1 و َتَكَلَّمَ اللهُ إلَى مُوسَى فِي سُهُولِ مُوآبَ بِقُربِ نَهرِ الأُردُنِّ، فِي الجِهَةِ الشَّرقِيَّةِ مُقابِلَ أرِيحا فَقالَ:

And the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying:

2 « أوصِ بَني إسْرائِيلَ بِأنْ يُخَصِّصُوا لِلّاوِيِّينَ مُدُناً لِيَسكُنُوا فِيها مِنَ الأرْضِ الَّتِي أخَذُوها، وَمَراعِيَ حَولَ مُدُنِهِمْ.

“Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common-land around the cities.

3 س َتَكُونُ هَذِهِ المُدُنُ لَهُمْ لِلسَّكَنِ، وَالمَراعِي لِماشِيَتِهِمْ وَجَمِيعِ الحَيواناتِ الَّتِي يَملِكُونَها.

They shall have the cities to dwell in; and their common-land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals.

4 س َتَمتَدُّ مَراعِي اللّاوِيِّينَ مِنْ سُورِ المَدِينَةِ مَسافَةَ ألْفِ ذِراعٍ مِنْ كُلِّ الجِهاتِ.

The common-land of the cities which you will give the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around.

5 ق ِيسُوا خارِجَ المَدِينَةِ ألفِي ذِراعٍ مِنْ كُلِّ جِهَةٍ: ألفِي ذِراعٍ مِنَ الجِهَةِ الشَّرقِيَّةِ، وَألفِي ذِراعٍ مِنَ الجِهَةِ الجَنُوبِيَّةِ، ألفِي ذِراعٍ مِنَ الجِهَةِ الغَربِيَّةِ، وَألفِي ذِراعٍ مِنَ الجِهَةِ الشَّمالِيَّةِ. فَتَكُونُ المَدِينَةُ فِي الوَسَطِ، وَتَكُونُ هَذِهِ المساحاتُ الإضافِيّةُ مِراعِيَ لِمُدُنِ اللّاوِيِّينَ.

And you shall measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits. The city shall be in the middle. This shall belong to them as common-land for the cities.

6 « وَمِنْ ضِمنِ المُدُنِ الَّتِي سَتُعطُونَها لِلّاوِيِّينَ، سَتَكُونُ هُناكَ سِتُّ مُدُنٍ لِلُّجُوءِ، يَهرُبَ إلَيها كُلُّ مَنْ يَقتُلُ شَخصاً آخَرَ بِغَيرِ قَصدٍ. وَبِالإضافَةِ إلَى هَذِهِ المُدُنِ السِّتِّ، أعطُوا اللّاوِيِّينَ اثنَتَيْنِ وَأربَعِينَ مَدِينَةً أُخْرَى.

“Now among the cities which you will give to the Levites you shall appoint six cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. And to these you shall add forty-two cities.

7 ف َسَيَكُونُ مَجْمُوعُ المُدُنِ الَّتِي يأخُذُونَها ثَمانٍ وَأربَعِينَ مَدِينَةً مَعَ مَراعِيها.

So all the cities you will give to the Levites shall be forty-eight; these you shall give with their common-land.

8 خ ُذُوا لِلّاوِيِّينَ مِنْ أرْضِ قَبائِلِ بَني إسْرائِيلَ عَدَداً مِنَ المُدُنِ يَتَناسَبُ مَعَ حَجمِ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ. فَتُعْطِي كُلَّ قَبِيلَةٍ مِنْ مُدُنِها لِلّاوِيِّينَ، بِحَسَبِ مَساحَةِ حِصَّتِها مِنَ الأرْضِ.» مُدُنُ اللُّجوء

And the cities which you will give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel; from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives.” Cities of Refuge

9 و َقالَ اللهُ لِمُوسَى:

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

10 « قُلْ لِبَني إسْرائِيلَ: حِينَ تَعبُرُونَ نَهرَ الأُردُنِّ إلَى أرْضِ كَنعانَ،

“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11 ا خْتارُوا مُدُناً لِتَكُونَ مُدُناً لِلُجُوءِ. فَمَنْ يَقتُلُ شَخْصاً بِغَيرِ قَصدٍ، يُمكِنُهُ الهُرُوبُ إلَى إحدَى هَذِهِ المُدُنِ.

then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there.

