Unless the Lord builds the house

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by Bible or other Sacred Texts

Translation © by Grant Hicks

Nisi Dominus ædificaverit domum

Language: Latin

Our translations: ENG FRE

1 [Canticum graduum Salomonis.] Nisi Dominus ædificaverit domum,
  in vanum laboraverunt qui ædificant eam.
  Nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem, frustra vigilat qui custodit eam.
2 Vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere: surgite postquam sederitis,
  qui manducatis panem doloris. Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum,
3 ecce hæreditas Domini, filii; merces, fructus ventris.
4 Sicut sagittæ in manu potentis, ita filii excussorum.
5 Beatus vir qui implevit desiderium suum ex ipsis:
  non confundetur cum loquetur inimicis suis in porta.

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Text Authorship:

by Bible or other Sacred Texts , "Psalmus 126 (127)" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Henry Du Mont (1610 - 1684), "Nisi Dominus" [ chorus ], motet [sung text checked 1 time]
by Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville (1711 - 1772), "Nisi Dominus ædificavit", first performed 1743 [sung text checked 1 time]

The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:

by Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741), "Nisi dominus", RV. 608
- View the full text. [sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) , "Psalm 126 (127)" ; composed by W. E. Bojanus, Heinrich Schütz.
- Go to the text.

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-02-05
Line count: 9
Word count: 76

Unless the Lord builds the house

Language: English after the Latin

1 [A song of degrees, of Solomon.] Unless the Lord builds the house,
  those who build it labor in vain. 
  Unless the Lord guards the city, those who guard it watch to no purpose.
2 In vain do you rise before the dawn: rise after you have sat down, 
  you who eat the bread of sorrow. When he has given sleep to those he loves,
3 behold the inheritance of the Lord, children; his reward, the fruit of the womb.
4 Like arrows in the hand of the mighty are the children of those who are cast down.
5 Blessed is the man who has filled his need with them:
  he will not be confounded when he speaks to enemies at the gate.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of titles:
"Nisi Dominus" = "Unless the Lord"
"Nisi Dominus ædificavit" = "Unless the Lord builds"
"Psalmus 126 (127)" = "Psalm 126 (127)"

Text Authorship:

Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , "Psalmus 126 (127)"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-01-05
Line count: 9
Word count: 123