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 36:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 36:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “All the curtains were of the same size and each of them was twelve meters in length and width of two meters.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “All clothes were twenty-four cubits long and four cubits wide. All the clothes were of the same size.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Each clothing-material has 42 feet long and about six feet wide.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “All those cloths turned out the same. Their length amounted to seven fathoms. Note: A fathom is a Bariai unit of measure equalling six feet. And their width amounted to one fathom.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “That flax cloth, the one it not another be greater with length with width. Its length be joint of hand which be 28, and its width be joint of hand four.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Each strip was 14 yards/twelve meters long and 2 yards/1.8 meters wide.” (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 .