צרב
,
בקר
, &c. are surely not in point. We have a similar ellipsis, often used in idiomatic English, morning, noon, and night; but who would say sleep, instead of in sleep, or while asleep? The ellipses in the Psalms, in the Songs of Degrees themselves, are very numerous, but they are of a different nature; and neither the position nor the nature of the word
שנא
warrants that now defended, as far I can remember.
May I remark, by the way, that the Psalm falls rather into three strophes than into two. The first speaks of the raising up of the house, and of the city (an aggregation of houses), protected by the Almighty. The last is in parallelism to the first, though, as often happens, expanded; and speaks of the raising up of the family, and of the family arrived at maturity, the defenders of the city, through the same protecting Providence. The central portion is the main and cardinal sentiment, viz. the vanity of mere human labour, and the peace of those who are beloved of God.
John Jebb.
There is a proverb which foretells peril to such as interpose in the quarrels of others. But as neither Mr. Trench, nor E. M. B., nor Mr. Margoliouth, have as yet betrayed any disposition to quarrel about the question in dispute, a looker-on need not be afraid of interposing.
The Query, about the solution of which they differ, is the proper mode of rendering the last clause of v. 2. Ps. cxxvii. In our Liturgy and Bible it is rendered, "For so He giveth His beloved sleep;" of which E. M. B. says, "It seems to me to be correct;" though he justly observes that "He will give" would be more close. Mr. Trench appears to have rendered it, "He giveth His beloved in their sleep." Mr. Margoliouth says "the words should be, He will give to His beloved whilst he [the beloved] is asleep." In each case the Italics, as usual, designate words not existing in the Hebrew text.