UDuteronomi 17

₁“Ungahlabeli uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho inkomo, noma imvu enesici, enokubi okuthile, ngokuba kuyisinengiso kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho. ₂Uma kutholakala phakathi kwakho, ngaphakathi kwelithile lamasango akho uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akunika wona, owesilisa noma owesifazane owenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngokweqa isivumelwano sakhe, ₃wahamba, wakhonza abanye onkulunkulu, wakhuleka kubo, noma ilanga, noma inyanga, noma ibandla lezulu, engingayalanga ngakho, ₄besewubikelwa khona, ukuzwe, wokubuzisisa; bheka, uma kuqinisile, leyo nto iqinisekile yokuthi isinengiso esinjalo senziwe kwa-Israyeli, ₅uyakukhiphela lowo wesilisa noma lowo wesifazane owenze leyo nto embi emasangweni akho, lowo wesilisa noma lowo wesifazane umkhande ngamatshe ukuba afe. ₆Ngomlomo wawofakazi ababili noma ngowawofakazi abathathu uyakubulawa lowo ofanele ukufa; ngomlomo wofakazi munye akayikubulawa. ₇Isandla sawofakazi siyakuba ngesokuqala kuye ukumbulala, ngasemuva izandla zabantu bonke. Kanjalo uyakukhipha ububi phakathi kwakho.

₈“Uma kuvela indaba ekwahlulayo, ekwahluleleni phakathi kwegazi negazi, naphakathi kwecala necala, naphakathi kokushaya nokushaya, kuyizindaba zokuphikisana phakathi kwamasango akho, wosuka, uye endaweni uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ayakuyikhetha, ₉uye kubapristi bamaLevi, nakumahluleli oyakuba khona ngalezo zinsuku, ukuze bakutshele isinqumo sokwahlulela, ₁₀wenze njengezwi lesinqumo abayakukwazisa lona kuleyo ndawo ayakuyikhetha uJehova, uqaphele ukwenza njengakho konke abakufundisa khona; ₁₁njengezwi lomthetho abayakukufundisa lona nanjengesahlulelo abayakukutshela sona uyakwenza, ungachezukeli ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo ekwahluleleni kwabo. ₁₂Umuntu oziqhenya ngokungalaleli umpristi omiyo ukukhonza phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho noma umahluleli, lowo muntu makafe, wena ukhiphe ububi kwa-Israyeli. ₁₃Bonke abantu bayakuzwa, besabe, bangabe besenza ngokuziqhenya.

₁₄“Nxa ufikile ezweni uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akunika lona, ulidle, uhlale kulo, uthi: ‘Ngiyakubeka inkosi phezu kwami njengazo zonke izizwe ezingizungezayo,’ ₁₅uyakumbeka nokumbeka abe yinkosi phezu kwakho yena uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ayakumkhetha; uyakubeka omunye wabafowenu inkosi phezu kwakho, ungabeki phezu kwakho owezizwe, ongesiye umfowenu. ₁₆Kepha akayikuzandisela amahhashi, angabuyiseli abantu eGibithe, ukuze andise amahhashi, ngokuba uJehova ushilo kini, wathi: ‘Anisayikubuyela ngaleyo ndlela.’ ₁₇Akayikuzandisela abafazi, ukuze inhliziyo yakhe ihlubuke, angazandiseli isiliva negolide.

₁₈“Kuyakuthi nxa ehlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso wakhe, uyakuzilobela impinda yalo mthetho encwadini ngokuthatha kuleyo ekubapristi bamaLevi; ₁₉iyakuba kuye, ayifunde zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakhe ukuba afunde ukumesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe, agcine onke amazwi omthetho wakhe nalezi zimiso ukuba azenze, ₂₀inhliziyo yakhe ingaphakami ngaphezu kwabafowabo, angaphambuki emiyalweni, aye ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo, ukuze azandise izinsuku zakhe embusweni wakhe, yena nabantwana bakhe phakathi kuka-Israyeli.