King James Version

Psalms 127:1

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

The heading is Hebrew Psalms 127:1.

Heading in the Hebrew text

שִׁ֥ירshirsongשִׁירnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “song”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7892a song; abstractly, singingmusical(-ick), [idiom] sing(-er, -ing), song.הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹתhamaalotthe stepמַעֲלָהdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “the step”, the ordinary formH4609elevation, i.e. the act (literally, a journey to a higher place, figuratively, a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally, a step or grademark, figuratively, a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms)things that come up, (high) degree, deal, go up, stair, step, story.לִשְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥הlishlomoto Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Solomon”H8010Shelomah, David's successorSolomon.

אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…יְהוָ֤הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).לֹאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יִבְנֶ֬הyivnehbuildבָּנָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “build”, an unfinished actionH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.בַ֗יִתvayitfamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “family”, the ordinary formH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…שָׁ֤וְאshavefalseשָׁוְאnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “false”, the ordinary formH7723evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain)false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.עָמְל֣וּamelvlabourעָמַלverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “labour”, a completed actionH5998to toil, i.e. work severely and with irksomeness(take) labour (in).בוֹנָ֣יוvonayvbuildבָּנָהverb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “build”, a verb used as a describing wordH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.בּ֑וֹbvoinבּ֑וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in”inאִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…יְהוָ֥הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).לֹֽאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יִשְׁמָרyishmarbewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “beward”, an unfinished actionH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).עִ֝֗ירircityעִירnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “city”, the ordinary formH5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.שָׁ֤וְאshavefalseשָׁוְאnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “false”, the ordinary formH7723evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain)false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.שָׁקַ֬דshaqadhastenשָׁקַדverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “hasten”, a completed actionH8245to be alert, i.e. sleepless; hence to be on the lookout (whether for good or ill)hasten, remain, wake, watch (for).שׁוֹמֵֽרshomerbewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, participle, absolute — “beward”, a verb used as a describing wordH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.

Young’s Literal Translation

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.

World English Bible

Unless Yahweh builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.

Darby Translation

Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain:

Douay-Rheims

Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

A Song of Degrees. Except the Lord build the house, they that build labour in vain: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman watches in vain.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος οἰκοδομήσῃ οἶκον, εἰς μάτην ἐκοπίασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες· ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος φυλάξῃ πόλιν, εἰς μάτην ἠγρύπνησεν ὁ φυλάσσων.