Psalms 126

1 A SONG OF THE ASCENTS. In YHWH’s turning back [to] the captivity of Zion, We have been as dreamers.

A song of ascents. When the Lord turned the fortunes of Zion, we were like dreamers.

2 Then our mouth is filled [with] laughter, And our tongue [with] singing, Then they say among nations, “YHWH did great things with these.”

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, our tongue with glad shouts; then among the nations they said, ‘The Lord has dealt greatly with them.’

3 YHWH did great things with us, We have been joyful.

The Lord had dealt greatly with us, and we were rejoicing.

4 Turn again, O YHWH, [to] our captivity, As streams in the south.

Turn our fortunes, O Lord, as the streams in the Negreb.

5 Those sowing in tears, reap with singing,

They who sow in tears shall reap with glad shouts.

6 Whoever goes on and weeps, Carrying the basket of seed, Surely comes in with singing, carrying his sheaves!

Forth they fare, with their burden of seed, and they weep as they go. But home, home, with glad shouts they shall come with their arms full of sheaves.