Psalm 127

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Children Are a Heritage from the LORD

¹שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לִשְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה אִם־יְהוָ֤ה׀ לֹא־יִבְנֶ֬ה בַ֗יִת שָׁ֤וְא׀ עָמְל֣וּ בוֹנָ֣יו בּ֑וֹ אִם־יְהוָ֥ה לֹֽא־יִשְׁמָר־עִ֝֗יר שָׁ֤וְא׀ שָׁקַ֬ד שׁוֹמֵֽר׃

¹A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the LORD builds the house,

its builders labor in vain;

unless the LORD protects the city,

its watchmen stand guard in vain.

²שָׁ֤וְא לָכֶ֨ם׀ מַשְׁכִּ֪ימֵי ק֡וּם מְאַֽחֲרֵי־שֶׁ֗בֶת אֹ֭כְלֵי לֶ֣חֶם הָעֲצָבִ֑ים כֵּ֤ן יִתֵּ֖ן לִֽידִיד֣וֹ שֵׁנָֽא׃

²In vain you rise early

and stay up late,

toiling for bread to eat—

for He gives sleep to His beloved.

³הִנֵּ֤ה נַחֲלַ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה בָּנִ֑ים שָׂ֝כָ֗ר פְּרִ֣י הַבָּֽטֶן׃

³Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD,

and the fruit of the womb is His reward.

⁴כְּחִצִּ֥ים בְּיַד־גִּבּ֑וֹר כֵּ֝֗ן בְּנֵ֣י הַנְּעוּרִֽים׃

⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

so are children born in one’s youth.

⁵אַשְׁרֵ֤י הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁ֤ר מִלֵּ֥א אֶת־אַשְׁפָּת֗וֹ מֵ֫הֶ֥ם לֹֽא־יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ כִּֽי־יְדַבְּר֖וּ אֶת־אוֹיְבִ֣ים בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃

⁵Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them.

He will not be put to shame

when he confronts the enemies at the gate.