Leviticus 5

1 Any person, moreover, whensoever he shall sin in that, when he heareth a voice of swearing, he himself, being a witness either seeing or knowing, —if he do not tell and so hath to bear his iniquity: —

If you sin by not giving the evidence you have about a legal case, whether you saw something yourself or heard about it, you bear responsibility for your guilt.

2 Or, any person, who toucheth anything unclean, whether the carcase of an unclean wild-beast or the carcase of an unclean tame-beast, or the carcase of an unclean creeping thing, —and it is hidden from him, he himself being unclean, and he becometh aware of his guilt: —

If you touch anything unclean such as the dead body of any unclean wild animal or farm animals or vermin, even if you're unaware of it, you become unclean and guilty.

3 Or whensoever one shall touch the uncleanness of man, as regardeth any uncleanness of his, wherewith one may become unclean, —and it be hidden from him, and then he himself, getting to know it becometh aware of his guilt: —

If you touch something unclean from someone else who is unclean, even if you're unaware of it, you become guilty.

4 Or, any person, whensoever he shall swear, speaking unadvisedly with the lips, to harm or to help, as regardeth anything wherein the son of earth may speak unadvisedly by way of oath, and it be hidden from him, —and then, he himself, getting to know it, becometh aware of his guilt as regardeth any one of these things.

If you foolishly swear to do something, (whether good or bad, and in whatever way people impulsively swear an oath), even if you're unaware of it being wrong, when you eventually realize it, you are guilty.

5 Then shall it be, when he becometh aware of his guilt, as regardeth any one of these things, that he shall confess that wherein he hath sinned;

If you become guilty in one of these ways, you must confess your sin,

6 and shall bring in as his guilt-bearer unto Yahweh for his sin which he hath committed, a female from the flock—a lamb or a kid of the goats—as a sin-bearer, —so shall the priest put propitiatory-covering over him, because of his sin.

and you must take your guilt offering of a female lamb or goat to the Lord as a sin offering for your sin. The priest will make your sin right.

7 And, if his hand cannot reach sufficient for a lamb, then shall he bring in to bear his guilt—for that he hath sinned—two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons unto Yahweh, —one for a sin-bearer, and one for an ascending-sacrifice.

If you can't afford a lamb, you may offer to the Lord as compensation for your sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one as a sin offering and one as a burnt offering.

8 And he shall take them in unto the priest, who shall bring near that which is for a sin-bearer first, —and shall nip through the neck close to the head but shall not divide it asunder.

You are to take them to the priest, who shall present the first one as the sin offering. He is to wring its head from the neck without removing it completely.

9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-bearer upon the wall of the altar, and the remainder of the blood, shall he drain out at the base of the altar, —a, sin-bearer, it is.

Then he is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar while the rest of the blood is poured out at the bottom of the altar. It is a sin offering.

10 And of the second, shall he make an ascending-sacrifice according to the regulation, —so shall the priest put a propitiatory-covering over him, because of his sin which he hath committed and it shall be forgiven him.

The priest must then prepare the second bird as a burnt offering according to the regulations. In this way the priest will make you right for your sin, and you will be forgiven.

11 But if his hand cannot lay hold of two turtledove, or two young pigeons, then shall he bring in as his oblation—because he hath sinned—the tenth of an ephah of fine meal for bearing sin, —he shall not put thereon oil, neither shall he lay thereon frankincense, for a sin-bearer, it is.

If you can't afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons you may bring a tenth of an ephah of the best flour as a sin offering. Don't put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.

12 And he shall bring it in unto the priest, and the priest shall take therefrom a handful, as the memorial thereof, and shall make a perfume at the altar, upon the altar-flames of Yahweh, —a sin-bearer, it is.

Take it to the priest, who shall take a handful as a ‘reminder part’ and burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offerings to the Lord. It is a sin offering.

13 So shall the priest put a propitiatory-covering over him, on account of his sin which he hath committed, departing from some one of these things, and it shall be forgiven him, —then shall it be the priest’s, like the meal-offering.

This is how the priest will make right any of these sins you have committed, and you will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest, just like the grain offering.”

14 And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying—

The Lord told Moses,

15 Whensoever, any person, shall commit a trespass, and shall take away by mistake, from the holy things of Yahweh, then shall he bring in as his guilt-bearer unto Yahweh, a ram without defect out of the flock, with thine estimate in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt-bearer:

“If any of you neglects unintentionally all that the Lord has declared belong to him and are holy, you must bring your guilt offering to the Lord: a ram without defects from your herd or but one of equivalent value in silver shekels (according to the sanctuary shekel standard). It is a guilt offering.

16 that, moreover, which he took away from the sanctuary, shall he make good and the fifth part thereof, shall he add thereunto, and shall give it to the priest, —and, the priest, shall put a propitiatory-covering over him with the guilt-bearing ram and it shall be forgiven him.

As regards any holy requirement you failed to contribute, you must pay compensation by adding a fifth of its value to it and then give it to the priest, who will make it right with the ram as a guilt offering, and you will be forgiven.

17 And if any person when he shall sin, and do something, departing from any of the commandments of Yahweh, as to things which should not be done, —though he knew it not, shall so become guilty, and shall bear his iniquity,

If you sin and break any of the Lord's commandments, even if you are unaware of it, you are still guilty and bear responsibility for your guilt.

18 then shall he bring in a ram without defect out of the flock by thine estimate as a guilt-bearer unto the priest, —and the priest shall put a propitiatory-covering over him, on account of his mistake which he made though he knew it not and it shall be forgiven him:

You must take to the priest a ram without defects of the appropriate value from the flock as a guilt offering. Then the priest will make right for you the wrong you did in ignorance, and you will be forgiven.

19 a guilt-bearer, it is, —he was, verily guilty against Yahweh.

It is a guilt offering because you were guilty as far as the Lord was concerned.”