Chapter 127

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.   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.  
[its] watcher keeps his vigil in vain: The watchman watches it in vain.  
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.   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.  
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.  
to one who banishes sleep: Heb. לידידו שנא. to one who banishes (מנדד) sleep from his eyes.  
3Behold, the heritage of the Lord is sons, the reward is the fruit of the innards.   גהִנֵּ֚ה נַֽחֲלַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֣ה בָּנִ֑ים שָֹ֜כָ֗ר פְּרִ֣י הַבָּֽטֶן:
Behold, the heritage of the Lord: for that man [who banishes sleep from his eyes].  
sons: These are the disciples whom he sets up, who are to him like sons.  
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.”  
4Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of one's youth.   דכְּחִצִּ֥ים בְּיַד־גִּבּ֑וֹר כֵּ֜֗ן בְּנֵ֣י הַנְּעוּרִֽים:
Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man: with which to battle his enemies.  
so are the sons of one’s youth: The disciples that a man sets up in his youth.  
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.   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.  
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).