complete verse (Numbers 5:31)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:31:

  • Kupsabiny: “Nothing shall catch the husband, but it is the woman who shall suffer/bear the consequences if she has sinned.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In such work, no guilt of any kind will fall upon the husband. If the woman has guilt, she must bear the punishment.’’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The husband has nothing to answer-to, but the wife has to answer-to if she has-sinned, and she will-suffer (because-of) her sin.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Even if the woman has not done what the husband suspected, he will not be punished for doing something wrong by bringing his wife to the priest. But if his wife is guilty, she will suffer as a result.’’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 5:31

The man shall be free from iniquity means the suspicious husband who brings his wife to trial will not be guilty of any wrongdoing. Be free renders the same Hebrew verb used in verse 28 (see the comments there).

But the woman shall bear her iniquity means a woman guilty of adultery will suffer the consequences of her sin. In Hebrew the woman is literally “that woman” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), referring to the woman who is actually guilty of adultery and of potentially polluting all the people.

In some languages it may be helpful to reverse the order of the two clauses in this verse to express the contrast here better. A model that does this is:

• The woman, if guilty, must suffer the consequences, but her husband shall be free of guilt.”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .