Psalm 127
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General Information
Liturgical use: Fourth psalm of Vespers on feasts of the Virgin Mary. The doxology (Gloria Patri, etc.) is not part of the psalm proper, but is a normal addition to the psalm in the liturgy.
Settings by composers
- Francesco Cavalli
- George Frideric Handel
- Claudio Monteverdi
- Tomás Luis de Victoria
Texts & translations
Clementine Vulgate (Psalm 126)
Latin text
1 Canticum graduum Salomonis. Nisi Dominus ædificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui ædificant eam.
2 Nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem, frustra vigilat qui custodit eam.
3 Vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere : surgite postquam sederitis, qui manducatis panem doloris. Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum,
4 ecce hæreditas Domini, filii ; merces, fructus ventris.
5 Sicut sagittæ in manu potentis, ita filii excussorum.
6 Beatus vir qui implevit desiderium suum ex ipsis : non confundetur cum loquetur inimicis suis in porta.
Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer
English text
1 Except the Lord build the house : their labour is but lost that build it.
2 Except the Lord keep the city : the watchman waketh but in vain.
3 It is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness : for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
4 Lo, children and the fruit of the womb : are an heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord.
5 Like as the arrows in the hand of the giant : even so are the young children.
6 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them : they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
English translation
1. Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.
Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it.
2. It is vain for you to rise before light,
rise ye after you have sitten, you that eat the bread of sorrow.
When he shall give sleep to his beloved,
3. behold the inheritance of the Lord are children: the reward, the fruit of the womb.
4. As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so the children of them that have been shaken.
5. Blessed is the man that hath filled the desire with them;
he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, and now and always,
and to ages of ages. Amen.
French translation
French translation
Si le Seigneur ne bâtit pas la maison, ceux qui la bâtissent travaillent en vain.
Si le Seigneur ne garde pas la ville, celui qui la garde veille en vain.
En vain vous levez-vous le matin, tardez-vous à vous reposer, et mangez-vous le pain des douleurs.
Comme il en donne à ses amis pendant leur sommeil, voici ses fils, héritage du Seigneur, et le fruit de son sein, sa récompense.
Comme les flèches dans la main d'un guerrier, ainsi sont les fils des exclus.
Heureux l'homme qui remplit son carquois : il ne sera pas confus quand il parlera à ses ennemis à la porte.
German translation
German translation
Wo der Herr nicht das Haus baut, so arbeiten umsonst, die daran bauen.
Wo der Herr nicht die Stadt behütet, so wacht der Wächter umsonst.
Es ist umsonst, daß ihr früh aufstehet:
erhebet euch, wenn ihr ausgeruht seid, ihr, die ihr esset der Sorgen Brot,
denn Seinen Freunden gibt Er's schlafend.
Sehet, Kinder sind eine Gabe des Herrn, und Leibesfrucht ist Sein Geschenk.
Wie die Pfeile in der Hand eines Kriegers, so sind die Kinder der Ausgestoßenen.
Wohl dem Mann, der seine Köcher derselben voll hat.
Der wird nicht zu Schanden, wenn er mit seinen Feinden handelt im Tor.
