And if … or if …: here the people are told what to do if the owner of the animal lives a long way off or is unknown. The directions are quite clear, and there are no particular problems with the structure of the discourse or the meaning of the words. By saying “its owner,” Good News Translation (also Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) neatly handles the problem of trying to translate your brother. In languages like English, that differentiate between the neuter it (the animal) and the masculine he (the owner), there is no problem in making it clear which is referred to. But where there is no neuter form, a translator must make sure that there is no confusion in determining who or what the pronouns refer to.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• If the owner of the animal lives too far away, or if you [singular] don’t know who owns it, take the animal home with you. When its owner comes looking for it, give it back to him.

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 .