Exegetical Issue—Katia

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Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps 19:3 reads:[1]

אֵין־אֹמֶר וְאֵין דְּבָרִים בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם

The syntax of v. 3b can be read either as an independent clause, i.e., "There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard" (NRSV; cf. NIV, NLT, CEV, GNT, NET, NEB/REB, NJBNIV, NLT, etc.) or as a relative clause, i.e., "There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard" (ESV; cf. JPS 1985, RUSV, UBG, etc.)

Discussing vv. 2–3, Tanner et al. observe, “Though the two verses have similar structure, they have dissimilar meaning. Verse 2 emphasizes that creation speaks a message about God and passes on knowledge of God; v. 3 denies that the message can be interpreted. Thus the similar structure of these two verses underscores their dissimilar theological message essentially by making the two verses 'like' and 'unlike' at the same time.”[2]

Regarding the second reading, Delitzsch in turn explains, “The discourse of the heavens and the firmament, of the day (of the sky by day) and of the night (of the sky by night), is not a discourse uttered in a corner, it is a discourse in speech that is everywhere audible, and in words that are understood by all.”[3]

Notably, some scholars v. 3 as a scribal correction that was introduced to the text at a later stage to counteract v. 2 and its radical theological message. Accordingly, v. 3 asserts, “There is no speech and there are no words, their voice is not heard.”[4] If the two strophes in Ps 19:1–6 are formed of six tri-meters, then v. 3 reads as a prosaic insertion, compromising the neat arrangement of vv. 1–6. As such, it should be taken out.[5]

Argument Maps

Conclusion

Research

Translations

Ancient

  • LXX: οὐκ εἰσὶν λαλιαὶ οὐδὲ λόγοι ὧν οὐχὶ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν.[6]
    • “There are no conversations, nor are there words, the articulations of which are not heard.” (NETS)
  • Aquila: οὐκ ἔστι λόγος καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ῥήματα οὗ μὴ ἀκουσθῇ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ.[7]
  • Symmachus: οὐ ῥήσεσιν οὐδὲ λόγοις, ὧν οὐκ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναί.[8]
  • Theodotion: οὐκ εἰσὶ λαλιαὶ οὐδὲ λόγοι ὧν οὐχὶ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν.[9]
  • Peshitta: ܠܝܬ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܐܦ ܠܐ ܡ̈ܠܐ܂ ܕܠܐ ܢܫܬܡܥ ܒܩܠܗܘܢ܂[10]
    • “There is no speech or words, for their voice is not heard.[11]
  • Targum: לית מימר דתורעמתא ולית מילי דשגושא דלא משתמע קלהון[12]
    • "There is no word of commotion, nor are there words of confusion and their voice is not heard."[13]
  • Jerome: non est sermo et non sunt verba quibus non audiatur vox eorum.[14]
    • "There is no speech and there are no words by which their voice is not heard."

Modern

v. 3b as an independent clause

  • There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. (NET)
  • They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. (NIV)
  • 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)
  • They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.[15] (NLT)
  • There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard. (NRSV)
  • No utterance at all, no speech, not a sound to be heard.[16] (NJB)
  • and this without speech or language or sound of any voice. (NEB/REB)
  • … 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)
  • … ohne Rede und ohne Worte, mit unhörbarer Stimme. (ELB)
  • … ohne Rede und ohne Worte, ungehört bleibt ihre Stimme. (EÜ)
  • Kein Wort wird gesprochen, kein Laut ist zu hören. (GNB)
  • … ohne Sprache, ohne Worte, mit unhörbarer Stimme. (ZÜR)
  • Ce n'est pas un récit, il n'y a pas de mots, leur voix ne s'entend pas.[17] (TOB)
  • Ce n'est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, on n'entend pas leur voix. (NBS)
  • Ce n'est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, Leur voix n'est pas entendue. (NVSR)
  • Ce ne sont pas des paroles, ce ne sont pas des discours, ni des voix qu’on peut entendre. (BDS)
  • Ce n’est pas un discours, il n’y a pas de paroles, aucun son ne se fait entendre. (PDV)
  • Ce n’est pas un discours, ce ne sont pas des mots, l’oreille n’entend aucun son. (NFC)
  • Ce n’est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, on n’entend pas leur son. (S21)
  • No hay lenguaje ni palabras ni es oída su voz. (RVR95)
  • Sin palabras, sin lenguaje, sin una voz perceptible, ... (NVI)
  • Aunque no se escuchan palabras ni se oye voz alguna, ... (DHH)
  • Donde no hay lenguaje ni idioma, La voz de Ellos no es para ser oída, ... (BTX4)
  • Хотя они не используют ни речи, ни слов, и от них не слышно ни звука, ... (NRT)
  • ... без мови й без слів, не чутний їхній голос, ... (UKR)

v. 3b as a 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.[18] (JPS 1985).
  • Нет языка, и нет наречия, где не слышался бы голос их. (RUSV)
  • Nie ma języka ani mowy, w których nie słychać ich głosu. (UBG)

Secondary Literature

References

  1. ↑ OSHB.
  2. ↑ Tanner et al., 2014, npn.
  3. ↑ Delitzsch 1971, npn.
  4. ↑ Briggs and Briggs 1907, 162, 165.
  5. ↑ Briggs and Briggs 1907, 162, 165.
  6. ↑ Rahlfs 1931.
  7. ↑ Göttingen Hexapla Database.
  8. ↑ Göttingen Hexapla Database.
  9. ↑ Göttingen Hexapla Database.
  10. ↑ CAL.
  11. ↑ Taylor 2020:634.
  12. ↑ CAL.
  13. ↑ Stec 2004: 54. Apparatus: for "and": w; B d, 'whose, because, so that'.”
  14. ↑ Weber-Gryson 5th Edition.
  15. ↑ Translation footnote: "There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard."
  16. ↑ Translation footnote: "The versions interpret 'whose sound cannot be heard'; but in what follows there is allusion to the Assyro-Babylonian idea that the stars are the silent 'writing of the heavens'."
  17. ↑ Translation footnote: "Gr.: il n'y a pas de mots dont le son ne s'entende pas."
  18. ↑ Footnote: "With Septuagint, Symmachus, and Vulgate" or “their sound is not heard.”