The Treatment of Slaves
(Deuteronomy 15.12-18)1 “Give the Israelites the following laws: 2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you for six years. In the seventh year he is to be set free without having to pay anything. 3 If he was unmarried when he became your slave, he is not to take a wife with him when he leaves; but if he was married when he became your slave, he may take his wife with him. 4 If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, the woman and her children belong to the master, and the man is to leave by himself. 5 But if the slave declares that he loves his master, his wife, and his children and does not want to be set free, 6 then his master shall take him to the place of worship. There he is to make him stand against the door or the doorpost and put a hole through his ear. Then he will be his slave for life.
7 “If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be set free, as male slaves are. 8 If she is sold to someone who intends to make her his wife, but he doesn't like her, then she is to be sold back to her father; her master cannot sell her to foreigners, because he has treated her unfairly. 9 If a man buys a female slave to give to his son, he is to treat her like a daughter. 10 If a man takes a second wife, he must continue to give his first wife the same amount of food and clothing and the same rights that she had before. 11 If he does not fulfill these duties to her, he must set her free and not receive any payment.
Laws about Violent Acts
12 “Whoever hits someone and kills him is to be put to death. 13 But if it was an accident and he did not mean to kill him, he can escape to a place which I will choose for you, and there he will be safe. 14 But when someone gets angry and deliberately kills someone else, he is to be put to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.
15 “Whoever hits his father or his mother is to be put to death.
16 “Whoever kidnaps someone, either to sell him or to keep him as a slave, is to be put to death.
17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death.
18-19 “If there is a fight and someone hits someone else with a stone or with his fist, but does not kill him, he is not to be punished. If the one who was hit has to stay in bed, but later is able to get up and walk outside with the help of a cane, the one who hit him is to pay for his lost time and take care of him until he gets well.
20 “If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished. 21 But if the slave does not die for a day or two, the master is not to be punished. The loss of his property is punishment enough.
22 “If some men are fighting and hurt a pregnant woman so that she loses her child, but she is not injured in any other way, the one who hurt her is to be fined whatever amount the woman's husband demands, subject to the approval of the judges. 23 But if the woman herself is injured, the punishment shall be life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
26 “If someone hits his male or female slave in the eye and puts it out, he is to free the slave as payment for the eye. 27 If he knocks out a tooth, he is to free the slave as payment for the tooth.
The Responsibility of Owners
28 “If a bull gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but its owner is not to be punished. 29 But if the bull had been in the habit of attacking people and its owner had been warned, but did not keep it penned up—then if it gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its owner is to be put to death also. 30 However, if the owner is allowed to pay a fine to save his life, he must pay the full amount required. 31 If the bull kills a boy or a girl, the same rule applies. 32 If the bull kills a male or female slave, its owner shall pay the owner of the slave thirty pieces of silver, and the bull shall be stoned to death.
33 “If someone takes the cover off a pit or if he digs one and does not cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it, 34 he must pay for the animal. He is to pay the money to the owner and may keep the dead animal. 35 If someone's bull kills someone else's bull, the two of them shall sell the live bull and divide the money; they shall also divide up the meat from the dead animal. 36 But if it was known that the bull had been in the habit of attacking and its owner did not keep it penned up, he must make good the loss by giving the other man a live bull, but he may keep the dead animal.
