Psalms 127

1 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.

“A psalm of the steps, or the goings up. By Solomon.” Except the LORD build the house, The builders labor in vain; Except the LORD guard the city, The watchman waketh in vain.

2 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!

In vain ye rise up early, and go to rest late, And eat the bread of care! The same giveth he his beloved one in sleep.

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

Behold! sons are an inheritance from the LORD, And the fruit of the womb is his gift.

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

As arrows in the hand of the warrior, So are the sons of young men:

5 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.

Happy the man that hath his quiver full of them! They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with adversaries in the gate.