The Text of Ps 4:3

Introduction

The text of Ps 4:3 according to the Masoretic Text (MT) reads as follows:

בְּנֵ֥י אִ֡ישׁ עַד־מֶ֬ה כְבוֹדִ֣י לִ֭כְלִמָּה

תֶּאֱהָב֣וּן רִ֑יק תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ כָזָ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃

The following two translations illustrate one of the main exegetical difficulties in this verse:

How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? (NIV)

Children of men, how long will you be heavy of heart, why love what is vain and chase after illusions? (NJB)

The NIV's translation "my glory into shame" is a translation of the MT: כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה. The NJB's translation is a translation of the supposed Hebrew text underlying the Septuagint's translation: כִבְדֵי לֵב לָמָּה. This reading differs from the MT's reading in four ways: (1) it redivides the words (לֵב לָמָּה vs לִכְלִמָּה); (2) it has a bet instead of a kaf (לֵב vs לִכְ); (3), it has a defective spelling for כבדי (vs כבודי in MT); and (4) it has a different vocalization. Virtually all of the modern European translations consulted follow the reading of the MT. Only the NJB and the NAB follow the reading of the Septuagint.

Argument Maps

"...my honor to shame?" (כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה)

Most modern translations follow the reading of the MT: כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה. For example, the NIV says, "How long will you people turn my glory into shame?"

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[כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה]: The earliest recoverable form of the text is כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה: "how long will my honor become shame?" (Barthélemy et al. 2005, 6-7 :C:).#dispreferred
 + <Textual witnesses>: Most of the earliest textual witnesses support the reading כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה or some alternative vocalization of this same consonantal text.#dispreferred
  + [Textual witnesses]: MT: כְבוֹדִ֣י לִ֭כְלִמָּה; Aquila: οἱ ἔνδοξοί μου εἰς ἐντροπήν (= כְבוּדַי לִכְלִמָּה?); Symmachus: ἡ δόξα μου; Jerome (Hebr.): incliti mei ignominiose (= כְבוּדַי לִכְלִמָּה?); Targum: איקרי לאיתכנעותא.#dispreferred
 + <Context>: The reading כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה makes good sense in the immediate and broader literary context.#dispreferred
  + <Parallelism>: The parallel line (v. 3b) charges the "sons of men" with making groundless accusations, which fits well with the idea that they turn the psalmist's honor into shame (cf. Baethgen 1904, 10 :C:; Kraus 1988, 148 :C:; Craigie 2004, 80 :C:).#dispreferred
   - <Idolatry>: Verse 3b is not about groundless accusations but idolatry. The "sons of man" stubbornly persist in their worship of false gods (cf. Wilson 2002, 153-154 :C:; Goldingay 2006 :A:; Waltke 2010, 232 :C:) (see evidence in the argument map below).
    + [v. 3b (NIV)]: "...How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?" (NIV)
   + [v. 3b (NLT)]: "...How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?" (NLT)#dispreferred
  + <v. 4>: In the next verse (v. 4), the psalmist calls the "sons of man" to acknowledge his special status, which makes sense as a response to his being dishonored by them.#dispreferred
  + <Psalm 3>: The phrase "my honor" (כְבוֹדִי) also appears in Ps 3 (v. 4), as one of the many verbal connections between Ps 3 and Ps 4.#dispreferred
 - <"A little strange">: Although the MT is intelligible, it is "a little strange," which might suggest that it is the result of a scribal error (Screnock 2019 :A:).
  + <Lack of verb>: The MT (כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה) "lacks a contextually appropriate verb—whether explicit or elided. There is no verb in the preceding line that is gapped (as is common in Hebrew poetry), and context does not indicate to the reader what the verb ought to be (including a copula 'is')" (Screnock 2019 :A:).
   <_ <שִׂים>: The context suggests we should supply a transitive verb like שַׂמְתֶּם ("you make") or תָשִׂימוּ ("you make") (so Ibn Ezra :C:: עד מתי שמתם כבודי לכלימה).#dispreferred
   <_ <יִהְיֶה>: The context (see esp. the ל preposition on לִכְלִמָּה) suggests we should supply the copula יִהְיֶה (so Baethgen 1904, 10 :C:, citing Ia 4:2) or simply interpret the clause as a verbless clause (see esp. Ps 37:26b).#dispreferred
    + [Isa 4:2]: בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֗וּא יִֽהְיֶה֙ צֶ֣מַח יְהוָ֔ה לִצְבִ֖י וּלְכָבֹ֑וד#dispreferred
    + [Ps 37:26b]: וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹ לִבְרָכָֽה #dispreferred
  + <Missing element in v. 3b>: Verse 3b appears to be missing a constituent. For it to make sense, the adverbial "how long" (עַד־מֶה) must be elided from the previous line.
   <_ <Not a problem>: This kind of elision is not a problem in Hebrew poetry. For example, in Psalm 2:1-2, the interrogative "why" (לָמָּה) is elided across multiple lines. See also Isa 1:5.#dispreferred
    + [Isa 1:5]: עַ֣ל מֶ֥ה תֻכּ֛וּ עֹ֖וד תֹּוסִ֣יפוּ סָרָ֑ה#dispreferred
  <_ <More difficult reading>: The difficulty of MT might explain why an alternative reading arose.#dispreferred