1 Šīs ir tās tiesas, ko tev būs likt viņiem priekšā. 2 Ja tu pērc ebreju vergu, tad sešus gadus lai viņš tev kalpo, bet septītajā gadā lai viņš bez maksas brīvi aiziet. 3 Ja viņš nācis kā vieninieks, tad lai arī viņš iet viens, bet, ja viņš ir laulāts vīrs, tad lai viņa sieva aiziet kopā ar viņu. 4 Bet, ja viņa kungs ir devis viņam sievu un tā viņam ir dzemdējusi vai nu dēlus, vai meitas, tad sieva un viņas dzemdētie bērni lai paliek viņa kungam, bet viņš viens pats lai aiziet, kā nācis. 5 Bet, ja vergs teiks: es mīlu savu kungu, savu sievu un savus bērnus, - tad lai viņš neaiziet brīvībā. 6 Tad lai viņa kungs to nostata Dieva priekšā un lai to ved pie durvīm vai stabiem, un kungs lai ar īlenu izdur cauri viņa ausij, un tas lai kalpo viņam mūžīgi. 7 Un, ja kāds vīrs savu meitu ir pārdevis par verdzeni, tad lai tā neaiziet, kā aiziet vergi. 8 Kad viņa nepatīk savam kungam un tas negrib viņu precēt, tad lai tas liek to izpirkt; bet viņš to nevar pārdot svešiem ļaudīm, kļuvis pret to netaisns. 9 Bet, ja viņš to dod savam dēlam par sievu, tad lai viņai ir meitas tiesa. 10 Ja viņš tam ņem citu sievu, tad nedz viņas uzturs, nedz viņas apģērbs, nedz arī likumīgā kopdzīve lai netiek mazināta. 11 Bet, ja viņš šos trīs noteikumus nepilda, tad viņa var aiziet brīvībā bez atlīdzības. 12 Kas sit cilvēku tā, ka tas mirst, tas sodāms ar nāvi. 13 Taču, ja tas nav tam ar nolūku uzglūnējis, bet Dievs viņa rokai tā licis gadīties, tad Es noteikšu tev vietu, kur tas var bēgt. 14 Bet, ja kāds ļaunprātīgi rīkosies pret savu tuvāku, to ar viltu nogalinādams, tad lai arī viņu paņem no Mana altāra, ka tas mirst. 15 Un, kas sit savu tēvu vai savu māti, tas sodāms ar nāvi. 16 Un, kas nozog cilvēku, vai nu viņš to grib pārdot, vai tas tiek pie viņa atrasts, sodāms ar nāvi. 17 Kas nolād savu tēvu vai savu māti, tas sodāms ar nāvi. 18 Un, ja vīri ir saķildojušies un viens otru sit ar akmeni vai ar dūri, ka tas nemirst, bet tam uz gultas jāguļ: 19 ja tas var piecelties un staigāt pa lauku ar spieķi, tad tas, kas viņu sita, lai ir bez vainas; tikai tam jādod atlīdzība par bezdarba laiku un jāgādā par viņa dziedināšanu. 20 Bet, ja kāds sit ar koku savu vergu vai verdzeni, ka tie no viņa rokas mirst, tad lai tas tiek riebtin atriebts. 21 Bet, ja tas vēl dzīvo vienu vai divi dienas, tad viņš nav jāsoda, jo tā ir viņa nauda. 22 Bet, ja vīri kaujas un sagrūž grūtu sievu, ka viņas auglis noiet, bet pašai nenotiek nelaime, tad lai tiek uzlikts naudas sods tam, kas to sagrūdis, tik liels, cik viņas vīrs prasa, un lai tiek dots pēc šķīrējtiesneša atzinuma. 23 Bet, ja notiek nelaime, tad būs likt dzīvību pret dzīvību. 24 Aci pret aci, zobu pret zobu, roku pret roku, kāju pret kāju. 25 Deguma brūci pret deguma brūci, ievainojumu pret ievainojumu, rētu pret rētu. 26 Ja kāds izsit savam vergam vai verdzenei aci, tad lai tas to atlaiž brīvībā, viņš lai to atlaiž acs dēļ. 27 Tāpat, ja tas izsit savam vergam vai verdzenei zobu, tad lai tas to atlaiž zoba dēļ. 28 Bet, ja kāds vērsis sabada vīru vai sievu, ka tie mirst, tad vērsim jātop nomētātam ar akmeņiem, bet tā gaļu lai neēd, un vērša īpašnieks lai ir brīvs no vainas. 29 Bet, ja šis vērsis ir bijis badītājs jau kopš vakar-vai aizvakardienas un tas ir bijis zināms viņa īpašniekam, bet viņš nav to nosargājis, un tas nobada vīru vai sievu, lai tad vērsis tiek nomētāts akmeņiem, un jāmirst arī viņa īpašniekam. 30 Bet, ja piespriež izpirkšanas maksu, tad lai viņš par savas dzīvības izpirkšanu dod visu, ko no viņa prasa. 31 Arī, ja viņa dēlu sabada vai sabada viņa meitu, lai rīkojas pēc tiem pašiem likumiem. 32 Bet, ja vergs vai verdzene tiek sabadīti, tad lai īpašnieks dod viņu kungam trīsdesmit sudraba seķeļus, bet vērsi lai nomētā ar akmeņiem. 33 Ja kāds atstāj vaļā aku vai izrok aku un to neapsedz un tanī iekrīt vērsis vai ēzelis, 34 tad akas īpašnieks lai visu nolīdzina; nauda dodama lopa īpašniekam, bet viņam paliek beigtais lops. 35 Bet, ja vērsis bada vērsi, ka tas ir beigts, tad dzīvais vērsis ir jāpārdod un nauda jāsadala, un beigtais vērsis arī jāsadala uz pusēm. 36 Bet, ja tas ir zinājis, ka vērsis jau iepriekš ir bijis badītājs, un viņa īpašnieks nav to nosargājis, tad lai izlīgst: vērsi pret vērsi, bet beigtais lai paliek cietējam. 37 Ja kāds nozog vērsi vai avi un to nokauj vai pārdod, tam būs atdot piecus vēršus par vērsi un četras avis par avi.
