WhenכִּיYHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָcuts offיַכְרִיתthe nationsאֶת הַגּוֹיִםwhoseאֲשֶׁר םlandאֶת אַרְצָYHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָis givingנֹתֵןyou,לְךָand you dispossess themוִירִשְׁתָּםand liveוְיָשַׁבְתָּin their citiesבְעָרֵיהֶםand in their houses,וּבְבָתֵּיהֶם
you shall set apartתַּבְדִּילfor yourselfלָךְthreeשָׁלוֹשׁcitiesעָרִיםin the midstבְּתוֹךְof your landאַרְצְךָthatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָis givingנֹתֵןyouלְךָto possessלְרִשְׁתָּit.הּ
You shall prepareתָּכִיןfor yourselfלְךָthe road,הַדֶּרֶךְand divide into three partsוְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּthe territoryאֶת גְּבוּלof your landאַרְצְךָthatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָgives you as an inheritance,יַנְחִילְךָso thatוְהָיָהanyכָּלmanslayerרֹצֵחַmay fleeלָנוּסthere.שָׁמָּה
And thisוְזֶהis the caseדְּבַרof the manslayerהָרֹצֵחַwhoאֲשֶׁרfleesיָנוּסthereשָׁמָּהand lives:וָחָיwhoeverאֲשֶׁרstrikesיַכֶּהhis neighborאֶת רֵעֵהוּwithout knowing it,בִּבְלִי דַעַתand heוְהוּאdid notלֹאhateשֹׂנֵאhimלוֹpreviously,מִתְּמֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם
as whenוַאֲשֶׁרsomeone goesיָבֹאwith his neighborאֶת רֵעֵהוּinto the forestבַיַּעַרto cutלַחְטֹבwood,עֵצִיםand his handוְ יָדוֹswingsנִדְּחָהthe axeבַגַּרְזֶןto cut downלִכְרֹתthe tree,הָעֵץand the iron headוְ הַבַּרְזֶלslips offנָשַׁלfromמִןthe woodהָעֵץand strikesוּמָצָאhis neighborאֶת רֵעֵהוּso that he dies,וָמֵתheהוּאmay fleeיָנוּסto oneאֶל אַחַתof theseהָאֵלֶּהcitiesהֶעָרִיםand live,וָחָי
so thatפֶּןthe avengerגֹּאֵלof bloodהַדָּםdoes not pursueיִרְדֹּףthe manslayerאַחֲרֵי הָרֹצֵחַwhileכִּיhis heartלְבָבוֹis hot,יֵחַםand overtake him,וְהִשִּׂיגוֹbecauseכִּיthe wayהַדֶּרֶךְis long,יִרְבֶּהand strike himוְהִכָּהוּmortally,נָפֶשׁthough heוְלוֹdid not deserveאֵיןa sentenceמִשְׁפַּטof death,מָוֶתsinceכִּיheהוּאdid notלֹאhateשֹׂנֵאhimלוֹpreviously.מִתְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם
Thereforeעַל כֵּןIאָנֹכִיam commanding you,מְצַוְּךָsaying,לֵאמֹר“You shall set apartתַּבְדִּילfor yourselfלָךְthreeשָׁלֹשׁcities.”עָרִים
And ifוְאִםYHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָenlargesיַרְחִיבyour territory,אֶת גְּבֻלְךָasכַּאֲשֶׁרhe sworeנִשְׁבַּעto your fathers,לַאֲבֹתֶיךָand givesוְנָתַןyouלְךָallאֶת כָּלthe landהָאָרֶץthatאֲשֶׁרhe promisedדִּבֶּרto giveלָתֵתto your fathers,לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ
ifכִּיyou keepתִשְׁמֹרallאֶת כָּלthisהַזֹּאתcommandmentהַמִּצְוָהby doing it,לַעֲשֹׂתָהּwhichאֲשֶׁרIאָנֹכִיam commanding youמְצַוְּךָtoday,הַיּוֹםto loveלְאַהֲבָהYHWHאֶת יְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָand to walkוְלָלֶכֶתin his waysבִּדְרָכָיוallכָּלthe days,הַיָּמִיםthen you shall addוְיָסַפְתָּfor yourselfלְךָthreeשָׁלֹשׁmoreעוֹדcitiesעָרִיםtoעַלtheseהָאֵלֶּהthree,הַשָּׁלֹשׁ
