complete verse (Exodus 36:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 36:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Five were sewn to become one big cloth and the other five were sewn to become one big cloth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Five clothes were made one by sewing. Then they did the same to the remaining five.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They joined- this -together with five-each.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “A man of artwork sewed five cloths so that they went and were joined together and so became long. And he did like that also with the other five cloths.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “They sewed the five together, and the five other, they made it thus also.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “They sewed five strips together to make one set, and they sewed the other five strips together to make the other set.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 36:9 - 36:10

Verse 9 is identical in every way with 26.2. Since the entire verse has no verb in the Hebrew, it is only the context in translation that places the verbs was and had in the past tense. Each curtain was “14 yards long and 2 yards wide” (Good News Translation), or “twelve meters long and two meters wide.”

Verse 10 is slightly different from 26.3. And he coupled five curtains to one another is literally “and he joined five tent-fabrics one unto one.” And the other five curtains he coupled to one another is almost the same as the first clause, literally “and five curtains he joined one unto one.” Other has been added in translation. The singular pronoun he may refer to either Bezalel or to Moses. But in translation it is better to use the plural “they,” since it is clear from verse 8 that the work was done by “all the able men.” Contemporary English Version changes to the passive voice, “and they were sewn,” and this will be a possible solution in many languages.

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 .