Psalms 127

1 If people are building a house without [knowing whether] it is Yahweh’s [will to build it], they are building it in vain. [Similarly], if Yahweh does not protect a city, it is useless for guards/sentries to stay awake [to tell people if their enemies come to attack it].

The song of greces of Salomon. `No but the Lord bilde the hous; thei that bilden it han trauelid in veyn. No but the Lord kepith the citee; he wakith in veyn that kepith it.

2 It is [also] useless to arise very early and go to sleep late at night in order that you can work hard [all day] to [earn money to buy] food, because Yahweh gives food to those whom he loves.

It is veyn to you to rise bifore the liyt; rise ye after that ye han sete, that eten the breed of sorewe. Whanne he schal yyue sleep to his loued; lo!

3 Children are a gift [that comes to parents] from Yahweh; they are a reward/blessing from him.

the eritage of the Lord `is sones, the mede is the fruyt of wombe.

4 If a man has sons while he is still young, [when they grow up, they will be able to help him defend his family] like [SIM] a soldier [can defend himself if] he has [a bow and] arrows in his hand.

As arowis ben in the hond of the miyti; so the sones of hem that ben schakun out.

5 A man [who has many sons] is [very] happy, like [MET] [a soldier who has many arrows] in his quiver is very happy. If a man [with his many grown sons is taken] by his enemies to the place where they decide matters, his enemies will never be able to defeat that man, [because his sons will help to defend him].

Blessid is the man, that hath fillid his desier of tho; he schal not be schent, whanne he schal speke to hise enemyes in the yate.