¹Kana Jehovha asingavaki imba, Vavaki vayo vanobata pasina; Kana Jehovha asingachengeti guta, Murindi anorindira pasina.

¹A 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.

²Hazvina maturo kuti mumuke mangwanani nokunonoka kundovata, Nokudya zvokudya zvamakatamburira; nekuti anopa vadikamwi vake izvozvo vavete.

²Vain for you who are rising early, Who delay sitting, eating the bread of griefs, So He giveth to His beloved one sleep.

³Tarirai, vana inhaka inobva kuna Jehovha; Chibereko chechizvaro ndiwo mubayiro waanopa.

³Lo, an inheritance of Jehovah [are] sons, A reward [is] the fruit of the womb.

⁴Semiseve muruoko rwemhare, Ndizvo zvakaita vana voujaya.

⁴As arrows in the hand of a mighty one, So [are] the sons of the young men.

⁵Unomufaro iye murume anegoba rizere navo; Havanganyadziswi, Kana vachitaurirana navavengi vavo pasuwo.

⁵O the happiness of the man Who hath filled his quiver with them, They are not ashamed, For they speak with enemies in the gate!