Waiata 127

1 He waiata; he pikitanga. Na Horomona. Ki te kore e hanga e Ihowa te whare, he maumau mahi ta nga kaihanga; ki te kore e tiakina e Ihowa te pa, maumau mataara noa te kaitiaki.

“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 He maumau to koutou ara wawe, to koutou noho roa i te po, ta koutou kai i te taro o te mauiui: ko tana moe tena ka homai nei ki tana e aroha ai.

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 Na he taonga pumau na Ihowa nga tamariki, ko nga hua ano o te kopu tana utu.

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

4 E rite ana ki nga pere i te ringaringa o te tangata kaha te whanau o te taitamarikitanga.

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

5 Ka hari te tangata kua ki nei tana papa pere i a ratou: e kore ratou e whakama, ina korero ki o ratou hoariri i te kuwaha.

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.