Lauryn Hill Dodges Prison ... For Two Weeks

Lauryn Hill just bought herself a couple weeks of freedom.

The R&B legend was to be sentenced to prison today after pleading guilty to blowing off her 2005-2007 tax returns ... but the sentencing was moved to May 6 to give Lauryn a chance to repay a chunk of her $968,000 tax debt.

Hill's attorney said the singer recently signed a million-dollar recording deal with Sony ... she was also planning to take out a $650,000 loan to put toward the bill.