— Psalm 127 (Hebrew / English)
Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum
By GRAHAM JOHN
A wisdom psalm on human labour, security, and family life, asserting that effort without orientation to a higher order exhausts itself and fails to endure.
5 verses total
VERSUS 1–5 (LATIN + LITERAL ENGLISH + WORD NOTES)
1
Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam; nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem, frustra vigilat qui custodit eam.
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain; unless the Lord guards the city, the one who guards it keeps watch in vain.
Word Notes:
- aedifico, aedificare, aedificavi, aedificatum — to build
- domus, domus f. — house, household
- laboro, laborare, laboravi, laboratum — to labour
- vanus, vana, vanum — vain, empty
- custodio, custodire, custodivi, custoditum — to guard
- civitas, civitatis f. — city
- vigilo, vigilare, vigilavi, vigilatum — to keep watch
- frustra — in vain
2
Vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere; surgite postquam sederitis, qui manducatis panem doloris. Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum.
It is vain for you to rise before dawn; rise after you have sat down, you who eat the bread of toil. For he gives sleep to his beloved.
Word Notes:
- surgo, surgere, surrexi, surrectum — to rise
- lux, lucis f. — light, dawn
- sedeo, sedere, sedi, sessum — to sit
- manduco, manducare, manducavi, manducatum — to eat
- panis, panis m. — bread
- dolor, doloris m. — pain, toil
- do, dare, dedi, datum — to give
- dilectus, dilecta, dilectum — beloved
- somnus, somni m. — sleep
3
Ecce hereditas Domini filii; merces fructus ventris.
Behold, children are an inheritance from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.
Word Notes:
- hereditas, hereditatis f. — inheritance
- filius, filii m. — son, child
- merces, mercedis f. — reward
- fructus, fructus m. — fruit
- venter, ventris m. — womb
4
Sicut sagittae in manu potentis, ita filii excussorum.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.
Word Notes:
- sagitta, sagittae f. — arrow
- manus, manus f. — hand
- potens, potentis — mighty, warrior
- excussus, excussa, excussum — one born in youth (lit. “shaken out”)
5
Beatus vir qui implevit desiderium suum ex ipsis; non confundetur cum loquetur inimicis suis in porta.
Blessed is the man who has filled his desire from them; he will not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies at the gate.
Word Notes:
- beatus, beata, beatum — blessed, happy
- impleo, implere, implevi, impletum — to fill
- desiderium, desiderii n. — desire
- confundo, confundere, confudi, confusum — to shame, confound
- loquor, loqui, locutus sum — to speak (deponent)
- inimicus, inimici m. — enemy
- porta, portae f. — gate (place of judgment)
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES (6)
Identify tense, voice, mood, and principal parts:
- aedificaverit
- laboraverunt
- custodierit
- surgere
- dederit
- confundetur
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES — KEY
- aedificaverit
- Verb: aedifico, aedificare, aedificavi, aedificatum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: subjunctive (conditional clause)
- Meaning: has built
- laboraverunt
- Verb: laboro, laborare, laboravi, laboratum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: they laboured
- custodierit
- Verb: custodio, custodire, custodivi, custoditum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: subjunctive (conditional clause)
- Meaning: has guarded
- surgere
- Verb: surgo, surgere, surrexi, surrectum
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: infinitive
- Meaning: to rise
- dederit
- Verb: do, dare, dedi, datum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: subjunctive
- Meaning: has given
- confundetur
- Verb: confundo, confundere, confudi, confusum
- Tense: future
- Voice: passive
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: will be put to shame
TRANSLATION EXERCISES (6)
Translate into Latin:
- Unless the Lord builds the house.
- Those who build labour in vain.
- He gives sleep to his beloved.
- Children are a gift from the Lord.
- Blessed is the man who trusts.
- He will not be put to shame.
TRANSLATION EXERCISES — KEY
- Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum.
- In vanum laborant qui aedificant.
- Dilectis suis somnum dat.
- Filii hereditas Domini sunt.
- Beatus vir qui confidit.
- Non confundetur.
SUMMARY (≈100 words)
Psalm 126 confronts the illusion of self-sufficiency. Human effort is neither condemned nor dismissed, but it is stripped of ultimacy. Building, guarding, rising early, and labouring late are all shown to be fragile when detached from a larger order of meaning. The psalm’s centre of gravity lies in its quiet affirmation that rest is not failure, and that fruitfulness cannot be coerced. Children, labour, and security are presented not as achievements but as gifts. The psalm offers a corrective to anxious productivity, proposing trust as the condition under which work becomes sustainable rather than consuming.
REFLECTION QUESTION
Where in your own life has effort crossed the line from meaningful labour into anxious self-justification — and what would it mean to let go?