so thatוְinnocentנָקִיbloodדָּםis notלֹאshedיִשָּׁפֵךְin the midstבְּקֶרֶבof your landאַרְצְךָthatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָis givingנֹתֵןyouלְךָas an inheritance,נַחֲלָהand bloodguiltדָּמִיםbeוְהָיָהon you.עָלֶיךָ
But ifוְכִיthere isיִהְיֶהa manאִישׁwho hatesשֹׂנֵאhis neighbor,לְרֵעֵהוּand lies in waitוְאָרַבfor himלוֹand risesוְקָםagainst himעָלָיוand strikes himוְהִכָּהוּmortallyנֶפֶשׁso that he dies,וָמֵתand he fleesוְנָסto oneאֶל אַחַתof theseהָאֵלcities,הֶעָרִים
the eldersזִקְנֵיof his cityעִירוֹshall sendוְשָׁלְחוּand takeוְלָקְחוּhimאֹתוֹfrom thereמִשָּׁםand handוְנָתְנוּhimאֹתוֹover toבְּיַדthe avengerגֹּאֵלof blood,הַדָּםso that he dies.וָמֵת
Your eyeעֵינְךָshall notלֹאpityתָחוֹסhim,עָלָיוand you shall removeוּבִעַרְתָּthe innocentהַנָּקִיbloodדַםfrom Israel,מִיִּשְׂרָאֵלso that it may go wellוְטוֹבwith you.לָךְ
You shall notלֹאmoveתַסִּיגthe boundaryגְּבוּלof your neighbor,רֵעֲךָwhichאֲשֶׁרthe first generationsרִאשֹׁנִיםhave setגָּבְלוּin your inheritanceבְּנַחֲלָתְךָthatאֲשֶׁרyou will inheritתִּנְחַלin the landבָּאָרֶץthatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָis givingנֹתֵןyouלְךָto possessלְרִשְׁתָּit.הּ
A singleאֶחָדwitnessעֵדshall notלֹאrise upיָקוּםagainst a manבְּאִישׁfor anyלְכָלiniquityעָוֺןor for anyוּלְכָלsin,חַטָּאתin anyבְּכָלsinחֵטְאthatאֲשֶׁרhe commits;יֶחֱטָאon the wordעַל פִּיof twoשְׁנֵיwitnessesעֵדִיםorאוֹon the wordעַל פִּיof threeשְׁלֹשָׁהwitnessesעֵדִיםa matterדָּבָרshall stand.יָקוּם
Ifכִּיa violentחָמָסwitnessעֵדrises upיָקוּםagainst a manבְּאִישׁto testifyלַעֲנוֹתagainst himבּוֹof turning aside,סָרָה
then bothשְׁנֵיthe menהָאֲנָשִׁיםwhoאֲשֶׁרhaveלָהֶםthe disputeהָרִיבshall standוְעָמְדוּbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWH,יְהוָהbeforeלִפְנֵיthe priestsהַכֹּהֲנִיםand the judgesוְהַשֹּׁפְטִיםwhoאֲשֶׁרare in officeיִהְיוּin thoseהָהֵםdays.בַּיָּמִים
And the judgesוְ הַשֹּׁפְטִיםshall inquireדָרְשׁוּthoroughly,הֵיטֵבand look,וְהִנֵּהif the witnessעֵדis a falseשֶׁקֶרwitness,הָעֵדif he has testifiedעָנָהfalselyשֶׁקֶרagainst his brother,בְאָחִיו
then you shall doוַעֲשִׂיתֶםto himלוֹasכַּאֲשֶׁרhe plannedזָמַםto doלַעֲשׂוֹתto his brother.לְאָחִיוSo you shall removeוּבִעַרְתָּthe evilהָרָעfrom among you.מִקִּרְבֶּךָ
And those who remainוְהַנִּשְׁאָרִיםshall hearיִשְׁמְעוּand fear,וְיִרָאוּand they shall notוְלֹאagainיֹסִפוּ עוֹדdoלַעֲשׂוֹתany suchכַּ הַזֶּהevilהָרָעthingדָּבָרamong you.בְּקִרְבֶּךָ
And your eye shall notוְלֹא עֵינֶךָpity:תָחוֹסlifeנֶפֶשׁfor life,בְּנֶפֶשׁeyeעַיִןfor eye,בְּעַיִןtoothשֵׁןfor tooth,בְּשֵׁןhandיָדfor hand,בְּיָדfootרֶגֶלfor foot.בְּרָגֶל