This verse warns the people not to be calculating in the help they give to needy fellow-Israelites. The closer the year for canceling all debts was, the less the borrower would have to repay the amount he or she had been lent. Consequently a person might be inclined not to lend money to anyone, since the debt would soon be canceled.
Some restructuring may be required in translating this verse. See Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version, and also the alternative model below.
Take heed lest there be a base thought in your heart: that is, “Be careful not to let a mean [or, selfish] thought enter your mind,” or “Do not let such an evil thought enter your mind,” or even “Don’t think about doing such an evil thing.”
And you say may also be expressed as “And you think.”
The seventh year, the year of release is near: see verses 1-2 for these terms. It will be helpful to supply the information that is understood in the text, as Contemporary English Version does: “then, I won’t be able to get my money back.”
Your eye be hostile toward your poor brother: here hostile means to show an unfriendly attitude. A possible translation is “you give him an unfriendly look”; New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “you are mean”; New Jerusalem Bible “scowl at your poor brother.” Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version take hostile to mean a “refusal” or “unwillingness” to lend money to a poor person. This interpretation is also possible.
And he cry to the LORD against you: the Israelite who was refused help will complain to Yahweh about such a mean attitude, and Yahweh will condemn the hardhearted Israelite.
And it be sin in you: “God will judge you guilty of sin.”
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Be careful that you don’t think “Soon it will be the seventh year when I must cancel debts, and I won’t be able to get my money back.” It would be evil to think that way and to be so selfish that you refuse to lend any money to your poor fellow Israelite. He may complain to Yahweh and Yahweh will decide that you have sinned.
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .