Exodus, 22

1. "(If a thief is caught in the act of housebreaking and beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt involved.

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

2. But if after sunrise he is thus beaten, there is bloodguilt.) He must make full restitution. If he has nothing, he shall be sold to pay 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.

3. If what he stole is found alive in his possession, be it an ox, an ass or a sheep, he shall restore two animals for each one stolen.

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.

4. "When a man is burning over a field or a vineyard, if he lets the fire spread so that it burns in another's field, he must make restitution with the best produce of his own field or vineyard.

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.

5. If the fire spreads further, and catches on to thorn bushes, so that shocked grain or standing grain or the field itself is burned up, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.

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.

6. "When a man gives money or an article to another for safekeeping and it is stolen from the latter's house, the thief, if caught, must make twofold restitution.

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.

7. If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall be brought to God, to swear that he himself did not lay hands on his neighbor's property.

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.

8. In every question of dishonest appropriation, whether it be about an ox, or an ass, or a sheep, or a garment, or anything else that has disappeared, where another claims that the thing is his, both parties shall present their case before God; the one whom God convicts must make twofold restitution to the other.

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.

9. "When a man gives an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any other animal to another for safekeeping, if it dies, or is maimed or snatched away, without anyone witnessing the fact,

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,

10. the custodian shall swear by the LORD that he did not lay hands on his neighbor's property; the owner must accept the oath, and no restitution is to be made.

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.

11. But if the custodian is really guilty of theft, he must make restitution to the owner.

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

12. If it has been killed by a wild beast, let him bring it as evidence, and he need not make restitution for the mangled animal.

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.

13. "When a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, if it is maimed or dies while the owner is not present, the man must make restitution.

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.

14. But if the owner is present, he need not make restitution. If it was hired, this was covered by the price of its hire.

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.

15. "When a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall pay her marriage price and marry her.

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.

16. If her father refuses to give her to him, he must still pay him the customary marriage price for virgins.

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

17. "You shall not let a sorceress live.

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

18. "Anyone who lies with an animal shall be put to death.

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

19. "Whoever sacrifices to any god, except to the LORD alone, shall be doomed.

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

20. "You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.

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

21. You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.

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

22. If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry.

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

23. My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword; then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.

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.

24. "If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people, you shall not act like an extortioner toward him by demanding interest from him.

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.

25. If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, you shall return it to him before sunset;

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

26. for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body. What else has he to sleep in? If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate.

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!

27. "You shall not revile God, nor curse a prince of your people.

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

28. "You shall not delay the offering of your harvest and your press. You shall give me the first-born of your sons.

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

29. You must do the same with your oxen and your sheep; for seven days the firstling may stay with its mother, but on the eighth day you must give it to me.

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.

30. "You shall be men sacred to me. Flesh torn to pieces in the field you shall not eat; throw it to the dogs.

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.'