complete verse (Exodus 21:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 21:27:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But if he hits the tooth until it gets out, he should release that slave to go away to pay for his/her tooth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If a man knocks out his manservant or maidservant’s tooth, he shall let him go free because of his tooth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If he knocks-out the tooth of his male or female slave, he should- also -free him/her from slavery as a payment for the tooth that he knocks-out.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And if a man strikes his male or female laborer so that he breaks his/her tooth, he must allow that laborer to leave him and go. This event serves as the payment for the laborer’s tooth.’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “If he will hit his slave snap tooth, male or woman, he must untie him because of his tooth.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “If someone knocks out one of his slave’s teeth, he must free the slave because of what he did to the slave’s tooth.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 21:27

If, literally “And if [ʾim],” indicates that this is an alternative to verse 26. (See the discussion at verse 2.) He knocks out the tooth is literally “he causes a tooth to fall.” His slave, male or female is literally “his [male] slave or his [female] slave,” as in verse 26. He shall let the slave go free for the tooth’s sake. Good News Translation uses exactly the same wording as in verse 26.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .