A statute to you for ever: this indicates that the set of rules given are to be considered permanent. See 3.17, where the same words are translated “a perpetual statute” in Revised Standard Version. Compare also 10.9.
The seventh month, on the tenth day: translators should consider whether it is more natural in their own language to follow the Revised Standard Version order (month, day) or the Good News Translation order (day, month). In those languages where the seventh month will be understood as meaning July, something must be done to help the reader understand that the Jewish system was quite different from that of the receptor language. Probably the best way to do this is to prepare a table showing the different calendar systems used in the Old Testament, compared with the system or systems known to the reader. This should be included at the beginning or end of the translation and not as a footnote to the text here. Both Jerusalem Bible (page 477) and New Jerusalem Bible (page 2076) have such a table in their “Supplements” at the end of the book.
Afflict yourselves: literally “afflict your souls.” This is often taken to mean “fasting,” as in Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, but it may have been a more general self-denial that included abstaining from all food, drink, sex, wearing sandals, and even bathing. This interpretation is implied in the translations “deny yourselves” (New International Version) and “practice self-denial” (New Jerusalem Bible). Many languages, however, do not allow such a general statement without saying precisely what the person is to deny himself. It is probably better to translate “fast” or “eat nothing,” and if necessary a note may be added to explain that the word may have a broader meaning. In those parts of the world where Muslim influence is strong, translators must take special care to avoid the giving the impression that “fasting” means only to abstain from food and drink during daylight hours. Biblical fasting does not correspond to this Muslim concept. In some cases it will be necessary to clarify this in a footnote or a glossary explanation, since there may be only one word available in the language, but one that will almost certainly convey the wrong idea.
Do no work: this requirement is generally associated with the Sabbath (see 23.3 and Exo 20.8-10) or with different feast days (Lev 23.7, 21, 25, 28, 35-36). As several of these passages indicate, abstaining from work has a double goal: it allows for physical rest, and it makes people available for serving God. The translator should be careful to avoid an expression that will place the emphasis only on physical rest.
The native: this is a collective singular, but all the Israelites are obviously intended. In some languages the word for native may be understood as a member of one particular language group. This may be avoided by saying explicitly “you Israelites” or something similar.
The stranger who sojourns among you: this is another collective singular referring to any and all foreigners who happened to be among the people of Israel. As in the case of native above, the word stranger may be understood as any person who is not a member of the receptor-language group. If this is the case, it may be necessary to say “any non-Israelites living among you” or “any other people (or, tribes) living among you.”
Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .