If the Lord doesn’t build a house, the work of the 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.

若不是耶和华建造房屋，建造的人就枉然劳力；若不是耶和华看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

若不是耶和华建造房屋，建造的人就枉然劳力；若不是耶和华看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

若不是耶和华建造房屋，建造的人就枉然劳力；若不是耶和华看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

若不是耶和华建造房屋，建造者的工作都是徒劳。若不是耶和华保护城池，守城者保持警觉也是徒然。

如果不是耶和华建造房屋，建造的人就徒然劳苦；如果不是耶和华看守城池，看守的人就徒然警醒。（本节在《马索拉文本》包括细字标题）

如果不是耶和华建造房屋，建造的人就枉然劳苦；如果不是耶和华看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

若不是耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞力；若不是耶和華看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

若不是耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞力；若不是耶和華看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

若不是耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞力；若不是耶和華看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

若不是耶和華建造房屋，建造者的工作都是徒勞。若不是耶和華保護城池，守城者保持警覺也是徒然。

如果不是耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就徒然勞苦；如果不是耶和華看守城池，看守的人就徒然警醒。（本節在《馬索拉文本》包括細字標題）

若不是永恆主建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞碌；若不是永恆主看守城池，看守的人就枉然儆醒。

如果不是耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞苦；如果不是耶和華看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

非耶和華建屋宇、則匠人之經營徒然、非耶和華衛城邑、則守者之儆醒徒然、

建築宮室、不蒙耶和華祐、俱為徒勞兮、謹守城垣、不賴耶和華助、亦為虛事兮、

若非主建造房室、匠人勞苦、亦屬枉然、若非主保護城池、守者警醒、亦為無益、

微主建爾屋。建屋徒自苦。微主守爾城。守城豈能固。

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Unless Yahweh builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.

In their hearts human beings plan their lives. But the Lord decides where their steps will take them.

We work together to serve God. You are like God’s field. You are like his building.God has given me the grace to lay a foundation as a wise builder. Now someone else is building on it. But each one should build carefully.No one can lay any other foundation than what has already been laid. That foundation is Jesus Christ.A person may build on it using gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay or straw.But each person’s work will be shown for what it is. On judgment day it will be brought to light. It will be put through fire. The fire will test how good each person’s work is.If the building doesn’t burn up, God will give the builder a reward for the work.If the building burns up, the builder will lose everything. The builder will be saved, but only like one escaping through the flames.

So the one who plants is not important. The one who waters is not important. It is God who makes things grow. He is the important one.

No wisdom, wise saying or plan can succeed against the Lord.You can prepare a horse for the day of battle. But the power to win comes from the Lord.

A king isn’t saved just because his army is big. A soldier doesn’t escape just because he is very strong.People can’t trust a horse to save them either. Though it is very strong, it can’t save them.But the Lord looks with favor on those who respect him. He watches over those who put their hope in his faithful love.

He won’t let your foot slip. He who watches over you won’t get tired.In fact, he who watches over Israel won’t get tired or go to sleep.The Lord watches over you. The Lord is like a shade tree at your right hand.

Lift up a banner! Attack Babylon’s walls! Put more guards on duty! Station more of them to watch over you! Hide and wait to attack them! I will do what I have planned. I will do what I have decided to do against the people of Babylon.

Jerusalem, I have stationed guards on your walls. They must never be silent day or night. You who call out to the Lord must not give yourselves any rest.

Here is what Israel should say. Suppose the Lord had not been on our side.

Think about it. The Lord has chosen you to build a house as a holy place where he can live. So be strong. Get to work.”

David also said to his son Solomon,“ Be strong and brave. Get to work. Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope. The Lord God is my God. He is with you. He won’t fail you. He won’t desert you until all the work for serving in the Lord’ s temple is finished.

And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn’t mean anything. Your faith doesn’t mean anything either.

Help my son Solomon serve you with all his heart. Then he will keep your commands and rules. He will do what you require. He’ll do everything to build the grand and wonderful temple I’ve provided for.”

