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)

complete verse (Genesis 6:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 6:15:

  • Kankanaey: “Its size then, 450 feet will be its length, 75 feet will be its width, and 45 feet will be its height.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You build it, making it 150 meters long, 25 meters wide and 15 meters high.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Make its length 450 feet, and its width 75 feet, and its height 45 feet.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “This is the size you must make it: It shall be 150 yards/135 meters long, 25 yards/22.5 meters wide, and 15 yards/13.5 meters high.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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)

Translation commentary on Genesis 6:15

This verse gives the dimensions of the boat.

This is how you are to make it renders the Hebrew literally. Good News Translation has “Make it…,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “Make the boat with these measurements:….” Some languages have a set form of introduction to a list of items or the description of a process, and that form may be used appropriately here.

Translators will notice variations in the numbers given for the dimensions in different versions. This is due to uncertainty about the length of the unit translated cubits by Revised Standard Version. Taking a “cubit” to equal 45 centimeters or 18 inches, the boat would be about 130 meters long, 22 meters wide, and 13 meters high, or 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Translators should use the terms for linear measurements common in their own situation. And noting that the original figures are very much “round” figures—300, 50, 30—translators are also advised to round off the measurements in their own units after calculating them with the help of conversion tables.

Some translators may have to make a choice between the units of measurement that have been used traditionally, and which are still used in the construction of boats and houses, and units that are used internationally. A number of translations in the Pacific have used the traditional “fathom” in this story and others; but other translations have used “feet” or “meters.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .