complete verse (Numbers 19:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 19:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person who has held on to the corpse of any person remains unclean until seven days have passed.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “A person who touches a corpse will be unclean for seven days. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘Whoever touches a corpse/dead-body is-to-be-considered unclean/dirty for a period/[lit. inside] of seven days.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘ll those who touch a corpse will be unacceptable to me for seven days.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 19:11

He who touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days: This verse introduces the basic problem that is dealt with in this chapter, which is ritual impurity caused by dead bodies. Good News Translation changes the singular expression He who touches to the plural one “Those who touch” to include both males and females. Good News Translation makes this change in verses 12-13 also, which other languages may find helpful. The dead body of any person refers to human corpses. In some languages human corpses are distinguished from animal corpses. For the Hebrew verb rendered be unclean, see verse 7.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .