Psalms 127

1 A Song of the Ascents, by Solomon. If Jehovah doth not build the house, In vain have its builders laboured at it, If Jehovah doth not watch a city, In vain hath a watchman waked.

Unless Jehovah builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless Jehovah guards the city, the watchman wake but in vain.

2 Vain for you who are rising early, Who delay sitting, eating the bread of griefs, So He giveth to His beloved one sleep.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of toil, for so he gives sleep to his beloved.

3 Lo, an inheritance of Jehovah [are] sons, A reward [is] the fruit of the womb.

Lo, sons are a heritage of Jehovah, and the fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty one, So [are] the sons of the young men.

As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of youth.

5 O the happiness of the man Who hath filled his quiver with them, They are not ashamed, For they speak with enemies in the gate!

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate.