Deuteronomy 15

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.

“Mene nokware bobe no na m’agya ne okuafo no.

This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.

Dubaa biara a ɛnsow aba no, otwa kyene, na dubaa biara a ɛsow no, oyiyi ho na asow aba bebree.

You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you.

Me nsɛm a maka akyerɛ mo no ama mo ho afi dedaw.

However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,

Montena me mu na me nso mentena mo mu. Dubaa biara ankasa rentumi nsow aba gye sɛ ɛfam ne dutan ho. Saa ara nso na morentumi nsow aba gye sɛ mote me mu.

if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.

“Mene bobe no na mone dubaa no. Obiara a ɔte me mu na mete ne mu no, bɛsow aba bebree; sɛ mokwati me a, morentumi nyɛ hwee.

For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

Obiara a ɔntena me mu no, te sɛ dubaa a wɔatwa atow akyene a ɛho nni mfaso; ɛwo a, wɔboaboa ano de gu gya mu hyew.

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.

Sɛ mote me mu na me nsɛm nso tena mo mu a, ɛnne biribiara a mopɛ a mubebisa no, wɔde bɛma mo.

Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.

Wɔn a wɔyɛ m’asuafo nokware mu no sow aba bebree de hyɛ m’agya anuonyam.

Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.

“Sɛnea Agya no dɔ me no, saa ara nso na me nso medɔ mo. Montena me dɔ mu.

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

Sɛ mudi m’ahyɛde so a, mobɛtena me dɔ mu sɛnea madi m’agya ahyɛde so na ɛno nti ɔda so dɔ me no.

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Freeing Servants

“Maka eyinom nyinaa akyerɛ mo sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a mubenya m’anigye no bi na ama mo anigye awie pɛyɛ.

If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free.

M’ahyɛde ne sɛ, monnodɔ mo ho mo ho sɛnea medɔ mo no.

And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed.

Ɔdɔ biara nsen sɛ obi bewu ama ne nnamfonom.

Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you.

Sɛ mudi nea mehyɛ mo sɛ monyɛ no so a, na moyɛ me nnamfonom.

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.

“Memfrɛ mo nkoa bio, efisɛ, akoa nnim nea ne wura reyɛ. Mmom, mefrɛ mo nnamfo, efisɛ, maka birabiara a mete fii m’agya no nkyɛn akyerɛ mo.

But if your servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your family and is well off with you,

“Ɛnyɛ mo na moyii me; me na miyii mo na memaa mo adwuma sɛ monkɔyɛ na monsow aba pa bebree. Na biribiara a mode me din bebisa Agya no no, ɔde bɛma mo.

then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your female servant.

Eyi na mehyɛ mo; monnodɔ mo ho.

Wiase tan asuafo no

Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because their service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.

The Firstborn Animals

“Sɛ wiase tan mo a, monkae sɛ me na ɛtan me kan ansa na ɛretan mo.

Set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep.

Sɛ mote ase ma wiase a, ɛnne wiase bɛdɔ mo sɛ wɔn a wɔyɛ ne de. Nanso miyii mo fii wiasefo mu, ɛno nti, monyɛ wiasefo bio; eyi nti na wiasefo tan mo no.

Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose.

Monkae asɛm a meka kyerɛɛ mo no. ‘Akoa nsen ne wura.’ Sɛ wɔtan me a, mo nso, wɔbɛtan mo; sɛ wotie m’asɛm a meka no a, mo nso, wobetie mo.

If an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.

Esiane sɛ moyɛ me de nti, na wɔbɛtaa mo, efisɛ, wonnim Onyankopɔn a ɔsomaa me no.

You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer.

“Sɛ memmɛkaa asɛm biara nkyerɛɛ wɔn a, anka wɔrenni bɔne ho fɔ. Afei de wonni wɔn bɔne ho anoyi biara.

But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

Obiara a ɔtan me no tan m’agya nso.

Sɛ manyɛ nnwuma a obiara nyɛɛ bi da no wɔ wɔn mu a, anka wɔrenni bɔne ho fɔ; nanso wɔahu nea meyɛe, nso wɔtan me ne m’agya.

Ɛsɛ sɛ eyi ba mu sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a nea wɔakyerɛw wɔ wɔn Mmara no mu a ɛka se, ‘Wɔtan me kwa’ no, bɛba mu.

“Mɛsoma ɔboafo a ɔyɛ nokware honhom a ofi Agya no nkyɛn no aba mo nkyɛn na wabedi me ho adanse akyerɛ mo.

Na mo nso mubedi me ho adanse, efisɛ, me ne mo na ɛwɔ hɔ fi mfitiase pɛɛ.