< Mazmur 127 >
1 Nyanyian Salomo. Kalau bukan TUHAN yang membangun rumah, sia-sialah tukang-tukangnya bekerja. Kalau bukan TUHAN yang melindungi kota, sia-sialah para pengawal berjaga.
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].
2 Percuma saja bekerja keras mencari nafkah, bangun pagi-pagi dan tidur larut malam; sebab TUHAN menyediakannya bagi mereka yang dikasihi-Nya, sementara mereka sedang tidur.
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.
3 Anak-anak adalah pemberian Allah, sesungguhnya, mereka itu anugerah.
Children are a gift [that comes to parents] from Yahweh; they are a reward/blessing from him.
4 Anak-anak lelaki yang diperoleh di masa muda seperti anak panah di tangan ksatria.
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.
5 Berbahagialah orang yang mempunyai persediaan panah-panah yang demikian! Ia tidak akan dikalahkan, waktu menghadapi musuh di pengadilan.
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].