2 In vain you rise early

and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat—

for he grants sleep to those he loves.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late,

To eat the bread of sorrows:

For so he giveth his beloved sleep.

2 It is useless for you to work so hard

from early morning until late at night,

anxiously working for food to eat;

for God gives rest to his loved ones.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late,

To eat the bread of sorrows;

For so He gives His beloved sleep.

2 It is no use for you to get up early

and stay up late,

working for a living.

The Lord gives sleep to those he loves.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,

To take rest late,

To eat the bread of toil;

For so he giveth unto his beloved sleep.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to lie down late, to eat the bread of sorrows: so to his beloved one he giveth sleep.

2 It is useless to work hard for the food you eat 

by getting up early and going to bed late. 

The Lord gives ⸤food⸥ to those he loves while they sleep. 

2 In vain you get up early and stay up late,

working hard to have enough food—

yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves.

2 It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives sleep to his beloved.

2 It is in vain for you who rise early and sit late,

eating the bread of anxious toil,

when thus he provides for his beloved in his sleep.

2 It’s useless for you to work from early morning

until late at night

just to get food to eat.

God provides for those he loves even while they sleep.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,

To retire late,

To eat the bread of painful labors;

For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.