complete verse (Exodus 37:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 37:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “He coated it with pure gold and then he attached a rim of gold on all the sides around it.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He overlaid it with pure gold and made gold molding around it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They cover-over it with pure gold and put a gold strip/(border) the sides of it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And when it was done, then he wrapped the table with wide pieces of good gol. And he affixed a long piece of gol to be for the table’s fastening-band which surrounds it.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “They applied it with gold red, and they add gold red at its side.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “He covered it with pure gold, and he put a gold border around it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exodus 37:10-11

These verses are identical with 25.23-24. The verbs he … made (two times) and he overlaid are in past tense to show the completed action in the Hebrew. One other difference in verse 10 is that the table now has the definite article the instead of “a table” in 25.23. Good News Translation has the definite article, but Contemporary English Version retains the indefinite one. Either one is possible.

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 .