12 ف َسَتَكُونُ مُدُناً يَلجأُ إلَيها القَاتِلُ مِنْ قَرِيبِ القَتِيلِ الَّذِي يُريدُ الأخذُ بِالثَّأرِ. وَهَكَذا لا يُقتَلُ القاتِلُ إلَى أنْ يَقِفَ أمامَ الشَّعبِ لِلمُحاكَمَةِ.

They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

13 ف َالمُدُنُ الَّتِي تَخْتارُونَها سَتَكُونُ مُدُنَ لُجُوءٍ لَكُمْ.

And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge.

14 ا خْتارُوا ثَلاثَ مُدُنٍ شَرقَ نَهرِ الأُردُنِّ، وَثَلاثَ مُدُنٍ فِي أرْضِ كَنْعانَ، لِتَكُونَ مُدُنَ لُجُوءٍ.

You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge.

15 ت َكُونُ هَذِهِ المُدُنُ السِّتُّ لِلُجُوءِ بَني إسْرائِيلَ وَالغُرَباءِ السّاكِنِينَ بَينَهُمْ. فَكُلُّ مَنْ يَقتُلُ شَخصاً بِغَيرِ قَصْدٍ، يَهْرُبُ إلَيها.

These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.

16 « فَإنْ ضَرَبَ شَخصٌ شَخصاً آخَرَ بِأداةٍ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ فَماتَ، فَإنَّ الضّارِبَ يُعتَبَرُ قاتِلاً وَيَنْبَغِي قَتلُهُ.

‘But if he strikes him with an iron implement, so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17 و َإنْ ضَرَبَهُ بِحَجَرٍ بِيَدِهِ مِمّا سَبَّبَ مَوتَهُ، فَإنَّ الضّارِبَ يُعتَبَرُ قاتِلاً وَيَنْبَغِي قَتلُهُ.

And if he strikes him with a stone in the hand, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18 و َإنْ ضَرَبَهُ بِأداةٍ خَشَبِيَّةٍ بِيَدِهِ مِمّا سَبَّبَ مَوتَهُ، فَإنَّ الضّارِبَ يُعتَبَرُ قاتِلاً وَيَنْبَغِي قَتلُهُ.

Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19 ا لَّذي يَثأرُ لِلدَّمِ هُوَ يَقْتُلُ القاتِلَ. عِنْدَما يَلْتَقِيانِ، فَالَّذي يَثأرُ لِلدَّمِ يُنَفِّذُ حُكْمَ الإعْدامِ.

The avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

20 « وَكَذَلِكَ إنْ دَفَعَهُ بِسَبِبِ كُرْهِهِ لَهُ، أوْ ألقَى شَيئاً عَلَيهِ عَنْ قَصْدٍ فَماتَ،

If he pushes him out of hatred or, while lying in wait, hurls something at him so that he dies,

21 أ وْ إنْ ضَرَبَهُ بِيدِهِ بِسَبِبِ كُرْهِهِ لَهُ، فَماتَ، فَحِينَئِذٍ، يَنْبَغِي قَتلُهُ لأنَّهُ قاتِلٌ. وَالَّذي يَثأرُ لِلدَّمِ فَقَطْ، هُوَ يَقْتُلُ القاتِلَ عِنْدَما يَلْتَقِيانِ.

or in enmity he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 « وَلَكِنْ إنْ دَفَعَهُ بِغَيرِ قَصدٍ وَمِنْ دُونِ كُرْهٍ، أوْ ألقَى شَيئاً عَلَيهِ بِغَيرِ قَصْدٍ،

‘However, if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, or throws anything at him without lying in wait,

23 أ وْ أسقَطَ حَجَراً بِغَيرِ قَصدٍ، فَسَقَطَ عَلَيهِ فَماتَ، وَلَيسَ بَينَهُما عَداوَةٌ، وَلَمْ يَقصَدِ الأذَى،

or uses a stone, by which a man could die, throwing it at him without seeing him, so that he dies, while he was not his enemy or seeking his harm,

24 س َيَحُكُمُ الشَّعبُ بَينَ القاتِلِ وَالَّذي يَثأرُ لِدَمِ القَتِيلِ بِحَسَبِ هَذِهِ القَواعِدِ.

then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments.

