哥林多前书 14:7

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

甚至那些沒有生命卻能發聲的東西，例如簫或琴，如果音調不分，怎能使人知道所彈所奏的是甚麼呢？

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
就 是 那 有 声 无 气 的 物 ， 或 箫 ， 或 琴 ， 若 发 出 来 的 声 音 没 有 分 别 ， 怎 能 知 道 所 吹 所 弹 的 是 甚 麽 呢 ？

Contextual Overview

⁶ Brothers and sisters, will it help you if I come to you speaking in different languages? No! It will help you only if I bring you a new truth or some new knowledge, or prophecy, or teaching. ⁷ It is the same as with lifeless things that make sounds—like a flute or a harp. If they do not make clear musical notes, you will not know what is being played. ⁸ And in a war, if the trumpet does not give a clear sound, who will prepare for battle? ⁹ It is the same with you. Unless you speak clearly with your tongue, no one can understand what you are saying. You will be talking into the air! ¹⁰ It may be true that there are all kinds of sounds in the world, and none is without meaning. ¹¹ But unless I understand the meaning of what someone says to me, we will be like foreigners to each other. ¹² It is the same with you. Since you want spiritual gifts very much, seek most of all to have the gifts that help the church grow stronger. ¹³ The one who has the gift of speaking in a different language should pray for the gift to interpret what is spoken. ¹⁴ If I pray in a different language, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing.

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

Cross-References

Genesis 14:1
Now Amraphel was king of Babylonia, Arioch was king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer was king of Elam, and Tidal was king of Goiim.

Genesis 14:8
At that time the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela went out to fight in the Valley of Siddim. (Bela is called Zoar.)

Genesis 14:12
They took Lot, Abram's nephew who was living in Sodom, and everything he owned. Then they left.

Genesis 14:16
Then Abram brought back everything the enemy had stolen, the women and the other people, and Lot, and everything Lot owned.

Genesis 16:14
So the well there, between Kadesh and Bered, was called Beer Lahai Roi.

Genesis 20:1
Abraham left Hebron and traveled to southern Canaan where he stayed awhile between Kadesh and Shur. When he moved to Gerar,

Genesis 36:12
Eliphaz also had a slave woman named Timna, and Timna and Eliphaz gave birth to Amalek. These were Esau's grandsons by his wife Adah.

Genesis 36:16
Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These were the leaders that came from Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the grandsons of Adah.

Numbers 13:26
They came back to Moses and Aaron and all the Israelites at Kadesh, in the Desert of Paran. The men reported to them and showed everybody the fruit from the land.

Numbers 14:43
You will run into the Amalekites and Canaanites, who will kill you with swords. You have turned away from the Lord , so the Lord will not be with you."

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.