Children as a Heritage
Psalms 126
A Song of Degrees teaching that labor and watchfulness are in vain unless the Lord builds the house and keeps the city. It celebrates children as an inheritance and reward from the Lord, like arrows in the hand of a mighty man.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonUNLESS the Lord build the house, the builders have laboured in vain. Unless the Lord guard the city, in vain hath the watchman watched—
BrentonA Song of Degrees. Except the Lord build the house, they that build labour in vain: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman watches in vain.
GreekὨδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος οἰκοδομήσῃ οἶκον, εἰς μάτην ἐκοπίασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες· ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος φυλάξῃ πόλιν, εἰς μάτην ἠγρύπνησεν ὁ φυλάσσων.
KJVExcept the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
JPSA Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, They labour in vain that build it; Except the LORD keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.
2
Thomsonin vain is your early rising. Ye who eat the bread of care, rise when you have rested—when He hath given His beloved sleep.
BrentonIt is vain for you to rise early: ye rise up after resting, ye that eat the bread of grief; while he gives sleep to his beloved.
GreekΕἰς μάτην ὑμῖν ἐστι τὸ ὀρθρίζειν· ἐγείρεσθε μετὰ τὸ καθῆσθαι, οἱ ἐσθίοντες ἄρτον ὀδύνης, ὅταν δῷ τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς αὐτοῦ ὕπνον.
KJVIt is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
JPSIt is vain for you that ye rise early, and sit up late, Ye that eat the bread of toil; So He giveth unto His beloved in sleep.
3
ThomsonBehold sons are an heritage of the Lord—a reward of the fruit of the womb.
BrentonBehold, the inheritance of the Lord, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb.
GreekἸδοὺ ἡ κληρονομία Κυρίου, υἱοί, ὁ μισθὸς τοῦ καρποῦ τῆς γαστρός.
KJVLo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
JPSLo, children are a heritage of the LORD; The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4
ThomsonLike shafts in the hands of a mighty man, so are the sons of them who were shaken off.
BrentonAs arrows in the hand of a mighty man; so are the children of those who were outcasts.
GreekὩσεὶ βέλη ἐν χειρὶ δυνατοῦ, οὕτως οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἐκτετιναγμένων.
KJVAs arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
JPSAs arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of one's youth.
5
ThomsonHappy he who shall satisfy his desire with these! They shall not be put to shame, when they speak to their enemies in the gates.
BrentonBlessed is the man who shall satisfy his desire with them: they shall not be ashamed when they shall speak to their enemies in the gates.
GreekΜακάριος ὃς πληρώσει τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτοῦ ἐξ αὐτῶν· οὐ καταισχυνθήσονται, ὅταν λαλῶσι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς αὐτῶν ἐν πύλαις.
KJVHappy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
JPSHappy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate.