(1) A song of ascents.
When GOD restores the fortunes of Zion—we see it as in a dream—(2)our mouths shall be filled with laughter,our tongues, with songs of joy.Then shall they say among the nations,“GOD has done great things for them!”(3)GOD will do great things for usand we shall rejoice.(4)Restore our fortunes, O ETERNAL One,like watercourses in the Negeb.(5)They who sow in tearsshall reap with songs of joy.(6)One who goes along weeping,carrying the seed-bag,shall come back with songs of joy,carrying the sheaves.

§ The Gemara relates another story about Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All the days of the life of that righteous man,Ḥoni, he was distressed over the meaning of this verse: “A song of Ascents: When the Lord brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream” (Psalms 126:1). He said to himself: Is there really a person who can sleep and dream for seventy years? How is it possible to compare the seventy-year exile in Babylonia to a dream? One day, he was walking along the road when he saw a certain man planting a carob tree.Ḥonisaid to him: This tree, after how many years will it bear fruit? The man said to him: It will not produce fruit until seventy years have passed. Ḥonisaid to him: Is it obvious to you that you will live seventy years, that you expect to benefit from this tree? He said to him: That man himself found a world full of carob trees. Just as my ancestors planted for me, I too am planting for my descendants.Ḥonisat and ate bread. Sleep overcame him and he slept. A cliff formed around him, and he disappeared from sight and slept for seventy years. When he awoke, he saw a certain man gathering carobs from that tree. Ḥonisaid to him: Are you the one who planted this tree? The man said to him: I am his son’s son.Ḥonisaid to him: I can learn from this that I have slept for seventy years, and indeed he saw that his donkey had sired several herds during those many years. Ḥoniwent home and said to the members of the household: Is the son of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel alive? They said to him: His son is no longer with us, but his son’s son is alive. He said to them: I am Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. They did not believe him. He went to the study hall, where he heard the Sages say about one scholar: His halakhot are as enlightening and as clear as in the years of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel, for whenḤoni HaMe’aggel would enter the study hall he would resolve for the Sages any difficulty they had.Ḥonisaid to them: I am he, but they did not believe him and did not pay him proper respect.Ḥonibecame very upset, prayed for mercy, and died. Rava said: This explains the folk saying that people say: Either friendship or death, as one who has no friends is better off dead.