On this day: a literal translation of this expression may give the reader the impression that the day referred to is the day on which he is reading the material, or the day on which it was written. The reference, however, is clearly to the day of atonement, which we are told in verse 29 was on the tenth day of the seventh month in the Jewish calendar. It may be better to translate “on the appointed day” or something similar. Or the verse may be more radically restructured to begin “That is the day when atonement shall be made….”

Shall atonement be made: this passive construction must be made active in some languages. The subject must then be “the High Priest.” See 4.20.

You shall be clean before the LORD: this may also be translated “the LORD will make you (ritually) clean.” See verse 2.

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 .