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).

complete verse (Exodus 27:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 27:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “And both sides of the gate/entrance each should have a curtain measuring up to seven meters with three pillars together with three things which those pillars stand on.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “There must be fifteen-fifteen cubits long curtains at the both sides of the entrance and must be three-three pillars and bases for it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “And this-(side) should have an entrance which has frameworks which have a curtain on the side. The curtain on the right is about 22 and a half feet long, and is-connected to the three posts which are-inserted/are-set-inside to the three bases.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And on the sides of the fence’s opening on this side and that side, hang two cloths, one on one side, and the other on the other side, their length amounting to three fathoms and 54 inches (lit. extending to our[incl] opposite elbow’s bending). Make these two sides of the fence together with six posts, three on one side and three on the other side, together with their bras post bases.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Also you shall make door there. you shall hang cloths on the left at door, so that its width it be joint of hand which be 15, and its hanging wood three, and its planting-hole three,” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Tell them to make a curtain 22-1/2 feet/6.6 meters wide for each side of the entrance to the courtyard.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 27:14 - 27:15

The hangings for the one side of the gate is literally “hangings for the shoulder [or, side].” Of the gate is not in the Hebrew, but the text is referring to one side of the “entrance” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) into the courtyard, which was on the east side. The word translated as gate does not appear until verse 16. Fifteen cubits is approximately “7½ yards” (Good News Translation), or “6.6 meters.” With three pillars and three bases is literally “their pillars three and their bases three.” The pronoun “their” refers to the hangings, or “curtains” (Good News Translation).

On the other side is literally “and for the second side.” The rest of this verse repeats what is said in verse 14. Again Good News Translation is able to shorten these two verses into one sentence, “On each side of the entrance there are to be 7½ yards of curtains with three posts and three bases.”

It is possible to combine verses 9-15 in the following way:

• Put a courtyard around the sacred tent, one hundred fifty feet long on the south and north and seventy-five feet wide on the east and west. Make bronze-covered posts and bronze stands to place around the courtyard, twenty on the south and north and ten for the west. Make silver hooks and bands [or, rods] for the posts and use them to hang curtains made of fine linen on the posts along each of the three sides.
Put three posts on each side of the entrance to the courtyard at the east, and hang a curtain seven and a half yards wide on each set of posts.

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 .