Psalms 127

1 If people are building a house without [knowing whether] it is Yahweh’s [will to build it], they are building it in vain. [Similarly], if Yahweh does not protect a city, it is useless for guards/sentries to stay awake [to tell people if their enemies come to attack it].

“A song of the degrees for Solomon.” Unless the Lord do build the house, in vain labor they that build on it: unless the Lord guard the city, in vain is the watchman wakeful.

2 It is [also] useless to arise very early and go to sleep late at night in order that you can work hard [all day] to [earn money to buy] food, because Yahweh gives food to those whom he loves.

It is in vain for you to be early in rising, to be late in sitting up, eating the bread of painful toils; [for] so doth he give unto his beloved during sleep.

3 Children are a gift [that comes to parents] from Yahweh; they are a reward/blessing from him.

Lo, children are an inheritance from the Lord: a reward is the fruit of the body.

4 If a man has sons while he is still young, [when they grow up, they will be able to help him defend his family] like [SIM] a soldier [can defend himself if] he has [a bow and] arrows in his hand.

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

5 A man [who has many sons] is [very] happy, like [MET] [a soldier who has many arrows] in his quiver is very happy. If a man [with his many grown sons is taken] by his enemies to the place where they decide matters, his enemies will never be able to defeat that man, [because his sons will help to defend him].

Happy is the man that hath his quiver filled with them: they shall not be put to shame, when they do speak with the enemies in the gate.