complete verse (Zechariah 2:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Zechariah 2:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “And in another revelation, I saw a man who held a rope used for measuring.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I looked up again, and I saw a man who was holding a measuring rope in his hand.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then I saw a man who was holding-in-hand a rope/string for-measuring.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line/tape.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Zechariah 2:1

And I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold: See the comments on the same words in 1.18.

A man with a measuring line in his hand!: It is not clear whether the man is another angel or not. In verse 4 it appears that he may be doing something contrary to the will of God, so it seems more likely that he is a human being. Here therefore translators should translate man literally. Since he is called a young man in verse 4, it may be good to use the same term here. This would help to make it clear that the same person is intended in both places.

A measuring line was a rope, perhaps of standard length, to measure and record the size of land or buildings (compare Ezek 40.3). In some languages this expression may be rendered as “a rope to measure things.” The Hebrew word here is not the same as in 1.16.

The expression with a measuring line in his hand is idiomatic in English. In some languages people would say “holding a measuring line” or “holding a rope in his hand for measuring things.”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .