hired

The Hebrew in Exodus 22:15 that is translated as “hired” in English had to be made more specific in Manya as “paying money for the use of a cow.” (Source: Don Slager)

complete verse (Exodus 22:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 22:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But if the owner was present, he will not compensate anything. And/But if he had actually given out something as surety, then that (surety) will end with the animal (payment already done by way of surety).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If it happens before the owner, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But if the owner is there when-(it)-happened, the one who borrowed does- not -have-to-pay. If the animal was-hired/rented, the money paid for the hire/rent will-be the-payment for-the wounded or the dead animal.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But if the animal’s owner saw that bad thing which happened to the animal, the man who borrowed the animal won’t make payment to the animal’s owner. For that small amount of money which he gave to him in advance, that’s enough.’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “If animal die or be bad some part for its owner sits, one who took it, let him not (imp.) it give. If he rent it with money, money of its renting be sufficient [for] its giving.»” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “But if that happens when the owner of the animal is there, the one who borrowed it will not have to pay back anything. If the man who borrowed it only rented it, the money that he paid to rent it will be enough to pay for the animal dying or being injured.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 22:15

If the owner was with it, literally “If [ʾim] its owner with it,” is clearer in Good News Translation: “But if that happens when the owner was present.” He shall not make restitution means “the man need not repay” (Good News Translation). New Jerusalem Bible has “he will not have to make good the loss.”

If it was hired is literally “if [ʾim] a hired that,” using a noun rather than a verb. So this can refer either to a hired man or to a hired animal. The context, however, clearly suggests that “it is a rented animal” (Good News Translation). It came for its hire is too literal to make sense, so New Revised Standard Version now has “only the hiring fee is due.” This means that the borrower need not pay anything more.

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 .