The Bible in Basic English BBE
Orthodox Jewish Bible OJB
1 <A Song of the going up. Of Solomon.> If the Lord is not helping the builders, then the building of a house is to no purpose: if the Lord does not keep the town, the watchman keeps his watch for nothing.
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27 (Shir HaMa’alot, of Shlomo). Except Hashem build the bais, they that build it labor in vain; except Hashem is shomer over the city, the shomair (watchman) stands guard in vain.
2 It is of no use for you to get up early, and to go late to your rest, with the bread of sorrow for your food; for the Lord gives to his loved ones in sleep.
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It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the lechem ha’atzavim (bread of toils); for so He giveth his beloved sleep.
3 See, sons are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the body is his reward.
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Hinei, banim are nachalat Hashem; and the p’ri habeten is a zachar (reward).
4 Like arrows in the hand of a man of war, are the children of the young.
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As khitzim (arrows) are in the yad of a gibbor; so are bnei haneurim (children born in one’s youth).
5 Happy is the man who has a good store of them; he will not be put to shame, but his cause will be supported by them against his haters.
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Ashrei hagever that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the oyevim basha’ar (enemy at the gate).