“ Suppose I haven’t treated any of my male and female servants fairly when they’ve brought charges against me.

“我的仆婢与我争辩的时候，我若藐视不听他们的情节；

“我的仆婢与我争辩，我若藐视不听他们的冤情，

“我的仆婢与我争辩，我若藐视不听他们的冤情，

我的仆婢告我，我也会讲公道，

我的仆婢与我争论的时候，我若轻视他们的案件，

我的僕婢與我爭辯的時候，我若藐視不聽他們的情節；

「我的僕婢與我爭辯，我若藐視不聽他們的冤情，

「我的僕婢與我爭辯，我若藐視不聽他們的冤情，

我的僕婢告我，我也會講公道，

我的僕婢與我爭論的時候，我若輕視他們的案件，

『我的奴僕或婢女與我爭訟時，我若藐視、不聽其情由，

僕婢與我有爭、我若輕視其情、

如我不公以涖下、使彼抱屈、

我僕婢與我爭辯、我何嘗使之負屈含冤、

“ If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me,

“ If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me,

“ If I have been unfair to my male or female servants when they brought their complaints to me,

If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants when they made a complaint against me,

“ If I have rejected the claim of my male or female slaves When they filed a complaint against me,

“ If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me,

If I have despised the cause of my man- servant or of my maid- servant, When they contended with me;

If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants when they made a complaint against me,

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

“ If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me,

“ If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,

“ Suppose a person beats their male or female slave to death with a club. That person must be punished.But they will not be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two. After all, the slave is their property.

“ Suppose an owner hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it. Then the owner must let the slave go free to pay for the eye.Suppose an owner knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave. Then he must let the slave go free to pay for the tooth.

Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. When you warn them, don’t be too hard on them. You know that the God who is their Master and yours is in heaven. And he treats everyone the same.

Show them pity when you rule over them. Have respect for God.

Don’t take advantage of any hired worker who is poor and needy. That applies to your own people. It also applies to outsiders living in one of your towns.Give them their pay every day. They are poor and are counting on it. If you don’t pay them, they might cry out to the Lord against you. Then you will be guilty of committing a sin.

Suppose any Hebrew men or women sell themselves to you. If they do, they will serve you for six years. Then in the seventh year you must let them go free.But when you set them free, don’t send them away without anything to show for all their work.Freely give them some animals from your flock. Also give them some of your grain and wine. The Lord your God has blessed you richly. Give to them as he has given to you.Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. The Lord your God set you free. That’s why I’m giving you this command today.

You can leave them to your children as their share of your property. You can make them slaves for life. But when you rule over your own people, you must be kind to them.

‘ Every seventh year you must set your people free. Each of you must set free all the Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. Let them serve you for six years. Then you must let them go free.’( Deuteronomy 15:12) But your people of long ago did not listen to me. They did not pay any attention to me.Recently you turned away from your sins. You did what is right in my eyes. Each of you set your Hebrew slaves free. You even made a covenant in front of me. You did it in the house where I have put my Name.But now you have turned around. You have treated my name as if it were not holy. Each of you has taken back your male and female slaves. You had set them free to go where they wished. But now you have forced them to become your slaves again.”So the Lord says,“ You have not obeyed me. You have not set your Hebrew slaves free. So now I will set you free,” announces the Lord.“ I will set you free to be destroyed by war, plague and hunger. I will make all the kingdoms on earth displeased with you.

Masters, give your slaves what is right and fair. Do it because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.