He will build a house for my Name. He will be my son. And I will be his father. I will make his kingdom secure over Israel. It will last forever.’“ My son, may the Lord be with you. May you have success. May you build the house of the Lord your God, just as he said you would.

I look up to the mountains. Where does my help come from?

I call out to the Lord when I’m in trouble, and he answers me.

I was very glad when they said to me,“ Let us go up to the house of the Lord.”

He said to him,“ Run! Tell that young man Zechariah,‘ Jerusalem will be a city that does not have any walls around it. It will have huge numbers of people and animals in it.And I myself will be like a wall of fire around it,’ announces the Lord.‘ I will be the city’s glory.’

Our enemies took us away from Zion. But when the Lord brought us home, it seemed like a dream to us.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion. They will always be secure. They will last forever.

Here’s something else I’ve seen on this earth. Races aren’t always won by those who run fast. Battles aren’t always won by those who are strong. Wise people don’t always have plenty of food. Clever people aren’t always wealthy. Those who have learned a lot aren’t always successful. God controls the timing of every event. He also controls how things turn out.

I am afraid for you. I am afraid that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

I look up and pray to you. Your throne is in heaven.

There he built his holy place as secure as the heavens. He built it to last forever, like the earth.

“ Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them,‘ Suppose I send enemies against a land. And its people choose one of their men to stand guard.He sees the enemies coming against the land. He blows a trumpet to warn the people.Someone hears the trumpet. But they do not pay any attention to the warning. The enemies come and kill them. Then what happens to them will be their own fault.They heard the sound of the trumpet. But they did not pay any attention to the warning. So what happened to them was their own fault. If they had paid attention, they would have saved themselves.But suppose the guard sees the enemies coming. And he does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. The enemies come and kill one of them. Then their life has been taken away from them because they sinned. But I will hold the guard responsible for their death.’“ Son of man, I have appointed you as a prophet to warn the people of Israel. So listen to my message. Give them a warning from me.Suppose I say to a sinful person,‘ You can be sure that you will die.’ And suppose you do not try to get them to change their ways. Then they will die because they have sinned. And I will hold you responsible for their death.But suppose you do warn that sinful person. You tell them to change their ways. But they do not change. Then they will die because they have sinned. But you will have saved yourself.

Those on guard duty found me as they were walking around in the city.‘ Have you seen the one my heart loves?’ I asked.

Israel’s prophets are blind. They don’t know the Lord. All of them are like watchdogs that can’t even bark. They just lie around and dream. They love to sleep.

“ I am the Lord. I watch over my vineyard. I water it all the time. I guard it day and night. I do it so no one can harm it.

In my vision the Babylonians set the tables. They spread out the rugs. They eat and drink. Get up, you officers! Rub your shields with oil!The Lord said to me,“ Go. Put a guard on duty on Jerusalem’s walls. Have him report what he sees.Tell him to watch for chariots that are pulled by teams of horses. Tell him to watch for men riding on donkeys or camels. Make sure he stays awake. Make sure he stays wide awake.”“ My master!” the guard shouts back.“ Day after day I stand here on the lookout tower. Every night I stay here on duty.Look! Here comes a man in a chariot! It’s being pulled by a team of horses. He’s calling out the news,‘ Babylon has fallen! It has fallen! All the statues of its gods lie broken in pieces on the ground!’ ”My people, you have been crushed like grain on a threshing floor. But now I’m telling you the good news I’ve heard. It comes from the Lord who rules over all. He is the God of Israel.Here is a prophecy against Edom that the Lord gave me. Someone is calling out to me from the land of Seir. He says,“ Guard, when will the night be over? Guard, how soon will it end?”The guard answers,“ Morning is coming, but the night will return. If you want to ask again, come back and ask.”

Those on guard duty found me as they were walking around in the city. They beat me. They hurt me. Those on guard duty at the walls took my coat away from me.

One messenger after another comes to the king of Babylon. All of them announce that his entire city is captured.

God, give the king the ability to judge fairly. He is your royal son. Help him to do what is right.