bronze

The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “bronze” in English is translated in Newari as “bell-metal,” since bells are made of bronze in Nepal (source: Newari Back Translation).

See also bronze vessel.

complete verse (Exodus 38:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 38:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “That cloth/curtain was supported by four pillars which stood on four bronze things. The runners, clips and the heads of the pillars were coated with silver.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They made four pillars and four bases for it. The ropes and hooks were silver and the top of the pillars were overlaid with silver.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This curtain was-connected/hung to the four posts which-was inserted also to-the four bases. The hooks and the bars of the posts was-silver, and its heads/tops was-covered/overlaid with silver.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And they made that cloth for the opening of the fence together with its four posts and four bras post-bases also. And they took silva for making the hooks and cross-pieces of those posts. And they enwrapped the tops of the posts with wide pieces of silva also.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And they make for it hanging-wood four, and they pound for it metal red for planting-hole four, and gold white for that which be crooked head with its beams.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “All the curtains were made of fine white linen. They were supported by four posts, and under each post was a base made of bronze. All the posts around the courtyard were connected with metal rods covered with silver. The clasps/fasteners were made of silver, and the tops of the posts were covered with silver.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 38:19 - 38:20

These verses repeat the rest of the information given in 27.16-19. Their pillars is the same grammatical problem as in 27.16, for there seems to be no antecedent for the pronoun their. This may be changed to “its pillars,” referring to the “screen” in verse 18. Good News Translation has “It was supported by four posts.” Their four bases, of course, refers to the pillars or “bronze posts” (Contemporary English Version). The overlaying of their capitals is the same as verse 17 above. This expression is not included in chapter 27 but is found in 36.38. (See the comment there.) And their fillets suggests that the “rods” (Good News Translation) or “bands” (New Revised Standard Version) were also overlaid with silver. (See the comment on fillets at 27.10.)

Verse 20 is the same as 27.19, except that there is no reference to the “utensils … for every use.” (See the comment there.)

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 .