127 ⁽⁰⁾ A song of ascents. By Shlomo:

⁽¹⁾ Unless Adonai builds the house,
its builders work in vain.
Unless Adonai guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain.

² In vain do you get up early
and put off going to bed,
working hard to earn a living;
for he provides for his beloved,
even when they sleep.
³ Children too are a gift from Adonai;
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
⁴ The children born when one is young.
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
⁵ How blessed is the man
who has filled his quiver with them;
he will not have to be embarrassed
when contending with foes at the city gate.

128 ⁽⁰⁾ A song of ascents:

⁽¹⁾ How happy is everyone who fears Adonai,
who lives by his ways.

² You will eat what your hands have produced;
you will be happy and prosperous.
³ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
in the inner parts of your house.
Your children around the table will be
like shoots from an olive tree.

⁴ This is the kind of blessing that will fall
on him who fears Adonai.

⁵ May Adonai bless you from Tziyon!
May you see Yerushalayim prosper
all the days of your life,
⁶ and may you live to see your children’s children!

Shalom on Isra’el.

129 ⁽⁰⁾ A song of ascents:

⁽¹⁾ Since I was young they have often attacked me —
let Isra’el repeat it —
² since I was young they have often attacked me,
but they haven’t overcome me.

³ The plowmen plowed on my back;
wounding me with long furrows.
⁴ But Adonai is righteous;
he cuts me free from the yoke of the wicked.

⁵ Let all who hate Tziyon
be thrown back in confusion.
⁶ Let them be like grass on the roof,
which dries out before it grows up
⁷ and never fills the reaper’s hands
or the arms of the one who binds sheaves,
⁸ so that no passer-by says,
“Adonai’s blessing on you!
We bless you in the name of Adonai!”