Exodus 22

1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore 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 a thief shall be found breaking through, and be smitten that he die, [there shall] no blood [be shed] 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 shall have risen upon him, [there shall be] blood [shed] for him: [for] he should make full 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 shall be certainly found in his hand alive, whether an ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore 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 put in his beast, and shall 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 shall break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field shall 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 to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief shall be found, let him 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 shall not be found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges, [to see] whether he hath put his hand to his neighbor'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 all manner of trespass, [whether it be] for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, [or] for any manner of lost thing which [another] challengeth to be his: the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; [and] he whom the judges shall condemn, shall pay double to his neighbor.

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 shall deliver to his neighbor an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast to keep; and it shall 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 [Then] shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand to his neighbor's goods; and the owner of it shall accept of 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 And if it shall be stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner of it.

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

13 If it shall be torn in pieces; [then] let him bring it [for] witness, [and] 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 shall borrow [aught] of his neighbor, and it shall be hurt, or die, the owner of it [being] not with it, he shall surely make [it] good.

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 [But] if the owner of it shall [be] with it, he shall not make [it] good: if it [be] a hired [thing], it came for his 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 shall entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow 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 shall utterly refuse to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dower 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 witch to live.

You must not allow a sorceress to live.

19 Whoever 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 to [any] god, save to the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

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

21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor 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 shalt afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all to 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 shalt lend money to [any of] my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou 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 shalt at all take thy neighbor's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it to him by the setting of the sun.

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 raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth to 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 the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

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

29 Thou shalt not delay [to offer] the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the first-born of thy sons shalt thou give to 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 thy oxen, [and] with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it to 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 to me: neither shall ye 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.