2
It is in vainשָׁוְאfor youלָכֶםto rise earlyמַשְׁכִּימֵיto get up,קוּםto be lateמְאַחֲרֵיto sit down,שֶׁבֶתto eatאֹכְלֵיthe breadלֶחֶםof anxious toils;הָעֲצָבִיםsoכֵּןhe givesיִתֵּןto his belovedלִידִידוֹsleep.שֵׁנָא
Psalms 127:2
Study it in the app“It 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.”
Unless YHWH builds the house, its builders labor in vainProvidenceUnless YHWH builds the house, its builders labor in vainWork and RestIt is in vain to rise early and eat the bread of anxious toils: so God gives sleep to his belovedPeace and Anxiety
With the Hebrew beneath
Psalms 127:2, word by word
- It is in vainשָׁוְאshav
emptiness
Something of no value; using YHWH's name lightly.
Where else “shav” appears- to rise earlyמַשְׁכִּימֵיmashkime
rise early
To get up early to do something.
Where else “mashkime” appears- to get upקוּםkum
rise
To go from sitting or lying to standing, or to set out.
Where else “kum” appears- to be lateמְאַחֲרֵיmeachare
delay
Delay, hold back; stay late.
Where else “meachare” appears- to sit downשֶׁבֶתshevet
sit
To sit; or sit on the throne to reign.
Where else “shevet” appears- to eatאֹכְלֵיochle
eat
To bring food to the mouth and swallow it, above all at a shared table.
Where else “ochle” appears- the breadלֶחֶםlechem
bread
Food made of kneaded, baked flour: the basis of each day's meal.
Where else “lechem” appears- of anxious toilsעֲצָבִיםatsavim
pain
Suffering, labor; a wounding word.
Where else “atsavim” appears- he givesיִתֵּןyiten
give
To hand something over to someone: a gift, a payment, a charge or a land.
Where else “yiten” appears- to his belovedידִידydid
beloved
Beloved, dear.
Where else “ydid” appears- sleepשֵׁנָאshena
sleep
Sleep.
Where else “shena” appears
Translation note
The end can be understood “he gives sleep to his beloved” or “he gives [what is needed] to his beloved while he sleeps.”
The context
1A 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.
2 · This verse (above)
3Look, an inheritance from YHWH are children, a reward is the fruit of the womb.