[EN LXI:1-2
VB] And I saw in those days how long cords were given to
the Angels, and they took themselves wings and flew, and went
towards the north. And I asked an Angel, saying unto him: ‘Why
have these taken cords and gone off?’ And he said to me:
‘They have gone to measure.’
A natural
paraphrase reads:
[EN LXI:
1-2 PP] Then, I saw how long measuring-tapes were give to
some of the angels, and they hurried off towards the north.
So I asked an angel who was there, why the others had taken
tapes and gone away, and he replied: ‘They have gone to
make a survey.’
[EN LXI:1-2
VB] And I saw in those days how long cords were given to
Angels.
The reference
to measuring in relation to surveying is a homely one for the
senior author. While surveying in the high country of South
Iran, he was often asked by curious tribesmen what he was doing
with his plane-table, his range-finder and his linen tapes.
The only answer that could be reasonably given to one who had
no concept of mapping, was: ‘I am measuring.’
