א שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת, לִשְׁלֹמֹה: אִם-יְהוָה, לֹא-יִבְנֶה בַיִת-- שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בוֹנָיו בּוֹ; אִם-יְהוָה לֹא-יִשְׁמָר-עִיר, שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵר.
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1 A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. {N} Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it; {N} except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
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ב שָׁוְא לָכֶם מַשְׁכִּימֵי קוּם, מְאַחֲרֵי-שֶׁבֶת-- אֹכְלֵי, לֶחֶם הָעֲצָבִים; כֵּן יִתֵּן לִידִידוֹ שֵׁנָא.
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2 It is vain for you that ye rise early, and sit up late, {N} ye that eat the bread of toil; {N} so He giveth unto His beloved in sleep.
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ג הִנֵּה נַחֲלַת יְהוָה בָּנִים: שָׂכָר, פְּרִי הַבָּטֶן.
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3 Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD; the fruit of the womb is a reward.
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ד כְּחִצִּים בְּיַד-גִּבּוֹר-- כֵּן, בְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים.
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4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of one's youth.
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ה אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר-- אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּא אֶת-אַשְׁפָּתוֹ, מֵהֶם: לֹא-יֵבֹשׁוּ-- כִּי-יְדַבְּרוּ אֶת-אוֹיְבִים בַּשָּׁעַר.
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5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; {N} they shall not be put to shame, when they speak with their enemies in the gate. {P}
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