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

¹A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.

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

²It is vain for you to rise up early, To take rest late, To eat the bread of toil; [For] so he giveth unto his beloved sleep.

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

³Lo, children are a heritage of Jehovah; [And] the fruit of the womb is [his] reward.

⁴Semiseve muruoko rwemhare, Ndizvo zvakaita vana voujaya.

⁴As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth.

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

⁵Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate.