The verse begins with two complete statements that are to be understood together, and not as separate actions: charges her with shameful conduct, and brings an evil name upon her. This may be expressed as “He defames her, falsely accusing her of sexual immorality.” The context shows that the accusation is false. New International Version has “slanders her and gives her a bad name.”

I took this woman: that is, “I took this woman as my wife” or “I married this woman.”

When I came near her: this refers to the first time he made love to his wife. Contemporary English Version has “when we slept together.”

The tokens of virginity: as the following context shows, this is the bleeding caused by the rupture of the hymen of a virgin. (The hymen is the membrane that partly closes the opening of the vagina.) The blood would stain the bed sheet, and the bloodstained bed sheet served as proof that she was a virgin. This can be difficult, if not impossible, to describe in some languages, but the general “I discovered [or, found out] she wasn’t a virgin” may be enough, in view of the details given in verses 15 and 17. Good News Translation may serve as a model on how to handle this. If translators feel that a further explanation is needed, this may be placed in a footnote or glossary item. Many languages will have a term for “virgin,” but in some languages translators will need to use a phrase; for example, “young woman [or, girl] who has never been with a man” or “… who has not slept with a man.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .