As in the previous verse, the structure is somewhat complicated and should be simplified in translation. One possible model is “The more time (or, years) remaining (until the Year of Restoration), the greater the price; the less time remaining, the smaller the price, because what you are buying is the crops that the land will produce” (compare New English Bible).

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 .

The fields of common land belonging to their cities: this whole expression more than likely refers to the unenclosed pasture land surrounding the cities of the Levites.

Be sold: this passive will have to be translated actively in many languages. And this will require a restructuring of the verse. A possible model may be “No one can ever sell the pasture land…,” or “The Levites may never sell…,” or “No one may buy … from the Levites.”

It is their perpetual possession: that is, they do not have the right to sell this land even for a limited period of time. This may be expressed as “it must always belong to them,” or “it must remain permanently in the hands of the Levites,” or “it must always belong to the priestly family.” This is in contrast with their houses, which could be temporarily sold to persons outside the priestly class.

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 .

You shall not wrong one another: see verse 14b. Again the emphasis is on both parties in the transaction. This seems to come out more clearly if some kind of reciprocal form is used, as in Revised Standard Version.

But: the Hebrew conjunction here is the same one that is often translated “and,” but in this case it is necessary to render it by something that shows the sharp contrast between cheating a fellow Israelite and showing reverence for God.

You shall fear your God: the future tense has an imperative meaning, as is often the case elsewhere in Leviticus. On the meaning of “fear God,” see 19.3, 14.

For I am the LORD your God: compare 18.2. The transition word for or “because” indicates that it is the presence of God that should be the basis for the Israelites not cheating each other.

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 .

Interest … or increase: these ideas are very difficult to express in those cultures where such practices are unknown or uncommon. In the first case, according to some scholars, the interest is paid regularly and then the original loan is paid in a lump sum at the end of the period. In the second case these same scholars maintain that there is no regular payment of interest in the intervening period, but a larger amount than borrowed must be paid in the end. Exodus 22.25 deals only with the first type, and some commentators suggest that the Leviticus rule was designed to block a loophole that moneylenders had found. As to the actual translation of the meaning of these two words, one may propose a restructuring that includes both cases: “Do not make him pay back more than he (originally) borrowed….” Another possibility in some languages may be “do not make him pay rent on money borrowed or pay back more than he borrowed.” It should be noted, however, that there is the distinct possibility that these two terms are virtually synonymous and may be translated by a single term.

Fear your God: see 19.14. But here the idea of obedience is involved. When one stands in awe of God and respects him, the result is obedience.

Your brother: see verses 25 and 35.

Beside you: the same word translated “with you” but meaning “among you” at the end of verse 35.

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 .

The land: in Hebrew the same word may mean “earth (or, soil)” and “land.” In other languages it will be most natural to use the word for “soil” in this context.

Yield its fruit: or “yield its harvest” (New English Bible), or “yield its crops” (Moffatt), since the term translated fruit is meant to be understood in its broadest possible sense.

Eat your fill: Good News Translation conveys the meaning more clearly. Other possible models may be “be satisfied (or, filled) with the food produced,” “never lack food,” or “have food in abundance” (New American Bible).

Dwell in it securely: this is almost word-for-word the same as in verse 18. If the receptor language accepts such repetition, the translator may simply copy the previous rendering. But if variety is called for, a synonymous phrase may be used; for example, “live there without worry” or “have no problems living there.”

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 .

This verse further develops the thought of 36a concerning interest of any kind. It is not only money that is involved, but loans of any sort (specifically food).

Lend him your money at interest: in some languages it may be necessary to say something like “Do not give him money with the condition that he return to you more than you give him” or, as suggested above, “do not make him pay rent on money borrowed.”

Give him your food for profit: as in the above case, it may be necessary to say “Do not sell him food for more than it cost you” or “Do not give him food and expect him to repay you more than you give.” The latter is perhaps better, in the sense that it involves more of a friendly loan of food than a commercial transaction.

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 .

And: since what follows is in contrast with the idea of living in the land without any worries, it is perhaps better to use a conjunction that marks this contrast, as in Good News Translation.

If you say: this is a hypothetical situation where someone might wonder how the people would be fed during the Rest Year. It is not so much a question from one person to another, but a kind of “thinking out loud.” New Jerusalem Bible has “In case you should ask….” In many languages it will be more natural to avoid a direct quotation and to begin the verse “But if you are wondering….”

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 .

I am the LORD your God: see 18.2. This verse constitutes a concluding statement and is the basis for the above requirements. This is brought out by the Good News Translation rendering “This is the command of the LORD your God….”

Who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt: see 19.36. This reminder of the liberation from Egypt is accompanied by the mention of the gift of the land of Canaan, which provides the justification for all the preceding legislation concerning land (see verse 23: “for the land is mine”).

To be your God: see 11.45; 22.33.

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 .