Deuteronomy 14

1 You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead,

You are the children of the Lord your God. Don't mutilate yourselves or shave your forehead like pagans do when they mourn the dead,

2 for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.

because you are a holy people who belong to the Lord your God. The Lord chose you as his special people out of all the nations on earth.

3 You must not eat any detestable thing.

You must not eat anything repulsive.

4 These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat,

These are the animals that you are allowed to eat: cattle, sheep, goats,

5 the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.

deer, gazelles, wild goats, antelopes, and mountain sheep.

6 You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud.

You can eat any animal that both has a divided hoof and also chews the cud.

7 But of those that chew the cud or have a completely divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: the camel, the rabbit, or the rock badger. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof. They are unclean for you,

But you are not allowed to eat those that either chew the cud or have a divided hoof. This includes: camels, rabbits, and rock hyraxes. Even though they chew the cud, they don't have a divided hoof. You must treat them as unclean.

8 as well as the pig; though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat or touch its carcass.

The same applies to the pig. Even though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. So you must treat it as unclean. You must not eat its meat or touch its dead body.

9 Of all the creatures that live in the water, you may eat anything with fins and scales,

When it comes to creatures that live in the water, you are allowed to eat anything that has fins and scales.

10 but you may not eat anything that does not have fins and scales; it is unclean for you.

But you must not eat anything that does not have fins and scales. You must treat them as unclean.

11 You may eat any clean bird,

You are allowed to eat any clean bird.

12 but these you may not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,

But you must not eat the following: eagle, griffon vulture, bearded vulture,

13 the red kite, the falcon, any kind of kite,

buzzard, kites, any kind of falcon,

14 any kind of raven,

any member of the crow family,

15 the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,

tawny owl, long-eared owl, gulls, any kind of hawk,

16 the little owl, the great owl, the white owl,

little owl, eagle owl, barn owl,

17 the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant,

desert owl, Egyptian vulture, fish owl,

18 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, or the bat.

storks, any kind of heron, hoopoe, or bats.

19 All flying insects are unclean for you; they may not be eaten.

All insects that fly are unclean to you; you must not eat them.

20 But you may eat any clean bird.

But you are allowed to eat any clean animal that has wings.

21 You are not to eat any carcass; you may give it to the foreigner residing within your gates, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a holy people belonging to the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

You must not eat any animal that dies. You can give it to a foreigner in your town, and they can eat it, or you can sell it to a foreigner. You, however, are a holy people who belong to the Lord your God. Don't cook a young goat in its mother's milk.

22 You must be sure to set aside a tenth of all the produce brought forth each year from your fields.

Make sure you pay a tithe of every crop grown each year in your fields.

23 And you are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks, in the presence of the LORD your God at the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.

You are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks, in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose to live with you, so that you will learn to always respect the Lord your God.

24 But if the distance is too great for you to carry that with which the LORD your God has blessed you, because the place where the LORD your God will choose to put His Name is too far away,

However, if it's too far to carry all the tithe that the Lord your God has blessed you with, because the place where the Lord your God will choose to live with you is too distant,

25 then exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place the LORD your God will choose.

then you can exchange it for money, take the money with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose.

26 Then you may spend the money on anything you desire: cattle, sheep, wine, strong drink, or anything you wish. You are to feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice with your household.

Then you can spend the money on anything you like—cattle, sheep, wine, alcoholic drink, or anything else you want. Then you can have a feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your family.

27 And do not neglect the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.

Don't forget to take care of the Levites in your town, because they don't have any share in the allotment of land.

28 At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and lay it up within your gates.

At the end of every third year, collect a tenth of all your produce for that year and store it in your town.

29 Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance among you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied. And the LORD your God will bless you in all the work of your hands.

This way the Levites (who don't have any share in the allotment of land), the foreigners, the orphans, and the widows in your town will be provided with what they need. The Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.