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 the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain that build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchmen watch 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 come home late, to eat the bread of sorrows, because he shall give his beloved sleep.

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

Behold, sons are a heritage of the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is to be desired.

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 young men.

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

Happy is the man that has filled his quiver with them: he shall not be ashamed when he speaks with the enemies in the gate.