"...heavy-hearted? Why...?" (כִבְדֵי לֵב לָמָּה) (preferred)

A small minority of modern translations follows the reading of the Septuagint: כִבְדֵי לֵב לָמָּה. The NJB, for example, says "Children of men, how long will you be heavy of heart, why love what is vain and chase after illusions?" (see also NAB).

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[כִבְדֵי לֵב לָמָּה]: The earliest recoverable form of the text is כִבְדֵי לֵב לָמָּה: "how long will you be heavy-hearted? Why...?" (Screnock 2019 :A:).
 + <Septuagint>: The Septuagint, our earliest witness to the text (c. 200 B.C.), supports the reading כִבְדֵי לֵב לָמָּה (so BHS; Baethgen 1904, 10 :C:; Barthélemy et al. 2005, 7-8 :C:; Screnock 2019 :A:; Dorival 2021, 265 :C:; Pietersma 2021, 6 :A:).
  + [Septuagint]: "You sons of men, how long will you be dull-witted (βαρυκάρδιοι)? Why (ἵνα τί) do you love vanity and seek after falsehood?" (NETS)
 - <Not grammatical>: With the reading כִבְדֵי לֵב, the clause would require a subject ("you," אַתֶּם) to be grammatical, but this subject is lacking (Duhm 1899, 14 :C:; Barthélemy et al. 2005, 7 :C:).#dispreferred
  - <Implied from context>: The subject "you" (אַתֶּם, or the verb תִּהְיוּ) is clear from the context (Screnock 2019 :A:).
  - <"How long?" clauses>: The question "how long...?" is sometimes followed by a clause with significant elision.
   + ["How long?" clauses with elision]: Num 14:27—עַד־מָתַ֗י לָעֵדָ֤ה הָֽרָעָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את, "How long *shall I bear with* this evil congregation" (KJV); Dan 12:6—עַד־מָתַ֖י קֵ֥ץ הַפְּלָאֽוֹת, "How long *shall it be to* the end of these wonders?"
  - <Alternative syntactic functions>: The phrase "those heavy of heart" (כִבְדֵי לֵב) could be a vocative or an exclamatory fragment.
 + <Context>: The reading כִבְדֵי לֵב fits well in the context.
  + <Idolatry>
  + <"How long?">: The כִבְדֵי לֵב refers to those who stubbornly resist God's will (cf. Exod 7:14; 8:11, 28; 9:7, 34; 10:1; 1 Sam 6:6), and this designation fits well with the question "how long...?" which implies a long period of stubborn resistance.
   + [Exod 10:3]: After Pharaoh "hardens his heart" (כבד לב), YHWH says to him, "How long (עַד־מָתַי) will you refuse to be humbled for me?" (Exod 10:3).
  + <"Heart"-"love">: The word "heart" in the a-line is associated with the verb "love" in the b-line.
   + ["Heart"-"love"]: E.g., Deut 6:5; Judges 16:15.
  - <Parallelism>: "Heavy of heart" is an idiom for stubborn resistance to God's will, which is not an appropriate parallel for v. 3b, which describes the psalmist's enemies making groundless accusations against him ("loving vanity" and "seeking a lie") (Barthélemy 2005, 7 :C:).#dispreferred
   - <Idolatry>: Verse 3b is not about groundless accusations but idolatry. The "sons of man" stubbornly persist in their worship of false gods (cf. Wilson 2002, 153-154 :C:; Goldingay 2006 :A:; Waltke 2010, 232 :C:).
