cubit

The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that is translated as “cubit” or into a metric or imperial measurement in English is translated in Kutu, Kwere, and Nyamwezi as makono or “armlength.” Since a cubit is the measurement from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, one armlength (measured from the center of the chest to the fingertips) equals two cubits or roughly 1 meter. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Similarly, in Akoose, the translation is “arm distance.” (Source: Joseph Nkwelle Ngome and Marlie van Rooyen & Jacobus A. Naudé in Communicatio 2009, p. 251ff.)

In Klao it is converted into “hand spans” (app. 6 inches or 12 cm) and “finger spans” (app. 1 inch or 2 cm) (source: Don Slager) and in Bariai into leoa or “fathom,” which comprises the distance from a person’s fingertip to fingertip with arms outstretched, app. 6 feet (source: Bariai Back Translation).

bronze

The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “bronze” in English is translated in Newari as “bell-metal,” since bells are made of bronze in Nepal (source: Newari Back Translation).

See also bronze vessel.

distance (long / wide / high)

The concepts of distance that are translated in English with “long,” “wide,” and “high/tall” are translated in Kwere with one word: utali. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (1 Kings 7:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 7:27:

  • Kupsabiny: “Huram made ten tables out of bronze which would be pushed so that the basins for water would be put there. Each of them had a length of six feet, but the height is four and a half feet.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Huram also made ten carts of bronze. Each cart was 1.8 meters long, 1.8 meters wide, and 1.3 meters high.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Huram also made ten bronze carts that were-used for fetching water. The length of each one was six feet, the width was six feet also, and the height was four and a half feet.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Huram also made ten bronze carts. Each was six feet long and six feet wide and 4-1/2 feet tall.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Kings 7:27

7:27a In addition, he made ten movable stands of bronze,

The New International Version has supplied the word “movable.”

Huram built ten bronze bases ⌊to hold water bowls/containers⌋.
-or-
Huram also constructed ten water carts out of metal/bronze.

7:27b each four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high.

Each of the bases was four cubits in length, four cubits in width, and three cubits in height.
-or-
The water carts were two meters long, two meters wide, and one and a half meters tall.

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