Exodus, 22

1. 'If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck a mortal blow, his blood may not be avenged,

1. "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. He shall make restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

2. but if it happens after sunrise, his blood may be avenged. He will make full restitution; if he has not the means, he will be sold to pay for what he has stolen.

2. "If a thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him;

3. If the stolen animal is found alive in his possession, be it ox, donkey or animal from the flock, he will pay back double.

3. but if the sun has risen upon him, there shall be bloodguilt for him.

4. 'If anyone puts his animals out to graze in a field or vineyard and lets them graze in someone else's field, he will make restitution for the part of the field that has been grazed on the basis of its yield. But if he has let the whole field be grazed, he will make restitution in proportion to the best crop of the field or vineyard.

4. If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or an ass or a sheep, he shall pay double.

5. 'If a fire breaks out, setting light to thorn bushes and burning stacks, standing corn or the field as a result, the person who started the fire will make full restitution.

5. "When a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.

6. 'If anyone entrusts money or goods to someone else's keeping and these are stolen from that person's house, the thief, if he can be discovered, will repay double.

6. "When fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he that kindled the fire shall make full restitution.

7. Should the thief not be discovered, the owner of the house will come into the presence of God, to declare that he has not laid hands on the other person's property.

7. "If a man delivers to his neighbor money or goods to keep, and it is stolen out of the man's house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.

8. 'In every case of law-breaking involving an ox, donkey, animal from the flock, clothing or lost property of any sort, the ownership of which is disputed, both parties will lay their case before God. The party whom God pronounces guilty will pay back double to the other.

8. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God, to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's goods.

9. 'If anyone entrusts a donkey, ox, animal from the flock or any other animal to someone else's keeping, and it dies or breaks a limb or is carried off without anyone seeing,

9. "For every breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for ass, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, `This is it,' the case of both parties shall come before God; he whom God shall condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

10. an oath by Yahweh will decide between the two parties whether the keeper has laid hands on the other's property or not. The owner will take what remains, the keeper will not have to make good the loss.

10. "If a man delivers to his neighbor an ass or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away, without any one seeing it,

11. Only if the animal has been stolen from him, will he make restitution to the owner.

11. an oath by the LORD shall be between them both to see whether he has not put his hand to his neighbor's property; and the owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution.

12. If it has been savaged by a wild animal, he must bring the savaged remains of the animal as evidence, and will then not have to make restitution.

12. But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner.

13. 'If anyone borrows an animal from someone else, and it breaks a limb or dies in the owner's absence, he will make full restitution.

13. If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn.

14. But if the animal's owner has been present, he will not have to make good the loss. If the owner has hired it out, he will get the cost of its hire.

14. "If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution.

15. 'If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married, he will pay her bride-price and make her his wife.

15. If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hire.

16. If her father absolutely refuses to let him have her, he will pay a sum equivalent to the bride-price of a virgin.

16. "If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall give the marriage present for her, and make her his wife.

17. 'You will not allow a sorceress to live.

17. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equivalent to the marriage present for virgins.

18. 'Anyone who has intercourse with an animal will be put to death.

18. "You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

19. 'Anyone who sacrifices to other gods will be put under the curse of destruction.

19. "Whoever lies with a beast shall be put to death.

20. 'You will not molest or oppress aliens, for you yourselves were once aliens in Egypt.

20. "Whoever sacrifices to any god, save to the LORD only, shall be utterly destroyed.

21. You will not ill-treat widows or orphans;

21. "You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22. if you ill-treat them in any way and they make an appeal to me for help, I shall certainly hear their appeal,

22. You shall not afflict any widow or orphan.

23. my anger will be roused and I shall put you to the sword; then your own wives will be widows and your own children orphans.

23. If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry;

24. 'If you lend money to any of my people, to anyone poor among you, you will not play the usurer with him: you will not demand interest from him.

24. and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

25. 'If you take someone's cloak in pledge, you will return it to him at sunset.

25. "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor, and you shall not exact interest from him.

26. It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else will he sleep in? If he appeals to me, I shall listen. At least with me he will find compassion!

26. If ever you take your neighbor's garment in pledge, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down;

27. 'You will not revile God, nor curse your people's leader.

27. for that is his only covering, it is his mantle for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

28. 'Do not be slow about making offerings from your abundance and your surplus. You will give me the first-born of your children;

28. "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

29. you will do the same with your flocks and herds. For the first seven days the first-born will stay with its mother; on the eighth day you will give it to me.

29. "You shall not delay to offer from the fulness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. "The first-born of your sons you shall give to me.

30. 'You must be people consecrated to me. You will not eat the meat of anything in the countryside savaged by wild animals; you will throw it to the dogs.'

30. You shall do likewise with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its dam; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

31.

31. "You shall be men consecrated to me; therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall cast it to the dogs.