International Standard Version

1 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor uselessly. Unless the LORD guards the city, its security forces keep watch uselessly.

2 It is useless to get up early and to stay up late, ^a eating the food of exhausting labor— truly he gives sleep to those he loves.

3 Children ^b are a gift ^c from the LORD; a productive womb, the LORD’s ^d reward.

4 As arrows in the hand of a warrior, so also are children ^e born during one’s ^f youth.

5 How blessed ^g is the man whose quiver is full of them! He ^h will not be ashamed as they confront their enemies at the city gate.