1 Korintus 14:7

Alkitab Terjemahan Lama

Walaupun benda yang tiada bernyawa, tetapi yang berbunyi, baik suling atau kecapi, jikalau tiada berlainan bunyinya, bagaimanakah dapat dikenal yang mana bunyi suling, yang mana bunyi kecapi itu?

Parallel Translations

Alkitab Terjemahan Baru
Sama halnya dengan alat-alat yang tidak berjiwa, tetapi yang berbunyi, seperti seruling dan kecapi--bagaimanakah orang dapat mengetahui lagu apakah yang dimainkan seruling atau kecapi, kalau keduanya tidak mengeluarkan bunyi yang berbeda?

Bahasa Indonesia Sehari-hari
Sama halnya dengan alat-alat yang tidak berjiwa, tetapi yang berbunyi, seperti seruling dan kecapi--bagaimanakah orang dapat mengetahui lagu apakah yang dimainkan seruling atau kecapi, kalau keduanya tidak mengeluarkan bunyi yang berbeda?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

things: 1 Corinthians 13:1

except: 1 Corinthians 14:8, Numbers 10:2-10, Matthew 11:17, Luke 7:32

sounds: or, tunes

Reciprocal: Mark 13:14 - let him

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And even things without life giving sound,.... He instances in things inanimate, that have neither reason, sense, nor life, in musical instruments, and these of various sorts:

whether pipe or harp; wind music, or hand music; either that which is blown with the breath, or pressed or stricken with the hand:

except they give a distinction in the sounds; or "tunes", so as one may be discerned from another; as that this is such a musical note, and that is another:

how shall it be known what is piped or harped? what tune is played; such an use of instruments would be a mere jargon, and not music, and so yield no pleasure to the ear, or mind; and just the like must speaking in an unknown tongue be, to one that understands it not.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Things without life - Instruments of music.

Whether pipe - This instrument (αὐλὸς aulos) was usually made of reeds, and probably had a resemblance to a flageolet.

Or harp - This instrument (κιθάρα kithara) was a stringed instrument, and was made in the same way as a modern harp. It usually had ten strings, and was struck with the plectrum, or with a key. It was commonly employed in praise.

Except they give a distinction in the sounds - Unless they give a difference in the “tones,” such as are indicated in the gamut for music.

How shall it be known ... - That is, there would be no time, no music. Nothing would be indicated by it. It would not be suited to excite the emotions of sorrow or of joy. All music is designed to excite emotions; but if there be no difference in the tones, no emotion would be produced. So it would be in words uttered. Unless there was something that was suited to excite thought or emotion; unless what was spoken was made “intelligible,” no matter how important in itself it might be, yet it would be useless.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 14:7. And even things without life — I may, as if he had said, illustrate this farther by referring to a pipe or harp; if these were to utter mere sounds without order, harmony, or melody, though every tone of music might be in the sounds, surely no person could discern a tune in such sounds, nor receive pleasure from such discords: even so is the person who speaks in an unknown tongue, but does not interpret. His speech tends no more to edification than those discordant and unmeaning sounds do to pleasure and delight.