Liber Deuteronomii, 19

1. cum disperderit Dominus Deus tuus gentes quarum tibi traditurus est terram et possederis eam habitaverisque in urbibus ejus et in ædibus

1. When the Lord thy God hath destroyed the nations, whose land he will deliver to thee, and thou shalt possess it, and shalt dwell in the cities and houses thereof :

2. tres civitates separabis tibi in medio terræ quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi in possessionem

2. Thou shalt separate to thee three cities in the midst of the land, which the Lord will give thee in possession,

3. sternens diligenter viam et in tres æqualiter partes totam terræ tuæ provinciam divides ut habeat e vicino qui propter homicidium profugus est quo possit evadere

3. Paving diligently the way: and thou shalt divide the whole province of thy land equally into three parts: that he who is forced to flee for manslaughter, may have near at hand whither to escape.

4. hæc erit lex homicidæ fugientis cujus vita servanda est qui percusserit proximum suum nesciens et qui heri et nudius tertius nullum contra eum habuisse odium conprobatur

4. This shall be the law of the slayer that fleeth, whose life is to be saved: He that killeth his neighbour ignorantly, and who is proved to have had no hatred against him yesterday and the day before:

5. sed abisse simpliciter cum eo in silvam ad ligna cædenda et in succisione lignorum securis fugerit manu ferrumque lapsum de manubrio amicum ejus percusserit et occiderit hic ad unam supradictarum urbium confugiet et vivet

5. But to have gone with him to the wood to hew wood, and in cutting down the tree the axe slipped out of his hand, and the iron slipping from the handle struck his friend, and killed him: he shall flee to one of the cities aforesaid, and live:

6. ne forsitan proximus ejus cujus effusus est sanguis dolore stimulatus persequatur et adprehendat eum si longior via fuerit et percutiat animam ejus qui non est reus mortis quia nullum contra eum qui occisus est odium prius habuisse monstratur

6. Lest perhaps the next kinsman of him whose blood was shed, pushed on by his grief should pursue, and apprehend him. if the way be too long, and take away the life of him who is not guilty of death, because he is proved to have had no hatred before against him that was slain.

7. idcirco præcipio tibi ut tres civitates æqualis inter se spatii dividas

7. Therefore I command thee, that thou separate three cities at equal distance one from another.

8. cum autem dilataverit Dominus Deus tuus terminos tuos sicut juravit patribus tuis et dederit tibi cunctam terram quam eis pollicitus est

8. And when the Lord thy God shall have enlarged thy borders, as he swore to thy fathers, and shall give thee all the land that he promised them,

9. si tamen custodieris mandata ejus et feceris quæ hodie præcipio tibi ut diligas Dominum Deum tuum et ambules in viis ejus omni tempore addes tibi tres alias civitates et supradictarum trium urbium numerum duplicabis

9. (Yet so, if thou keep his commandments, and do the things which I command thee this day, that thou love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways at all times) thou shalt add to thee other three cities, and shalt double the number of the three cities aforesaid:

10. ut non effundatur sanguis innoxius in medio terræ quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi possidendam nec sis sanguinis reus

10. That innocent blood may not be shed in the midst of the land which the Lord thy God will give thee to possess, lest thou be guilty of blood.

11. si quis autem odio habens proximum suum insidiatus fuerit vitæ ejus surgensque percusserit illum et mortuus fuerit fugeritque ad unam de supradictis urbibus

11. But if any man hating his neighbour, lie in wait for his life, and rise and strike him, and he die, and he flee to one of the cities aforesaid,

12. mittent seniores civitatis illius et arripient eum de loco effugii tradentque in manu proximi cujus sanguis effusus est et morietur

12. The ancients of his city shall send, and take him out of the place of refuge, and shall deliver him into the hand of the kinsman of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die.

13. nec misereberis ejus et auferes innoxium sanguinem de Israël ut bene sit tibi

13. Thou shalt not pity him, and thou shalt take away the guilt of innocent blood out of Israel, that it may be well with thee.

14. non adsumes et transferes terminos proximi tui quos fixerunt priores in possessione tua quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi in terra quam acceperis possidendam

14. Thou shalt not take nor remove thy neighbour's landmark, which thy predecessors have set in thy possession. which the Lord thy God will give thee in the land that thou shalt receive to possess.

15. non stabit testis unus contra aliquem quicquid illud peccati et facinoris fuerit sed in ore duorum aut trium testium stabit omne verbum

15. One witness shall not rise up against any man, whatsoever the sin or wickedness be: but in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand.

16. si steterit testis mendax contra hominem accusans eum prævaricationis

16. If a lying witness stand against a man, accusing him of transgression,

17. stabunt ambo quorum causa est ante Dominum in conspectu sacerdotum et judicum qui fuerint in diebus illis

17. Both of them, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges that shall be in those days.

18. cumque diligentissime perscrutantes invenerint falsum testem dixisse contra fratrem suum mendacium

18. And when after most diligent inquisition, they shall find that the false witness hath told a lie against his brother:

19. reddent ei sicut fratri suo facere cogitavit et auferes malum de medio tui

19. They shall render to him as he meant to do to his brother, and thou shalt take away the evil out of the midst of thee:

20. ut audientes ceteri timorem habeant et nequaquam talia audeant facere

20. That others hearing may fear, and may not dare to do such things.

21. non misereberis ejus sed animam pro anima oculum pro oculo dentem pro dente manum pro manu pedem pro pede exiges

21. 21Thou shalt not pity him, but shalt require life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.