25 و َيَكُونُ عَلَى الشَّعبِ أنْ يَحمِيَ القاتِلَ مِنْ قَريبِ القَتِيلِ الَّذي يَثأرُ لِدَمِهِ. فَيُعيدُونَهُ إلَى مَدِينَةِ اللُّجُوءِ الَّتِي هَرَبَ إلَيها. فَيَسكُنُ هُناكَ إلَى أنْ يَمُوتَ رَئِيسُ الكَهَنةِ الَّذِي مُسِحَ بِالزَّيتِ المُقَدَّسِ.

So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.

26 « لَكِنْ إنْ تَرَكَ القاتِلُ حُدُودَ مَدِينَةِ اللُّجُوءِ الَّتِي هَرَبَ إلَيها،

But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled,

27 و َوَجَدَهُ الَّذي يَثأرُ لِلدَّمِ خارِجَ مَدِينَةِ اللُّجُوءِ، فَيُمْكِنُ لِلَّذي يَثأرُ لِلدَّمِ أنْ يَقتُلَ القاتِلَ. وَلا يُحْسَبُ مُذنِباً بِجِرِيمَةِ قتلٍ.

and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood,

28 ل أنْ عَلَى القاتِلِ أنْ يَبقَى فِي مَدِينَةِ اللُّجُوءِ إلَى مَوتِ رَئِيسِ الكَهَنَةِ. وَبَعْدَ مَوتِ رَئِيسِ الكَهَنَةِ يُمكِنُ لِلقاتِلِ أنْ يَعُودَ إلَى أرْضِهِ.

because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

29 ه َذِهِ هِيَ أحكامُ الشَّرِيعَةِ لَكُمْ مِنَ الآنَ فَصاعِداً، حَيثُما كَنتُمْ تَقيمُونَ.

‘And these things shall be a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30 « إنْ قَتَلَ أحَدُهُمْ شَخصاً، فَإنَّهُ يُقتَلُ بِشَهادَةِ شُهُودٍ. لَكِنْ لا يَجُوزُ قَتلُ أحَدٍ بِشَهادَةِ شاهِدٍ واحِدٍ.

Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.

31 « لا تَقبَلُوا فِدْيَةً عَنْ حَياةِ القاتِلِ المَحكُومِ عَلَيهِ بِالمَوْتِ، لأنَّهُ يَنبَغِي أنْ يُقتَلَ.

Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.

32 « لا تَقبَلُوا فِدْيةً مِنَ الشَّخصِ الَّذِي هَرَبَ إلَى مَدِينَةِ لُجُوءٍ لِكَي يَعُودَ وَيَسْكُنَ فِي الأرْضِ حَيثُما يَشاءُ. بَلْ يَبقَى هُناكَ إلَى مَوتِ رَئِيسِ الكَهَنَةِ.

And you shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest.

33 ف َلا تُفسِدُوا الأرْضَ الَّتِي تَعيشُونَ عَلَيها، فَلا فِديَةَ لِتَحْريرِ الأرْضِ مِنْ جَرِيمَةِ القَتلِ الُمرتَكَبَةِ فِيها، إلّا مَوتُ القاتِلِ.

So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.

34 ف َلا تُنَجِّسُوا الأرْضَ الَّتِي تُقيمُونَ فِيها، وَالَّتِي أنا أيضاً أسكُنْ فِي وَسَطِها. إنِّي أنا اللهُ السَّاكِنُ وَسَطَ بَني إسْرائِيلَ.»

Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.’”