1 إ نْ لَمْ يَكُنِ اللهُ هُوَ بانِي البَيتِ، فَكُلُّ تَعَبِ البَنّائِينَ بِلا فائِدَةٍ! وَإنْ لَمِ يَكُنِ اللهُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَحْرُسُ المَدِينَةَ، فَمُراقَبَةُ الحُرّاسِ بِلا فائِدَةٍ!

Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain:

2 و َلَيَسَتِ الفائِدَةُ فِي الخُرُوجِ باكِراً إلَى العَمَلِ، أو فِي السَّهَرِ مِنْ أجلِ لُقْمَةِ العَيْشِ. فَاللهُ يَعطِي أحِبّاءَهُ راحَةً.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to lie down late, to eat the bread of sorrows: so to his beloved one he giveth sleep.

3 ا لأبناءُ هِبَةٌ مِنَ اللهِ ، مُكافَأةٌ تَأْتِي مِنْ أحشاءِ الأُمِّ.

Lo, children are an inheritance from Jehovah, the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 ك َسِهامٍ بِيَدَي مُحارِبٍ هُمُ الأولادُ الَّذِينَ يُرزَقُ المَرءُ بِهِمْ فِي شَبابِهِ.

As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.

5 ه َنِيئاً لِلمُحارِبِ الَّذِي مَلأ جُعبَتَهُ مِنهُمْ! لَدَى مُواجَهَةِ أعدائِهِمْ عِندَ بابِ المَدِينَةِ لَنْ يُخْزَوا.

Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them. They shall not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate.