Psalms 127:1–2
Unless YHWH builds the house, its builders labor in vain
Study it word by word1A song of the ascents. Of Solomon. If YHWH does not build a house, in vain its builders toil on it; if YHWH does not keep a city, in vain the keeper stays awake.
2It is in vain for you to rise early to get up, to be late to sit down, to eat the bread of anxious toils; so he gives to his beloved sleep.
In its context
…
3Look, an inheritance from YHWH are children, a reward is the fruit of the womb.
4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of youth.
Its words in the original
- שִׁירshir· song
Song, singing.
- מַּעֲלוֹתmaalot· step; ascent
Step, stair; going up.
- שְׁלֹמֹהshelomo· Solomon
Solomon: son of David and Bathsheba, who reigned after him and built the temple. His name comes from "peace" (shalom).
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- יִבְנֶהyivne· build
Build, construct; also rebuild. Figuratively, build up a family (give it children).
- בַיִתvayit· house, household
House. Also the family that lives in it ("the house of Noah") and someone's descendants ("the house of David"); also a temple, "the house of God".
- שָׁוְאshav· falsehood, emptiness; in vain
What is false, empty, worthless. "In vain" is using something for falsehood or for nothing.
- עָמְלוּamlu· toil, labor
To toil, to work hard and wearily.
- יִשְׁמָרyishmar· keep, guard
Keep: watch over, guard, protect; also keep a command or a covenant, observe.
- עִירir· city
City: in ancient times any settlement with protection, however small.
- שָׁקַדshakad· keep watch, be awake
To keep watch, to stay awake and alert in order to guard something.
- מַשְׁכִּימֵיmashkime· rise early
Rise early, get up early in the morning.
- קוּםkum· rise, stand, establish
Rise, stand up; also stand firm, establish or fulfill something. "Rise against" is to attack.
- מְאַחֲרֵיmeachare· delay
Delay, hold back; stay late.
- שֶׁבֶתshevet· sit, dwell
Sit, sit down; from there stay in a place, live, dwell. In the causative form, settle someone, make to dwell. Also sit as judge or as king.
- אֹכְלֵיochle· eat
Eat; also consume, devour (said of fire or the sword).
- לֶחֶםlechem· bread, food
Bread; in a wide sense, food.
- עֲצָבִיםatsavim· pain, toil
Pain, painful toil; also an earthen vessel.
- יִתֵּןyiten· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- ידִידydid· beloved
Beloved, dear.
- שֵׁנָאshena· sleep
Sleep.