As in 4.13, it may be necessary in some languages to introduce this hypothetical situation with words like “Suppose that a person commits…” (see Bible en français courant), or “Let us say that a person sins…,” or “Another example might be….” Such an introduction will permit the translator to complete the sentence at the end of verse 2. Unless this or some other device is used, the sentence beginning at verse 2 might continue to the end of verse 5, and this would constitute a sentence much too long and complicated for the average reader.

Any one: see 5.1.

A breach of faith: see 5.14.

Deceiving: this term conveys the idea “to act unfaithfully,” or “to prove to be untrustworthy,” or “to show oneself to be untruthful (or, unreliable),” but in some languages it may be acceptable to say simply “to deceive.”

Neighbor: this word does not mean simply one who lives nearby; rather it refers to any other member of the Israelite community. One may say “fellow” (New Jerusalem Bible), “fellow Israelite” (Good News Translation), “fellow countryman” (New English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible), or simply “another Israelite” to avoid misunderstanding. But care should be taken to avoid the choice of a word that is limited to one’s own family, clan, or tribe. And the wording should not be such that the reader will understand that it is acceptable to deceive foreigners.

The text gives several ways in which one person might act unfaithfully toward another, but the list is not necessarily exhaustive. For this reason, some translators have felt it necessary to add the words “for example” or “in cases like this:…” to introduce the four cases cited.

In a matter of deposit or security: the LatinVulgate treats these two as a single sin and this is the interpretation followed by Good News Translation. Although the distinction between these two is uncertain, most versions retain them as separate matters. In both cases there seems to be a violation of trust placed in the guilty party, who has been asked to watch over something for another person. Instead of taking care of it as expected, he has used it for his own purposes. Therefore if the receptor language has two well-known terms in this area of meaning, they can be used. But if not, a single term will be enough.

Through robbery: this is a matter of outright theft which can be easily translated in most languages, although it is important to note that the word used here implies the use of force.

If he has oppressed his neighbor: the verb oppressed may be misleading. The idea here is one of gaining something that belongs to another person by means other than outright theft. It usually involves trickery of some kind. New American Bible comes very close to the meaning with “otherwise retaining his neighbor’s goods unjustly,” although this is a bit heavy and will be difficult to reproduce in many languages. Moffatt translates “by taking advantage of his neighbor.” New Jerusalem Bible has “or by defrauding his fellow” (5.21, following the Hebrew numbering system).

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 .