Exegetical Issue—Jim

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:

• There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard (NET).
• There is no utterance, there are no words, whose sound goes unheard (NJPS).

There are two different ways to read the syntax of v. 4.

1. Independent clause (cf. NIV, NLT, etc.)
2. Relative clause (cf. NJPS, ESV, etc.)

Argument Maps

Independent clause (preferred)

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Independent]: Verse 4b is an independent clause ("their voice is not heard").
 - <Counter argument>: counter argument #dispreferred
  <_ <Undercut>: undercutting argument
 + <Name>: argument
  + [Name]: E.g., Pss .......

Relative clause

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Main point title]: Main point.
 + <Supporting argument title>: Type supporting argument here (Author Date:Page :C:).
  + <Supporting statement title>: Type supporting statement here (Author Date:Page :G:).
   + [Supporting evidence title]: List supporting evidence here.
  <_ <Undercutting statement title>:Type undercutting statement here (Author Date:Page :C:).#dispreferred
  - <Refuting statement title>:Type refuting statement here (Author Date:Page :C:; Author Date:Page :A:).#dispreferred

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
• Jerome (iuxta Hebr.):

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)
• There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. (NET)
• No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; (GNT)
• ohne Sprache und ohne Worte; unhörbar ist ihre Stimme. (LUT)
• 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 (NJPS)