Melody and Poetry in the “Kuzari” (Hebrew)

Paragraph II, 70 of Judah Halevi's Kuzari speaks of the relationship between melody and textual metre in two kinds of vocal music. The precise meaning of this passage has long been contended, since each of the salient terms allows for several interpretations; some of them also have disputed manuscript readings. Nor does Judah Ibn Tibbon's mediaeval Hebrew translation of the Arabic original resolve the difficulties. The context is a comparison of the Hebrew and Arabic languages. After discussing the uses of the various terms in other Arabic and Jewish-Arabic sources, the following interpretation is proposed: 

'Said the savant: it has already been established that cantillation melodies are independent of the metrical symmetry of the text. One may sing to the same melody 'Give thanks to the Lord for He is good' and 'To Him Who alone doeth great wonders' (Ps. 136, v. 1 and 3, seven as against twelve syllables), by 'empty' and 'full' tones. This is valid for the melodies-of-action (Biblical cantillation which is uttered with movements, or for practical resp. useful purposes). For the metrical poems, however, which are verbose and declamatory, and are performed for entertainment, the adherence (of the tune) to the textual metre is appropriate. This is because their status is low in comparison with that of the melodies-of-action, which is the highest and the most useful.'