What he took by robbery …: instead of repeating the entire list of ways a person may cheat his fellow Israelite, Good News Translation has summarized with the words “whatever he got by dishonest means.” If repetition of this type in the receptor language is unnatural, the same kind of summary statement may be made. Otherwise, the repetition is quite acceptable.

Become guilty: that is, when the guilt becomes known. The person would, of course, be guilty in the eyes of God all along. For this reason some translators may prefer to render this expression as “and his guilt becomes known” or something similar. New Jerusalem Bible has “and so becomes answerable,” while New American Bible translates (at 5.23) “since he has incurred guilt….” Compare also 4.13, 22, 27; 5.2-4, 19.

In addition to summarizing the various kinds of dishonesty, Good News Translation has also recast other elements in this verse. While the idea of being found guilty is given early in verse 4 in Revised Standard Version (reflecting the Hebrew structure), Good News Translation has transposed it toward the end of what is verse 5 in Revised Standard Version and combined it with the statement sometimes translated on the day of his guilt offering (see the discussion below). Since elements of verses 4 and 5 cannot be neatly separated, Good News Translation simply renumbers these two verses together as 4-5.

He shall restore: here, as distinct from 5.16 (see the comments at that point), the Hebrew verb implies the actual restitution of the object taken, and not just the payment of compensation.

And shall add a fifth to it: see 5.16.

On the day of his guilt offering: this may be understood rather to mean “on the day of his guilt”; that is, “as soon as he admits his guilt” or as in Good News Translation “On the day he is found guilty.” This was the understanding of the Septuagint. But it is probably better to understand it as meaning “on the day when he brings his guilt (or, repayment) offering.”

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 .