complete verse (Exodus 22:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 22:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But if it is eaten by a wild animal, he should take the remaining part as evidence. But he should not compensate what was eaten by the animal.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If it was attacked by some wild animal, he shall bring the torn carcass to confirm the fact and shall not be required to make restitution.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If the animal was killed by a cruel/(wild) animal, he must bring the remaining parts of the animal as evidence, and he will- not -have- to -pay for-it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And if a wild animal strikes a tame animal so that it dies, that man will bring a piece of the animal to go and show to the animal’s owner, and so he won’t make payment to the animal’s owner.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “If it was wild animals that kill it, he must take [this direction] that which shows it. Let him not (imp.) it give.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “If he says that the animal was killed by wild animals, he must bring back the remains of the animal that was killed and show it to the animal’s owner. If he does that, he will not have to pay anything for the animal.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 22:13

If it is torn by beasts is literally “If [ʾim] being torn it is torn.” The double verb makes it emphatic (see 21.12), but by beasts has been added in the translation. The meaning of torn already suggests, as Good News Translation renders it, that “it was killed by wild animals.” American Standard Version simply has “If it be torn in pieces.”

Let him bring it as evidence means that “the man is to bring the remains as evidence” (Good News Translation). He shall not make restitution means that the custodian will not have to “pay back,” or “give compensation” (Durham) to the owner. For what has been torn is literally “the torn [thing].” Good News Translation makes this clear: “he need not pay for what has been killed by wild animals.” Another model is “If wild animals attacked the animal you were looking after, and you can show pieces of the dead animal to the owner, you do not have to replace it.”

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 .