1A song of ascents about Solomon. If the Lord will not build a house, its builders have toiled at it in vain; if the Lord will not guard a city, [its] watcher keeps his vigil in vain. |
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אשִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לִשְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה אִם־יְהֹוָ֚ה | לֹֽא־יִבְנֶ֬ה בַ֗יִת שָׁ֚וְא | עָֽמְל֣וּ בוֹנָ֣יו בּ֑וֹ אִם־יְהֹוָ֥ה לֹֽא־יִשְׁמָר־עִ֜֗יר שָׁ֚וְא | שָׁקַ֬ד שׁוֹמֵֽר: |
A song of ascents about Solomon: This song David recited about his son, Solomon, for he saw through the holy spirit that he [Solomon] was destined to build the Temple, and on that very day, Solomon would marry Pharaoh’s daughter, and concerning this was said (Jer. 32:31): “For this city has aroused My anger and My wrath since the day they built it.” Therefore, he recited this song. My son, why should you build a house and turn away from following the Omnipresent? Since He does not desire it, its workers have toiled at it in vain. |
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[its] watcher keeps his vigil in vain: The watchman watches it in vain. |
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2It is futile for you who arise early, who sit late, who eat the bread of toil, so will the Lord give to one who banishes sleep from himself. |
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בשָׁ֚וְא לָכֶ֨ם | מַשְׁכִּ֪ימֵי ק֡וּם מְאַֽחֲרֵי־שֶׁ֗בֶת אֹֽ֖כְלֵי לֶ֣חֶם הָֽעֲצָבִ֑ים כֵּ֚ן יִתֵּ֖ן לִֽידִיד֣וֹ שֵׁנָֽא: |
It is futile for you: The craftsmen, who rise early and stay late at their work and sustain themselves with toil and labor, with bread of toil, [i.e.,] of the toil of work. |
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so will the Lord give: The Holy One, blessed be He, [will give] sustenance to him who banishes his sleep from his eyes in order to engage in the Torah. |
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to one who banishes sleep: Heb. לידידו שנא. to one who banishes (מנדד) sleep from his eyes. |
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3Behold, the heritage of the Lord is sons, the reward is the fruit of the innards. |
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גהִנֵּ֚ה נַֽחֲלַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֣ה בָּנִ֑ים שָֹ֜כָ֗ר פְּרִ֣י הַבָּֽטֶן: |
Behold, the heritage of the Lord: for that man [who banishes sleep from his eyes]. |
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sons: These are the disciples whom he sets up, who are to him like sons. |
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the reward is the fruit of the innards: The reward is the fruit of the Torah that is in his heart as it is said (Prov. 22:18): “For it is pleasant that you guard them in your innards.” |
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4Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of one's youth. |
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דכְּחִצִּ֥ים בְּיַד־גִּבּ֑וֹר כֵּ֜֗ן בְּנֵ֣י הַנְּעוּרִֽים: |
Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man: with which to battle his enemies. |
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so are the sons of one’s youth: The disciples that a man sets up in his youth. |
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5Praiseworthy is the man who has filled his quiver with them; they will not be ashamed when they talk to the enemies in the gate. |
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האַשְׁרֵ֚י הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁ֚ר מִלֵּ֥א אֶת־אַשְׁפָּת֗וֹ מֵ֫הֶ֥ם לֹ֥א יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ כִּֽי־יְדַבְּר֖וּ אֶת־אֽוֹיְבִ֣ים בַּשָּֽׁעַר: |
Praiseworthy is the man who has filled his quiver: with those arrows. אשפה is the arrowcase, called cuyvre in Old French. |
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they will not be ashamed when they talk to the enemies in the gate: Torah scholars who defeat one another in halachah and appear as enemies to one another (addendum). |
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