Exegetical Issue—Hunter

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps 19:4 reads as follows:

אֵֽין־אֹ֭מֶר וְאֵ֣ין דְּבָרִ֑ים

בְּ֝לִ֗י נִשְׁמָ֥ע קוֹלָֽם

Consider the following two translations of this clause:

• They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. (NIV)
• There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. (ESV)

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: οὐκ εἰσὶν λαλιαὶ οὐδὲ λόγοι, ὧν οὐχὶ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν
• Aquila: οὐκ ἔστι λόγος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ῥήματα, οὗ μὴ ἀκουσθῇ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ
• Symmachus: οὐ ῥήσεσιν, οὐδὲ λόγοις, ὧν οὐκ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναί
• Jerome (iuxta Hebr.): non est sermo et non sunt verba quibus non audiatur vox eorum
• Targum: לית מימר דתורעמתא ולית מילי דשגושא דלא משתמע קלהון
• Peshitta: ܠܝܬ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܐܦ ܠܐ ܡ̈ܠܐ܂ ܕܠܐ ܢܫܬܡܥ ܒܩܠܗܘܢ

Modern

v. 4b Independent Clause

• They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. (NIV)
• They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.(NLT)
• They don't speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. (CEV)
• No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; (GNT)
• There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. (NET)
• ohne Sprache und ohne Worte; unhörbar ist ihre Stimme. (Luther 2017)
• Dies alles geschieht ohne Worte, ohne einen vernehmlichen Laut. (HFA)
• Sie tun es ohne Worte, kein Laut und keine Stimme ist zu hören. (NGÜ)

v. 4b Relative Clause

• There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. (ESV)
• There is no utterance, there are no words, whose sound goes unheard.(JPS 1985)