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 (Ezekiel 43:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 43:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “All the top sides of the altar were the same size and (it/they) was/were twenty-one feet.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The altar had three stories. The lowest story was 27 feet square, and three feet high. The middle story was 24 feet square, and seven feet high. It had somewhat-like-a-canal around which was 20 inches deep and had a hangings/border around which was ten inches high. The upper story was 20 feet square, and seven feet high, and here the offerings were-being-burned. The four corners of it were-as-if-like horns of an animal. There were stairs going-up to the altar at the east side of it.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “That place at the top of the altar is square, 21 feet/6.4 meters on each side.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 43:16

The altar hearth shall be square, twelve cubits long by twelve broad: The altar hearth, that is, the fire place at the top of the altar, was square. It was twelve cubits long by twelve broad, that is, 6 meters long and 6 meters wide (20 feet by 20 feet). Good News Translation says “20 feet on each side.”

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .