Exodus 22

1 'When a man doth steal an ox or sheep, and hath slaughtered it or sold it, five of the herd he doth repay for the ox, and four of the flock for the sheep.

“Anyone who steals an ox or a sheep and kills or sells it, he must pay back five oxen for one ox and four sheep for one sheep.

2 'If in the breaking through, the thief is found, and he hath been smitten, and hath died, there is no blood for him;

If a thief is discovered breaking into someone's house and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of murder.

3 if the sun hath risen upon him, blood [is] for him, he doth certainly repay; if he have nothing, then he hath been sold for his theft;

But if it happens during daylight, then someone is guilty of murder. A thief must pay everything back that's stolen. If he doesn't have anything, then he must be sold to pay for what was stolen.

4 if the theft is certainly found in his hand alive, whether ox, or ass, or sheep — double he repayeth.

If what was stolen is a live animal he still has, whether it's an ox, donkey, or sheep, he must pay back double.

5 'When a man depastureth a field or vineyard, and hath sent out his beast, and it hath pastured in the field of another, [of] the best of his field, and the best of his vineyard, he doth repay.

If livestock are grazing in a field or vineyard and their owner lets them stray so that they graze in someone else's field, the owner must pay compensation from the best of their own fields or vineyards.

6 'When fire goeth forth, and hath found thorns, and a stack, or the standing corn, or the field, hath been consumed, he who causeth the burning doth certainly repay.

If a fire is started and it spreads to thorn bushes and then burns stacked or standing grain, or even the whole field, the person who started the fire must pay full compensation.

7 'When a man doth give unto his neighbour silver, or vessels to keep, and it hath been stolen out of the man's house; if the thief is found, he repayeth double.

If someone gives his neighbor money or possessions to be kept safe and they are stolen from the neighbor's house, if the thief is caught they must pay back double.

8 'If the thief is not found, then the master of the house hath been brought near unto God, whether he hath not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbour;

If the thief isn't caught the owner of the house must appear before the judges to find out whether he took his neighbor's property.

9 for every matter of transgression, for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, for any lost thing of which it is said that it is his; unto God cometh the matter of them both; he whom God doth condemn, he repayeth double to his neighbour.

If there's an argument over the ownership of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything that was lost that someone says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their case before the judges. The one whom the judges find in the wrong must pay the other back double.

10 'When a man doth give unto his neighbour an ass, or ox, or sheep, or any beast to keep, and it hath died, or hath been hurt, or taken captive, none seeing —

If someone asks a neighbor to look after a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal, but it dies or is injured or is stolen without anybody noticing,

11 an oath of Jehovah is between them both, that he hath not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbour, and its owner hath accepted, and he doth not repay;

then an oath must be taken before the Lord to decide if the neighbor has taken the owner's property. The owner must accept the oath and not demand compensation.

12 but if it is certainly stolen from him, he doth repay to its owner;

However, if the animal really was stolen from the neighbor, he must compensate the owner.

13 if it is certainly torn, he bringeth it in — a witness; the torn thing he doth not repay.

If it was killed and torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall present the carcass as evidence and does not need to pay compensation.

14 'And when a man doth ask [anything] from his neighbour, and it hath been hurt or hath died — its owner not being with it — he doth certainly repay;

If someone borrows a neighbor's animal and it's injured or dies while its owner is not present, they must pay compensation in full.

15 if its owner [is] with it, he doth not repay, — if it [is] a hired thing, it hath come for its hire.

If the owner was present, no compensation is to be paid. If the animal was hired, only the hire charge needs to be paid.

16 'And when a man doth entice a virgin who [is] not betrothed, and hath lain with her, he doth certainly endow her to himself for a wife;

If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the full bride-price for her to become his wife.

17 if her father utterly refuse to give her to him, money he doth weigh out according to the dowry of virgins.

If her father adamantly refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay the same amount as the bride-price for a virgin.

18 'A witch thou dost not keep alive.

You must not allow a woman who practices witchcraft to live.

19 'Whoever lieth with a beast is certainly put to death.

Anyone who has sex with an animal must be executed.

20 'He who is sacrificing to a god, save to Jehovah alone, is devoted.

Anyone who sacrifices to any other god than the Lord must be set apart and executed.

21 'And a sojourner thou dost not oppress, nor crush him, for sojourners ye have been in the land of Egypt.

You must not exploit or mistreat a foreigner. Remember that you yourselves were once foreigners in Egypt.

22 'Any widow or orphan ye do not afflict;

You must not take advantage of any widow or orphan.

23 if thou dost really afflict him, surely if he at all cry unto Me, I certainly hear his cry;

If you mistreat them, and they call out to me for help, I will definitely respond to their cry.

24 and Mine anger hath burned, and I have slain you by the sword, and your wives have been widows, and your sons orphans.

I will become angry, and I will kill you with the sword. Your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.

25 'If thou dost lend My poor people with thee money, thou art not to him as a usurer; thou dost not lay on him usury;

If you lend money to any of my people because they're poor, you must not behave as a moneylender to them. You must not charge them any interest.

26 if thou dost at all take in pledge the garment of thy neighbour, during the going in of the sun thou dost return it to him:

If you require your neighbor's cloak as security for a loan, you must return it to him by sunset,

27 for it alone is his covering, it [is] his garment for his skin; wherein doth he lie down? and it hath come to pass, when he doth cry unto Me, that I have heard, for I [am] gracious.

because it's the only clothing he has for his body. What would he sleep in otherwise? If he calls out to me for help, I will listen, for I am considerate.

28 'God thou dost not revile, and a prince among thy people thou dost not curse.

You must not despise God or curse your people's leader.

29 'Thy fulness and thy liquids thou dost not delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost give to Me;

You must not hold onto the required offerings of your produce, olive oil, and wine. You must give me the firstborn of your sons.

30 so thou dost to thine ox, to thy sheep; seven days it is with its dam, on the eighth day thou dost give it to Me.

You must also give me the firstborn of your cattle, sheep, and goats. They can stay with their mothers for their first seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.

31 'And ye are holy men to Me, and flesh torn in the field ye do not eat, to a dog ye do cast it.

You are to be holy people to me. You must not eat any animal carcass that you find in the countryside that has been killed by wild animals. Throw it to the dogs to eat.”