    + <'Emptiness' and 'falsehood'>: The language of 'loving emptiness' and 'pursuing falsehood' in v. 3 is metonymic for the worship of false gods (cf. Chrysostom 1998, 55 :C:; Dahood 1966, 24 :C:; Wilson 2002, 153-154 :C:).
     + <Language for idols>: The OT often refers to idols using words that belong to the semantic domains of 'deception' or of 'non-existence,' including the word כָּזָב which is used in Ps 4:3 (Gentry).
      + [Language for idols]: אָוֶן = nothing (Isa 41:29, Hos 12:12, 1 Sam 15:23, Isa 1:13, 66:3, Zech 10:2);  אֱלִֹיל = weak/worthless thing (Lev 19:4, 26:1, Isa 2:8, 18, 20bis, Ps 96:5 = 1 Chron 16:26, Ps 97:7); הֶבֶל = breath/vapour (plural: Jer 10:15, 16:19, 51:18, Deut 32:21, 1 Kgs 16:13, 26, Jer 8:19, 10:8, 14:22, Ps 31:7, Jon 2:9; singular: 2 Kgs 17:15, Jer 2:5, cf. Jer 10:15, 16:19, and 51:18); כָזָב = lie (Am 2:4, Ps 40:5); שָׁוְא = emptiness (Jer 18:15, Jon 2:9, Ps 31:7); שֶׁקֶר = falsehood (Jer 10:14, 51:17, Isa 44:20) (Gentry).
     + <'Loving' and 'seeking'>: The most natural semantic patient of the verbs 'loving' and 'seeking' is a god.
      + ['Loving' and 'seeking' (a) god]: אהב (e.g., Deut 6:5; Hos 4:18; Jer 8:2; etc.); בקש (e.g., Deut 4:9; Isa 45:19; etc.)
  - <"Trust in YHWH" (v. 6b)>: The exhortation to "trust in YHWH" in v. 6b is not appropriate for those who are "heavy of heart," who stubbornly resist God's will. "The stubborn are not called to trust in God, but to repent and obey" (Duhm 1899, 14 :C:; cf. Barthélemy et al. 2005, 7 :C:).#dispreferred
   - <Turning from idols>: In this context, "trust in YHWH" means turning from trust in idols (cf. Isa 42:17—הַבֹּטְחִים בַּפָּסֶל) to trust in the living God and worship him alone (cf. the previous line "offer right sacrifices" and the language of idolatry in v. 3b).
 + <כבד לב and הפלה>: The collocation "heavy-heart" is always elsewhere associated with the Exodus event and with the plagues in particular (Exod 7:14; 8:11, 28; 9:7, 34; 10:1; 1 Sam 6:6). Similarly, the word "set apart, treat in a special way" (הִפְלָה) in the very next verse (v. 4) only occurs elsewhere in the context of the Exodus plagues (Exod 8:18; 9:4; 11:7). It would be too remarkable a coincidence if a scribal error in the Septuagint's Vorlage led to such a connection. The better explanation for the connection is that the Septuagint's reading is the earlier reading and that the connection is deliberate, with Ps 4:3-4 alluding to the Exodus event and to the plagues in particular.
  + [Exod 9:4, 7]: "'But the Lord will make a distinction (וְהִפְלָה יְהוָה) between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.' ...Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding (וַיִּכְבַּד לֵב) and he would not let the people go" (Exod 9:4, 7 NIV; cf. Exod 7:14; 8:11, 28; 9:34; 10:1; 1 Sam 6:6).

