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).

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 (Exodus 26:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 26:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those curtains must be of the same size, each having a length of twelve meters and width of two meters.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Each cloth panel must be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. All cloth panels must be of same size.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Each clothing-material must have a length of 42 feet and have a width of six feet.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “All these cloths must turn out the same. Their length will amount to seven fathoms. Note: a fathom is the equivalent of 6 feet. And their width will amount to one fathom.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “That flax cloth, the one let it not (imp.) the one be greater with length with width. Its length, let it be joint of hand which be 28, and its width, let it be joint of hand four.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Each strip is to be 14 yards/twelve meters long and 2 yards/1.8 meters wide.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 26:2

Each curtain refers to each of the ten pieces of linen cloth in verse 1, which was to be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. All the curtains shall have one measure simply emphasizes that each curtain was to be “the same size” (Good News Translation). This means that each piece was to be about “14 yards” by “2 yards” (Good News Translation), or “twelve meters” by “two meters.” Contemporary English Version has “Make each piece fourteen yards long and two yards wide.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .