1 I f there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

“Two men might argue and go to court. The judges will decide between them, saying that the right man is not guilty and that the sinful man is guilty.

2 A nd it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.

If the sinful man should be beaten, the leader will make him lie down and be beaten in front of him. The number of times he is beaten will be decided upon by how bad his sin is.

3 F orty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

The number may be as much as forty, but no more. If he is beaten more than this, your brother would be put to much shame in your eyes.

4 T hou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

“When the bull is made to walk on the grain to break it open, do not stop him from eating some.

5 I f brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

“When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the dead man’s wife must not be married outside the family to a strange man. The husband’s brother will take her as his wife and do what he should for her as a brother-in-law.

6 A nd it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.

The first son born to her will take the name of the dead brother so his name will not be forgotten in Israel.

7 A nd if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.

But the man might not want to take his brother’s wife. Then his brother’s wife should go to the leaders at the gate and say, ‘My husband’s brother will not make his brother’s name to be remembered in Israel. He is not willing to do the duty of a brother-in-law to me.’

8 T hen the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;

Then the leaders of his city will call him and speak to him. If he still says, ‘I do not want to take her,’

9 T hen shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.

then his brother’s wife will come to him in front of the leaders. She will pull his shoe off his foot and spit in his face. And she will say, ‘This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’

10 A nd his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

In Israel his name will be called, ‘The house of him whose shoe is pulled off.’

11 W hen men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:

“If two men are fighting together and the wife of one comes to save her husband from the one who is hitting him and if she puts out her hand and takes hold of his sex part,

12 T hen thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.

you must cut off her hand. Do not show pity.

13 T hou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.

“You must not have two different weights in your bag, one large and one small.

14 T hou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

You must not have in your house different ways of showing how big or small something is.

15 B ut thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

You must have a full and fair weight. You must have a fair way to show how big something is. Then you will live long in the land the Lord your God gives you.

16 F or all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

For the Lord hates everyone who does such things, who lies and is not fair.

17 R emember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

“Remember what Amalek did to you on your way out of Egypt.

18 H ow he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

He met you on the way when you were weak and tired. And he fought with those who were behind. He did not fear God.

19 T herefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

When the Lord your God gives you rest from all those around you who hate you, in the land the Lord your God gives you for your own, you must forget all about Amalek, so no one under heaven will remember him. Do not forget to do this.