¹Unless the Lord builds a house,

the work of the builders is wasted.

Unless the Lord protects a city,

guarding it with sentries will do no good.

²It is useless for you to work so hard

from early morning until late at night,

anxiously working for food to eat;

for God gives rest to his loved ones.

³Children are a gift from the Lord ;

they are a reward from him.

⁴Children born to a young man

are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.

⁵How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!

He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.