Psalms 127:1 — Compare Translations

28 translations compared side by side

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

A 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.

English ASV

Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.

English Amplified

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. EXCEPT THE Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain. [Ps. 121:1, 3, 5.]

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

EXCEPT THE Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain. [Ps. 121:1, 3, 5.]

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the Lord protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

A song of ascents. Of Solomon. [1] Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

{A Song of degrees. Of Solomon.} Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain:

English EASY 2024

The Lord must build your house. If not, the work of the builders is useless. The Lord must keep the city safe. If not, the city guards are useless.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

A song from Solomon for going up to the Temple. If it is not the Lord who builds a house, the builders are wasting their time. If it is not the Lord who watches over the city, the guards are wasting their time.

A SONG OF ASCENTS. OF SOLOMON. Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the Lord does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard.

English God's Word - GW 1995

A song by Solomon for going up to worship. If the Lord does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work on it. If the Lord does not protect a city, it is useless for the guard to stay alert.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

[A Solomonic song of ascents.] Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.

English KJV 1611

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

English LSB

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless Yahweh builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless Yahweh watches the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

A song of ascents. Of Solomon. I Unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build. Unless the LORD guard the city, in vain does the guard keep watch.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

If the LORD does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the LORD does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. A psalm of Solomon. If the Lord doesn't build a house, the work of its builders is useless. If the Lord doesn't watch over a city, it's useless for those on guard duty to stand watch over it.

English NIV

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.

English NKJ 1982

Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

English NLT

Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.

English Passion Translation Bible 2020

If God’s grace doesn’t help the builders, they will labor in vain to build a house. If God’s mercy doesn’t protect the city, all the sentries will circle it in vain.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

Unless the Lord builds a house, the builders' work is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, sentries do no good.

English Tyndale 1537

The song of the stairs. Except the LORD build the house, the labour is but lost that build it. Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.