Psalms 127

1 “A song of the degrees for Solomon.” Unless the Lord do build the house, in vain labor they that build on it: unless the Lord guard the city, in vain is the watchman wakeful.

Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it.

2 It is in vain for you to be early in rising, to be late in sitting up, eating the bread of painful toils; [for] so doth he give unto his beloved during sleep.

It is vain for you to rise before light, rise ye after you have sitten, you that eat the bread of sorrow. When he shall give sleep to his beloved,

3 Lo, children are an inheritance from the Lord: a reward is the fruit of the body.

Behold the inheritance of the Lord are children: the reward, the fruit of the womb.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.

As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so the children of them that have been shaken.

5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver filled with them: they shall not be put to shame, when they do speak with the enemies in the gate.

Blessed is the man that hath filled the desire with them; he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate.