungs izraudzīs. 21 Bet, ja tam ir kāda vaina, ja tas ir klibs vai akls, nevienu, kam kāda ļauna vaina, tu nedrīksti kaut par kaujamo upuri Tam Kungam, savam Dievam. 22 Savos paša vārtos to ēdiet, tiklab nešķīstais, kā šķīstais, kā kalnu kazu un briedi. 23 Tikai viņa asinis tev nebūs baudīt, tās izlej zemē kā ūdeni.
