颂赞上帝的美善

所罗门上圣殿朝圣之诗。

127 若不是耶和华建造房屋,
建造者的工作都是徒劳。
若不是耶和华保护城池,
守城者保持警觉也是徒然。
你早起晚睡,
为生活操劳也是徒然,
唯有耶和华所爱的人才能安眠。
儿女是耶和华所赐的礼物,
孩子是祂所给的赏赐。
人年轻时生的儿女犹如战士手中的箭。
袋中装满了箭的人有福了!
他们在城门与仇敌争论时,
必不致蒙羞。

頌讚上帝的美善

所羅門上聖殿朝聖之詩。

127 若不是耶和華建造房屋,
建造者的工作都是徒勞。
若不是耶和華保護城池,
守城者保持警覺也是徒然。
你早起晚睡,
為生活操勞也是徒然,
唯有耶和華所愛的人才能安眠。
兒女是耶和華所賜的禮物,
孩子是祂所給的賞賜。
人年輕時生的兒女猶如戰士手中的箭。
袋中裝滿了箭的人有福了!
他們在城門與仇敵爭論時,
必不致蒙羞。

All Good Things Come from God

A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover]. Of Solomon.

127 If the Lord doesn’t build the house,
    the builders are working ·for nothing [in vain; without purpose].
If the Lord doesn’t guard the city,
    the guards are watching ·for nothing [in vain; without purpose].
It is ·no use [in vain; without purpose] for you to get up early
    and stay up late,
·working for a living [L eating the bread of hardship/pain].
    The Lord ·gives sleep to those he loves [or provides for those he loves while they sleep].
Children are ·a gift [an inheritance] from the Lord;
    ·babies [L the fruit of the womb] are a reward.
Children ·who are born to a young man [L of one’s youth]
    are like arrows in the hand of a warrior [C they help in the challenges and conflicts of life].
·Happy [Blessed] is the man
    who has his ·bag [quiver] full of ·arrows [L them].
They will not be ·defeated [L humiliated]
    when they ·fight [L speak to] their enemies at the city gate [C the central place of commerce and government].

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds(A) the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches(B) over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food(C) to eat—
    for he grants sleep(D) to[a] those he loves.(E)

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward(F) from him.
Like arrows(G) in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.(H)
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents(I) in court.(J)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:2 Or eat— / for while they sleep he provides for