1
ܐܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܐ ܒܢܐ ܒܝܬܐ ܣܪܝܩܐܝܬ ܠܐܝܢ ܒܢܝܘ̈ܗܝ ܘܐܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܐ ܢܛܪ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܣܪܝܩܐܝܬ ܫܗܪܝܢ ܢܛܘܪ̈ܝܗ̇
'n mry' l' bn' byth' sryq'yth l'yn bnywhy w'n mry' l' nTr qryth' sryq'yth shhryn nTwryh
Unless Yahweh builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.
2
ܣܪܝܩܝܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܩܕܡܝܢ ܠܡܩܡ ܘܡܘܚܪܝܢ ܠܡܬܒ ܐ̈ܟܠܝ ܠܚܡܐ ܒܟܐ̈ܒܐ ܗܟܢ ܢܬܠ ܠܚܒܝ̈ܒܘܗܝ ܫܢܬܐ
sryqyn 'nwn 'ylyn dmqdmyn lmqm wmwkhryn lmthb 'kly lkhm' bk'b' hkn nthl lkhbybwhy shnth'
It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil, for he gives sleep to his loved ones.
3
ܝܪܬܘܬܗ ܓܝܪ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܒ̈ܢܝܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܐܓܪܐ ܕܦܐܪ̈ܐ ܕܒܡܪܒܥܐ
yrthwthh gyr dmry' bny' 'nwn 'gr' dp'r' dbmrbe'
Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward.
4
ܐܝܟ ܓܐܪܐ ܒܐܝܕܗ ܕܚܝܠܬܢܐ ܗܟܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܥܠܝܡܘܬܐ
'yk g'r' b'ydh dkhylthn' hkn 'nwn bny elymwth'
As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.
5
ܛܘܒܘܗܝ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܕܢܡܠܐ ܩܛܪܩܗ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܘܠܐ ܢܒܗܬܘܢ ܟܕ ܡܡܠܠܝܢ ܥܡ ܒܥܠܕܒܒܐ ܒܬܪܥܐ
Twbwhy lgbr' dnml' qTrqh mnhwn wl' nbhthwn kd mmllyn em beldbb' bthre'
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won’t be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.