Exodus 22

1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

2 If the thief be found breaking in, and be smitten that he die, there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him.

If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed.

3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be bloodguiltiness for him: he should make restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.

4 If the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall pay double.

If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.

5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall let his beast loose, and it feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.

If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and allows them to stray so that they graze in someone else’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard.

6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the shocks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.

7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, he shall pay double.

If a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.

8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall come near unto God, [to see] whether he have not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.

If the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has taken his neighbor’s property.

9 For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, [or] for any manner of lost thing, whereof one saith, This is it, the cause of both parties shall come before God; he whom God shall condemn shall pay double unto his neighbour.

In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any lost item that someone claims, ‘This is mine,’ both parties shall bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges find guilty must pay back double to his neighbor.

10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:

If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to be cared for by his neighbor, but it dies or is injured or stolen while no one is watching,

11 the oath of the LORD shall be between them both, whether he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner thereof shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.

an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution.

12 But if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.

But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner.

13 If it be torn in pieces, let him bring it for witness; he shall not make good that which was torn.

If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass.

14 And if a man borrow aught of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.

If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he must make full restitution.

15 If the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for its hire.

If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss.

16 And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife.

17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.

18 Thou shalt not suffer a sorceress to live.

You must not allow a sorceress to live.

19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death.

20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, shall be utterly destroyed.

If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.

21 And a stranger shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

You must not mistreat any widow or orphan.

23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.

24 and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.

25 If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him usury.

If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.

26 If thou at all take thy neighbour’s garment to pledge, thou shalt restore it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,

27 for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

28 Thou shalt not revile God, nor curse a ruler of thy people.

You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

29 Thou shalt not delay to offer of the abundance of thy fruits, and of thy liquors. The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.

30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, [and] with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with its dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.

31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: therefore ye shall not eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.