¹Unless the Lord builds the house,

they labor in vain who build it.

Unless the Lord guards the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

²It is in vain for you to rise up early,

to sit up late,

to eat the bread of sorrowful toil;

for so He gives His beloved sleep.

³Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord ,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

so are the children of one’s youth.

⁵Happy is the man

who has his quiver full of them;

they shall not be ashamed

when they speak with their enemies in the gate.