Conclusion (C)

It is not easy to decide which reading is earlier. Both readings have solid textual support, both seem to be grammatically viable, and both make sense in the context. Nevertheless, the reading of the Septuagint is a better fit overall. Note especially the following points:

1. v. 3a. The designation of the addressees as "heavy of heart," i.e., stubbornly resistant to God's will, fits well with the exasperated question "how long...?" (cf. Exod 10:3).
2. v. 3ab. The characterization of the addressees as stubbornly resisting God's will (v. 3a) fits well with the parallel description of the addressees worshipping false gods. By contrast, the connection between the psalmist's honor and the addressees' worship of false gods is less clear and direct.
3. vv. 3-4. The collocation "heavy"-"heart" is always elsewhere associated with the Exodus event and with the plagues in particular (Exod 7:14; 8:11, 28; 9:7, 34; 10:1; 1 Sam 6:6). Similarly, the word "set apart, treat in a special way" (הִפְלָה) in the very next verse (v. 4) only occurs elsewhere in the context of the Exodus plagues (Exod 8:18; 9:4; 11:7). It would be a remarkable a coincidence if a scribal error in the Septuagint's Vorlage led to such a connection. The better explanation for the connection is that the Septuagint's reading is the earlier reading and that the connection is deliberate, with Ps 4:3-4 alluding to the Exodus event and the plagues in particular.

The strongest objection against this view is that it is not grammatical; it would require an explicit verb (תִּהְיוּ) or subject pronoun (אתֶּם), both of which are lacking. But the missing constituent is easily inferred from the context. Other "how long?" clauses have even more significant elision (e.g., Num 14:27; Dan 12:6).

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: υἱοὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἕως πότε βαρυκάρδιοι; ἵνα τί ἀγαπᾶτε ματαιότητα καὶ ζητεῖτε ψεῦδος; διάψαλμα
  • "You sons of men, how long will you be dull-witted? Why do you love vanity and seek after falsehood?"
• Aquila: ἕως πότε οἱ ἔνδοξοί μου εἰς ἐντροπήν...
  • How long, my glorious ones, for shame
• Symmachus: υἱοὶ ἀνδρός ἕως πότε ἡ δόξα μου...
  • Sons of a man, how long my glory
• Jerome (Hebr.): filii viri usquequo incliti mei ignominiose diligitis vanitatem quaerentes mendacium semper
• Peshitta: ܒ̈ܢܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܐܡܬܝ܂ ܐܝܩܪܝ ܡܚܦܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ܂ ܘܪܚܡܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܣܪܝܩܘܬܐ܂ ܘܒܥܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܕܓܠܘܬܐ ܠܥܠܡܝܢ܂
  • "Humankind, how long will you cover my glory and love vanity and seek falsehood? Forever?"
• Targum: בני נשא מטול מה איקרי לאיתכנעותא תרחמון סריקותא תבעון כדיבותא לעלמין׃
  • "Oh sons of man, why is my honor a shame? You love vanity; you seek falsehood. For ever."

Modern

Honor to shame

• O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? (ESV)
• How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? (NRSV)
• How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? (NIV)
• How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies? (NLT)
• How long will you people insult me? How long will you love what is worthless and go after what is false? (GNT)
• You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is worthless and search for what is deceptive? (NET)
• Mortal men, how long will you pay me not honour but dishonour, or set your heart on trifles and run after lies? (NEB)
• You men, how long will my glory be mocked, will you love illusions, have recourse to frauds? (NJPS)
• Men of rank, how long will you dishonour my glorious one, setting your hearts on empty idols and resorting to false gods? (REB)
• Ihr Herren, wie lange soll meine Ehre geschändet werden? Wie habt ihr das Eitle so lieb und die Lüge so gern! (LUT)
• Ihr Herrensöhne, wie lange ⟨bleibt⟩ meine Ehre zur Schande ⟨verkehrt⟩, werdet ihr Eitles lieben und Lüge suchen? (ELB)
• Ihr Mächtigen, wie lange noch schmäht ihr meine Ehre, wie lange noch liebt ihr das Nichtige und sucht die Lüge? (EÜ)
• Ihr Mächtigen, wie lange noch bleibt meine Ehre geschändet, wollt ihr Nichtiges lieben, auf Lügen sinnen? (ZÜR)
• Ihr Mächtigen im Land, ihr missbraucht euren Einfluss. Ihr zieht meine Ehre in den Dreck und verbreitet nichts als Lügen. Ihr habt sogar Freude daran, mich zu verleumden. Wann hört ihr endlich damit auf? (HFA)
• Ich frage euch, ihr Angesehenen meines Volkes: Wie lange zieht ihr noch meine Ehre in den Schmutz? Wie lange liebt ihr noch die Falschheit und verbreitet eure Lügen? (NGÜ)
• Ihr Reichen habt die Macht und missbraucht sie zu Lüge und Verleumdung; ihr zieht meine Ehre in den Schmutz. Wann hört ihr endlich damit auf? (GNB)
• Vous autres, jusqu'à quand salirez-vous mon honneur, vous qui aimez accuser pour rien, et qui cherchez à me calomnier ? (NFC)
• Hommes, jusqu'où irez-vous dans le mépris de ma gloire, l'amour du vide et la poursuite du mensonge ? (TOB)
• Hommes, jusqu'à quand ma gloire sera-t-elle changée en confusion ? Jusqu'à quand aimerez-vous ce qui est creux, rechercherez-vous le mensonge ? (NBS)
• Fils des hommes, jusques à quand ma gloire sera-t-elle changée en confusion ? (Jusques à quand) aimerez-vous la vanité, Chercherez-vous le mensonge ? (NVS78P)
• Et vous, les hommes, ╵jusques à quand jetterez-vous ╵le discrédit sur mon honneur ? Jusques à quand vous plairez-vous ╵à poursuivre le vent et le mensonge ? (BDS)
• Vous, les hommes, vous attaquez mon honneur, vous aimez ce qui ne vaut rien, vous courez derrière les mensonges. Pour combien de temps encore ? (PDV2017)
• Vous les hommes, jusqu’à quand mépriserez-vous ma gloire? Jusqu’à quand aimerez-vous ce qui est sans valeur et rechercherez-vous le mensonge? (S21)
• Hijos de los hombres, ¿hasta cuándo volveréis mi honra en infamia, amaréis la vanidad y buscaréis la mentira? (RVR95)
• Y ustedes, señores, ¿hasta cuándo cambiarán mi gloria en vergüenza? ¿Hasta cuándo amarán ilusiones vanas y buscarán la mentira? (NVI)
• Ustedes, que se creen grandes señores, ¿hasta cuándo ofenderán mi honor?, ¿hasta cuándo desearán y buscarán lo que no tiene sentido, lo que solo es falsedad? (DHH94I)
• Oh hijos del hombre ¿hasta cuándo volveréis mi honra en infamia? ¿Hasta cuándo amaréis lo vano y buscaréis la mentira? (BTX4)

Heavy of heart

• Children of men, how long will you be heavy of heart, why love what is vain and chase after illusions? (NJB)
• How long, O people, will you be hard of heart? Why do you love what is worthless, chase after lies? (NAB)

References

4:3