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 Ascents, by Solomon. If Jehovah doth not build the house, In vain have its builders laboured at it, If Jehovah doth not watch a city, In vain hath a watchman waked.

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.

Vain for you who are rising early, Who delay sitting, eating the bread of griefs, So He giveth to His beloved one sleep.

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

Lo, an inheritance of Jehovah [are] sons, A reward [is] the fruit of the womb.

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

As arrows in the hand of a mighty one, So [are] the sons of the young men.

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.

O the happiness of the man Who hath filled his quiver with them, They are not ashamed, For they speak with enemies in the gate!