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)

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)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 40:15

From the front of the gate at the entrance to the end of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits: Ezekiel now turns his attention to the length of the whole gatehouse. The front of the gate at the entrance refers to the outer entrance of the gatehouse, where the man began measuring (see Ezek 40.6). The end of the inner vestibule of the gate refers to the wall of the gatehouse’s porch that faced the Temple (see Ezek 40.7). These two parts of the gatehouse encompass its whole length, which was fifty cubits, that is, 25 meters (84 feet).

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 .