القراءة بلغتين

والآن يا إِسْرائيل، اِسمَعِ الفَرائِضَ والأَحْكامَ الَّتي أُعَلِّمُكم إِيَّاها لِتَعمَلوا بِها، لِكَي تَحيَوا وتَدخُلوا وتَرِثوا الأَرضَ الَّتي يُعطيكمُ الرَّبُّ إِلٰهُ آبائِكم إِيَّاها

لا تَزيدوا كَلِمةً على ما آمُرُكم بِه ولا تَنقُصوا مِنه، حافِظينَ وَصايا الرَّبِّ إِلٰهِكمُ الَّتي أَنا أُوصيكُم بِها

إِنَّ عُيونَكم قد رأَت ما صَنَعَ الرَّبُّ بِبَعلَ فَغور، فإِنَّ كُلَّ مَن سارَ وَراءَ بَعلَ فَغور أَبادَه الرَّبُّ مِن وَسْطِكم

وأَمَّا أَنتُمُ المُتَعَلِّقونَ بِالرَّبِّ إِلٰهكم، فكُلُّكم أَحْياءٌ اليَوم

أُنظُرْ: إِنِّي قد عَلَّمتُكم فرائِضَ وأَحْكامًا كما أَمَرَني الرَّبُّ إِلٰهي، لِتَعمَلوا بِها في وَسَطِ الأَرضِ الَّتي أَنتُم داخِلونَ إِلَيها لِتَرِثوها

فٱحفَظوها وٱعمَلوا بِها، فإِنَّها حِكمَتُكم وفَهمُكم أَمامَ عُيونِ الشُّعوبِ الَّتي، إِذا سَمِعَت بِهٰذه الفَرائِض، تَقول: لا شَكَّ أَنَّ هٰذه الأُمَّةَ العَظيمةَ هي شَعبٌ حَكيمٌ فَهيم

لِأَنَّه أَيَّةُ أُمَّةٍ عَظيمةٍ لَها آلِهةٌ قَريبةٌ مِنها كالرَّبِّ إِلٰهِنا في كُلِّ ما نَدْعوه؟

وأَيَّةُ أُمَّةٍ عَظيمةٍ لَها فَرائِضُ وأَحْكامٌ بارَّةٌ ككُلِّ هٰذه الشَّريعةِ الَّتي أَضَعُها اليَومَ أَمامَكم؟

إِنَّما تَنَبَّهْ وٱحفَظْ نَفسَكَ جِدًّا، كَيلا تَنْسى الأُمورَ الَّتي رَأَتْها عَيناكَ ولا تَبتَعِدَ عن قَلبِكَ كُلَّ أَيَّامِ حَياتِكَ، بل عَلِّمْها بَنيكَ وبَني بَنيكَ

يَومَ وَقَفتَ أَمامَ الرَّبِّ إِلٰهِكَ في حوريب، حينَ قالَ لِيَ الرَّبّ: إِجْمَعْ لِيَ الشَّعْبَ حتَّى أُسمِعَه كَلامي، لِكَي يَتَعَلَّموا أَن يَخافوني طولَ الأَيَّامِ الَّتي يَعيشونَها على الأَرضِ ويُعَلِّموا بَنيهم ذٰلك

اِقتَرَبتُم وَوَقَفتُم أَسفَلَ الجَبَل، والجَبَلُ مُشتَعِلٌ بِالنَّارِ إِلى كَبِدِ السَّماءِ وعلَيه ظَلامٌ وغَيمٌ وغَمامٌ مُظلِم

فكَلَّمَكمُ الرَّبُّ مِن وَسَطِ النَّار، فكُنتُم تَسمَعونَ صَوتَ الكَلام ولم تَرَوا صورَةً، بل كانَ هُناكَ صَوتٌ فقَط

وأَوحى بِعَهدِه الَّذي أَمَركم أَن تَعمَلوا به، أَيِ الكَلِماتِ العَشْرِ الَّتي كَتَبَها على لَوحَينِ مِن حَجَر

وأَمَرَني الرَّبُّ في ذٰلك الوَقتِ بِأَن أُعَلِّمَكم فَرائِضَ وأَحْكامًا تَعمَلونَ بِها في الأَرضِ الَّتي أَنتُم عابِرونَ إِلَيها لِتَرثوها

فتَنَبَّهوا لِأَنفُسِكم جِدًّا، فإِنَّكم لم تَرَوا صورَةً ما يَومَ كَلَّمَكمُ الرَّبُّ في حوريب مِن وَسَطِ النَّار

لِئَلَّا تَفسُدوا وتَصنَعوا لَكم تِمْثالًا مَنْحوتًا على شَكْلِ صورةٍ ما مِن ذَكَرٍ أَو أُنْثى

أَو شَكْلِ شَيءٍ مِنَ البَهائِمِ الَّتي على الأَرض، أَو شَكْلِ طائِرٍ ذي جَناحٍ مِمَّا يَطيرُ في السَّماء

أَو شَكْلِ شَيءٍ مِمَّا يَدِبُّ على الأَرض، أَو شَكلِ شَيءٍ مِنَ السَّمَكِ مِمَّا في الماءِ تَحتَ الأَرض

وكَيلا تَرفَعَ عَينَيكَ إِلى السَّماء فتَرى الشَّمسَ والقَمَرَ والكَواكِب، جَميعَ قُوَّاتِ السَّماء، مِمَّا جَعَلَه الرَّبُّ إِلٰهُك نَصيبًا لِجَميعِ الشُّعوبِ الَّتي تَحتَ السَّماء فتُجتَذَبَ وتَسجُدَ لَها وتَعبُدَها

وأَنتُم قد أَخَذَكمُ الرَّبُّ وأَخرَجَكم مِن أَتُّونِ الحَديدِ مِن مِصْر، لِتَكونوا لَه شَعبَ ميراثٍ كما في هٰذا اليَوم

وقَد غَضِبَ الرَّبُّ عَلَيَّ بِسَبَبِكم وأَقسَمَ أَن لا أَعبُرَ الأُردُنّ ولا أَدخُلَ الأَرضَ الطَّيِّبَةَ الَّتي يُعْطيكَ الرَّبُّ إِلْهُكَ إِيَّاها ميراثًا

فأنا أَموتُ في هٰذه الأَرضِ ولا أَعبُرُ الأُردُنّ، وأَنتُم تَعبُرونَه وتَرِثونَ تِلكَ الأَرضَ الطَّيِّبَة

فَتَنَبَّهوا لِأَنفُسِكم مِن أَن تَنسَوا عَهدَ الرَّبِّ إِلٰهِكمُ الَّذي قَطَعَه معَكم، فتَصنَعوا لَكم تِمْثالًا مَنْحوتًا لِشَيءٍ مِمَّا نَهاكَ عنه الرَّبُّ إِلٰهُكَ

لِأَنَّ الرَّبَّ إِلٰهَك هو نارٌ آكِلَةٌ وإِلٰهٌ غَيُور

وإِذا وَلَدتَ بَنينَ وبَني بَنين، وشِختُم في الأَرضِ ففَسَدتُم وصَنَعتُم تِمْثالًا مَنْحوتًا لِشَيءٍ ما، وفَعَلتُمُ الشَّرَّ في عَينَيِ الرَّبِّ إِلْهِكم وأَسخَطتُموه

فإِنِّي مُنذُ اليَومِ أُشهِدُ علَيكمُ السَّماءَ والأَرضَ بِأَنَّكم تَهلِكونَ سَريعًا مِن على الأَرضِ الَّتي أَنتُم عابِرونَ الأُردُنَّ إِلَيها لِتَرِثوها. لا تَطولُ أَيَّامُكم علَيها، بل تُبادونَ إِبادةً

ويُشَتِّتُكمُ الرَّبُّ في الشُّعوب، فتَبقَونَ جَماعةً مَعْدودةً في الأُمَمِ الَّتي يَسوقُكمُ الرَّبُّ إِلَيها

وتَعبُدونَ هُناكَ آلِهَةً صُنْعَ أَيدي بَشَر، مِن خَشَبٍ وحَجَر، لا تُبصِرُ ولا تَسمَعُ، لا تَأكُلُ ولا تَشتَمّ

وتَطلُبونَ مِن هُناكَ الرَّبَّ إِلٰهَكَ، فتَجِدُه إِذا ٱلتَمَستَه بِكُلِّ قَلبِكَ وكُلِّ نَفْسِكَ

وإِذا ضُيِّقَ عَلَيكَ وأَصابَتكَ هٰذه الأُمورُ كُلُّها في آخِرِ الأَيَّام، تَرجِعُ إِلى الرَّبِّ إِلٰهِكَ وتَسمَعُ لِصَوتِه

لِأَنَّ الرَّبَّ إِلٰهَكَ إِلٰهٌ رَحوم، لا يُهمِلُكَ ولا يُهلِكُكَ ولا يَنْسى عَهدَ آبائِكَ الَّذي أَقسَمَ بِه لَهم

والآن فسَلْ عنِ الأَيَّامِ الأُولى الَّتي كانَت مِن قَبْلِكَ، مُنذُ يَومَ خَلَقَ الرَّبُّ الإِنْسانَ على الأَرض، مِن أَقْصى السَّماءِ إِلى أَقْصاها: هل كانَ مِثْلُ هٰذا الأَمرِ العَظيم أَو هل سُمِعَ بِمِثْلِه؟

وهل سَمِعَ شَعبٌ صَوتَ إِلٰهٍ يَتَكَلَّمُ مِن وَسَطِ النَّار، كما سَمِعتَ أَنتَ، وبَقِيَ على قَيدِ الحَياة

أَو هل حاوَلَ إِلٰهٌ أَن يَأتِيَ ويَتَّخِذَ لَه أُمَّةً من وَسْطِ أُمَّةٍ بِتَجارِبَ وآياتٍ وخَوارِقَ وحُروبٍ ويَدٍ قَوِيَّةٍ وذِراعٍ مَبْسوطةٍ ومَخاوفَ عَظيمة، مِثلِ كُلِّ ما صَنَعَ لَكمُ الرَّبُّ إِلٰهُكم بِمِصرَ أَمامَ عَينَيكَ؟

فقَد أُريتَ ذٰلك لِتَعلَمَ أَنَّ الرَّبَّ هو الإِلٰه وأَن لَيسَ آخَرُ سِواه

مِنَ السَّماءِ أَسمَعَكَ صَوتَه لِيُؤَدِّبَكَ، وعلى الأَرضِ أَراكَ نارَه العَظيمة، ومِن وَسَطِ النَّارِ سَمِعتَ كَلامَه

وذٰلكَ أَنَّه أَحَبَّ آباءَكَ وٱختارَ نَسلَهم مِن بَعدِهم وأَخرَجَكَ بِحَضرَتِه وبِقُوَّتِه العَظيمة مِن مِصرَ

لِيَطرُدَ أُمَمًا أَعظَمَ وأَقْوى مِنكَ مِن أَمامِ وَجهِكَ، ويُدخِلَكَ أَرضَهم ويُعطِيَكَ إِيَّاها ميراثًا كما هو اليَوم

فٱعلَمِ اليَومَ وَرَدِّدْ في قَلبِكَ أَنَّ الرَّبَّ هو الإِلٰهُ في السَّماءِ مِن فَوقُ وفي الأَرضِ مِن تَحتُ وأَنْ لَيسَ سِواه

وٱحفَظْ فَرائِضَه ووَصاياه الَّتي أَنا آمُرُكَ بِها اليَومَ، لِكَي تُصيبَ خَيرًا أَنتَ وبَنوكَ مِن بَعدِكَ ولِكَي تُطيلَ أَيَّامَكَ في الأَرضِ الَّتي يُعْطيكَ الرَّبُّ إِلٰهُكَ إِيَّاها جَميعَ الأَيَّام»

حينَئِذٍ أَفرَدَ موسى ثَلاثَ مُدُنٍ في عِبرِ الأُردُنِّ نَحوَ مَشرِقِ الشَّمْس

لِيَهرُبَ إِلَيها كُلُّ قاتِلٍ يَقتُلُ قَريبَه بِغَيرِ قَصْد، وهو غَيرُ مُبغِضٍ لَه مِن أَمْسِ فما قَبْلُ، فيَهرُبُ إِلى إِحْدى تِلكَ المُدُنِ فيَحْيا

وهي: باصَرُ في البَرِّيَّة، في أَرضِ الهَضْبَة، لِلرَّأُوبِنِيِّين، وراموتُ في جِلْعادَ لِلْجادِيِّين، وجَولانُ في باشانَ لِلمَنَسِّيِّين

هٰذه هي الشَّريعةُ الَّتي وَضَعَها موسى أَمامَ بَني إِسْرائيل

وهٰذه هي الشَّهادةُ والفَرائِضُ والأَحْكامُ الَّتي كَلَّمَ بِها موسى بَني إِسْرائيلَ عِندَ خُروجِهم مِن مصر

في عِبرِ الأُردُنِّ في الوادي تُجاهَ بَيتَ فَغور في أَرضِ سيحون، مَلِكِ الأَمورِيِّينَ، الَّذي كانَ مُقيمًا بِحَشْبون والَّذي ضَرَبَه موسى بَنو إِسْرائيلَ عِندَ خُروجِهم مِن مِصْر

ووَرِثوا أَرضَه وأَرضَ عوجٍ، مَلِكِ باشان، وهُما مَلِكا الأَمورِيِّينَ الَّذينَ في عِبرِ الأُردُنِّ إِلى مَشْرِقِ الشَّمْس

مِن عَروعيرَ الَّتي على شَفيرِ وادي أَرْنون، إِلى جَبَلِ سيؤُونَ الَّذي هو حَرْمون

وكُلَّ العَرَبَةَ في عِبرِ الأُردُنِّ شَرقًا، إِلى بَحرِ العَرَبَةِ تَحتَ سُفوحِ الفِسْجَة

Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances which I teach you, to do them, that you may live and go in and possess the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal Peor; for the LORD your God has destroyed all the men who followed Baal Peor from among you.

But you who were faithful to the LORD your God are all alive today.

Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do so in the middle of the land where you go in to possess it.

Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who shall hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

For what great nation is there that has a god so near to them as the LORD our God is whenever we call on him?

What great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you today?

Only be careful, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children—

the day that you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, “Assemble the people to me, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.”

You came near and stood under the mountain. The mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.

The LORD spoke to you out of the middle of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; you only heard a voice.

He declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments. He wrote them on two stone tablets.

The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it.

Be very careful, for you saw no kind of form on the day that the LORD spoke to you in Horeb out of the middle of the fire,

lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself a carved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,

the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth;

and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.

But the LORD has taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as it is today.

Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance;

but I must die in this land. I must not go over the Jordan, but you shall go over and possess that good land.

Be careful, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you.

For the LORD your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

When you father children and children’s children, and you have been long in the land, and then corrupt yourselves, and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in the LORD your God’s sight to provoke him to anger,

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from off the land which you go over the Jordan to possess it. You will not prolong your days on it, but will utterly be destroyed.

The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will lead you away.

There you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

But from there you shall seek the LORD your God, and you will find him when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

When you are in oppression, and all these things have come on you, in the latter days you shall return to the LORD your God and listen to his voice.

For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not fail you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which he swore to them.

For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and from the one end of the sky to the other, whether there has been anything as great as this thing is, or has been heard like it?

Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the middle of the fire, as you have heard, and live?

Or has God tried to go and take a nation for himself from among another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

It was shown to you so that you might know that the LORD is God. There is no one else besides him.

Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you. On earth he made you to see his great fire; and you heard his words out of the middle of the fire.

Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their offspring after them, and brought you out with his presence, with his great power, out of Egypt;

to drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today.

Know therefore today, and take it to heart, that the LORD himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath. There is no one else.

You shall keep his statutes and his commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God gives you for all time.

Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise,

that the man slayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally and didn’t hate him in time past, and that fleeing to one of these cities he might live:

Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.

This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel.

These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances which Moses spoke to the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt,

beyond the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel struck when they came out of Egypt.

They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise;

from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, even to Mount Siyon (also called Hermon),

and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even to the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.