When the sin … becomes known: the passive idea is again better translated in many languages by an expression like “when they discover (or, realize) that they have been sinning,” or “when they become aware of their sin,” or “when someone calls attention to the sin.” But it would almost certainly be someone within the group, not from outside, that would call attention to it.

The assembly: or “the people (of Israel).”

Young bull: this is exactly the same expression used in 4.3, so it should be translated in the same way here.

A sin offering: while the subject of this chapter has been the sin offering from the beginning, this is the first use of the technical term in the text itself. It is probably the easiest of the different names of sacrifices to translate. In most cases it is adequate to say “an offering for unintentional sin,” but some may prefer “an offering to seek forgiveness.” See the discussion of the section heading at 4.1.

The end of verse 14 picks up the same information that is found in verses 3b-4a, except that the words “without blemish” are left implicit as in Hebrew. Receptor-language usage should determine whether or not they need to be made explicit here.

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 .